Ice Flyers Overcome Challenges To Begin $5 Weekend In Most Desired Way
Bill Vilona
Ice Flyers Correspondent
After a month away, plus two years removed from their last $5 ticket night, the Ice Flyers finished Friday night in the most desired way.
The Ice Flyers got a go-ahead goal with 4:30 remaining from Brennan Blaszczak, then held off Roanoke playing with an extra attacker for the final 90 seconds of a 5-4 win at the Pensacola Bay Center.
A crowd of 5,035, some of whom were attending their first Ice Flyers game, were entertained with a game that featured constant end-to-end rushes and varied momentum swings. The teams will rematch tonight at 7:05 p.m. with an expected larger crowd to complete the $5 ticket weekend set of games.
“It was an exciting game (Friday),” said Ice Flyers coach Rod Aldoff, who then added, “Well, maybe not for a coach. It was exciting for the fans, I hope.
“A little less dramatic is better for coaches,” he said, smiling. “The fans did a great job. It was a big week and it was exciting for them. “A great crowd. It was loud and we could hear them.”
It didn’t take long to generate crowd noise.
The Ice Flyers scored just 43 seconds into the game when Douglas Elgstam redeposited a rebound past Roanoke goaltender Austyn Roudebush. That generated hundreds of teddy bears tossed on the ice as part of the $5 night, made possible by StepOne Automotive, a loyal Ice Flyers partner.
Later in the first period, Marcus Russell scored off a rebound while sliding into the goal crease area.
But the 2-0 lead at first intermission evaporated when the Rail Yard Dawgs scored three goals in three different ways in the second period. An even-strength goal was followed 91 seconds later with a shorthanded goal on an Ice Flyers power play. Roanoke’s Travis Armstrong then rifled in a power-play goal to take a 3-2 lead.
The scenario was something Aldoff feared, given his team’s logistical challenges. The Ice Flyers only practiced Tuesday at the Bay Center – their only time on an ice surface since their road win at Birmingham on March 4.
Their planned pregame skate Friday morning was cancelled, following a concert Thursday night at the Bay Center and the time needed to restore the ice.
“I knew going into it that this game would be a grind and it would take a while to get our legs,” Aldoff said. “I don’t even know if we fully got our legs at any part of the game. It’s tough. It’s tough when you don’t skate that long.
“You could see it out there and mentally too,” he said. “When you’ve been off the ice that long and not battling that long… we weren’t sharp defensively. Over time, that catches up to you. But I give the guys credit, they battled and battled and that’s all I can really ask for in those situations.”
His assessment is why Friday’s win carried added significance. It was the Ice Flyers sixth win overall in their last eight games.
“Hopefully (Saturday), we have some legs and little more smoother of a hockey game for ourselves,” Aldoff said.
A smooth move by newcomer defenseman Cory Dennis led to him tying the game late in the second period with a wrist-flick shot into the top corner of the net.
Dennis, a Madison, Wisconsin native who was signed Feb. 25, following his final collegiate season at Concordia-Wisconsin University, was named in post-game as the No. 1 star with a goal and two assists.
He is one of five new defensemen the Ice Flyers signed in the last couple weeks.
“Cory has been a great player for us ever since he got here,” Aldoff said. “He plays with his head up, good hands and a good stick. He’s been a pleasant surprise in a good way.”
The Ice Flyers ended the game Friday on the good side of a goal-scoring flurry in the final five minutes. Three goals were scored in the span of one minute, three seconds.
First, Elgstam positioned himself for a wide-open look between faceoff circles and one-timed a pass from Parrish to give the Ice Flyers a 4-3 lead. Roanoke answered on a rebound goal with 4:56 remaining.
Just 26 seconds later, Parrish outbattled two Roanoke players for a puck near the left corner behind the net. He placed a backhand pass on the stick blade of Blaszczak, who blasted a shot that rattled off the goal pipe and into the left.
“He battled in the corner and got the puck to him,” Aldoff said. “He’s tenacious on the puck. A great pass and Brennan made a heck of a shot.
“He scores those tough ones like that. I know there were three or four others (chances in game) that were easier that he missed.”
Ice Flyers goaltender Cody Karpinski, who stopped 27 shots, made a couple says in the final minute, after Roanoke pulled its goaltender for an extra attacker.
“The new guys coming in are playing well, they are still learning. We have a good group of guys. They get along well and that’s obviously the most important thing.”
