Ice Flyers Unleash Goal Barrage To Make Amends, Rout Macon In Holiday Game
By Bill Vilona
Ice Flyers Correspondent
The Ice Flyers heeded the urgent message from their coach.
In a first-time game on the Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday, the Ice Flyers answered back from Saturday’s home loss by producing a pair of season superlatives in a 7-1 victory Monday against the Macon Mayhem at the Pensacola Bay Center.
They scored five goals in the game’s first 16 minutes and 15 seconds – the most goals produced in any period this year – and rolled past the league’s second-to-last-place team to start a trio of games against Macon. The teams will return to play Friday and Saturday at the Bay Center.
“We just had to play a good game,” said Ice Flyers coach Rod Aldoff, whose team began the second half of the season Monday now tied with Quad City for eighth place in the standings. “The start was part of the game and we had to just be ready to play a 60 minute game with the effort and thought the first period was great effort.
“I thought second period was not a good period. I thought they outplayed us and we kinda got complacent and we talked about that. It is something we had to address. I thought guys came out hungry again in the third period and finished them off, so that part of the game was great.
“We have to now find that gear and stay consistent.”
The Ice Flyers began the game in overdrive. They had 10 first-period shots on goal. And five pucks in the net. It kept the crowd of 2,473 busy with goal dances – something that didn’t happen Saturday in the 3-0 shutout loss to Birmingham.
After the fourth goal, Macon replaced starting goaltender Cody Karpinski, who played 20 games last season for the Ice Flyers. The seven goals in the game matched a season-high first set on Dec. 23 in a 7-3 win against Birmingham.
Mitch Atkins began the goal barrage by deflecting home an inside blue line wrist shot by Branden Makara, following a faceoff in the Macon zone. Just 15 seconds later, it was 2-0 when Nick Leitner took a perfect pass from Garrett Milan and finished it into the net.
The Ice Flyers then finished the first period with three consecutive power play goals. Defenseman Jason Price, a former assistant coach behind the bench with Aldoff, scored his first one this season. Kolten Olynek followed 1:02 later on a second power play goal. Then Milan scored his team-best 14th goal with 3:45 left in the first period.
“The goals are one thing, but just the way we played,” Aldoff said. “Our defense we were shutting them down quickly and getting in their face quickly and it didn’t look like they had any Grade-A opportunities in the first period and that is a testament to our team.
“With that good defense and consistent play, you are going to get opportunities,” he said. “It was just good hockey. The score takes care of itself with good hockey.”
Another good sign Monday? Seven goals from seven different players. Of the 16 players, excluding the two goalies, the Ice Flyers had on the ice, 12 of those registered at least one point.
Moscow born Ivan Bondarenko had four assists to earn the most points and the game’s No. 1 star award.
“We have some guys getting opportunities and that’s their time to shine,” Aldoff said. “This week is really a great week to build our game and individual game with some guys. So, it’s vital.”
One of the newcomers, 6-foot-3 center Sean Gulka, 22, got his first professional goal with 7:01 remaining. A teammate alertly retrieved the puck from the crease area to present to Gulka on the bench.
Gulka played four games last season for the Ice Flyers and seven games for the higher-level, ECHL South Carolina Stingrays this season, but had not scored.
“He’s a big guy, strong guy. He adds that size to our lineup up front and some strength and toughness,” Aldoff said. “Good to see him battle and see him get his first pro goal.”
The other noticeable element was Ice Flyers goaltender Riley Morris, who earned his first win after two prior starts. Morris stopped 30 shots, including 14 in the third period. Morris and Brad Arvantis, who started both games last weekend, have appeared to fill the goalie void Aldoff has been trying to address since late October.
“The change in net has been a positive one and they are good guys,” Aldoff said. “They bring another dimension to our team and another level of confidence to our team when you have two goaltenders you know can shut it down. That was big for us.”
GAME NOTABLES
The Ice Flyers honored the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. with a variety of images and famous quotes by King throughout the game, which were displayed on all the HD video boards simultaneously.
Shantel Woodson provided a stirring rendition of the National Anthem to loud applause from the fans.
Twice in the game, Macon thought a goal had been scored when the goal judge flicked on the red lamp to signify. But after consultations among the three referees and watching replays on a laptop, referee Evan Reddick waved off both shots that hit the goal cage crossbar.
Following the game, the Ice Flyers players participated in a post-game autograph session on the second level concourse.
Macon will return Friday for back-to-back games and the Ice Flyers will finish the final weekend in January with back-to-back games against the Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs.
WHAT’S NEXT?
WHO: Macon Mayhem vs. Ice Flyers
WHEN: Friday and Saturday, both games start at 7:05 p.m.
WHERE: Pensacola Bay Center
PROMOTION: Friday (NHL and Jr. Ice Flyers Night) Fans encouraged to wear their favorite NHL team’s jersey, plus there will be auction items donated by the Tampa Bay Lightning and Florida Panthers. Between periods, the Jr. Ice Flyers will skate on the ice for brief scrimmage play and bring awareness to youth hockey.
Saturday (Military Appreciation Night). Discount tickets for military members when purchased at arena box office. Military them jerseys will be available for purchase at merch stands.
RADIO: Fox Sports Pensacola (101.1 FM, 1450 AM).
TELEVISION: YurView (Cox Communications subscribers)
