Brennan Blaszczak Rights Ship In Ice Flyers Win
By Bill Vilona
Ice Flyers Correspondent
The Ice Flyers had their fast start in Thursday’s game turn into a tenuous situation late into the third period.
Brennan Blaszczak made sure it ended well.
The Ice Flyers’ team captain, as he often has done all season, created the game’s biggest play by breaking free near center ice, taking a perfect pass from Frederic Letourneau on a breakaway, then burying the shot for a two-goal lead that later became a 5-2 victory against the Macon Mayhem.
“The (defenseman) was right there, but Brennan has good speed when he takes off,” said Ice Flyers coach Rod Aldoff. “At our blue line that gives him plenty of room to take off and got in behind there and scored a big goal for us.”
The win began another trio of home games in three days for the Ice Flyers. They close out their regular-season home schedule with games on Friday and Saturday against the Evansville (Ind.) Thunderbolts.
Facing Macon for the eighth time this season, the Ice Flyers jumped to a 3-0 lead at the first intermission. Weiland Parrish and LeTourneau scored two minutes apart in the first six minutes of the game. Ivan Bondarenko followed with a tap-in goal with 2:37 left in the period.
The Ice Flyers looked to be on their way with little resistance.
But the Mayhem fought back with a power play goal, then a shorthanded goal in the second period. From that point, the Ice Flyers were battling in an unexpected kind of game against a team that had been eliminated from playoff contention a month ago.
“Sometimes when you play these games against teams out of the playoffs, it is a whole mental focus type of thing,” Aldoff said. “You have to stick to the gam plan and it is a mental battle within ourselves.
“It’s staying focused. On the (Ice Flyers second period) power play, we made a bad mistake at the blue line as far as our entry and they took advantage. You got to play what is in front of you and don’t worry about taking any more. We got a little greedy on a few plays and paid for it.”
Blaszczak, a Las Vegas native and University of Alaska-Fairbanks graduate, changed the emotional edge with his breakaway goal. It was his 30th of the season, which is tied for the most goals in the Southern Professional Hockey League.
Blaszczak had been held without a goal since March 19 when delivering a dagger to Macon’s hopes with 5:56 remaining in the game.
“Brennan was here right out of college in 2020 and he was here last year,” Aldoff said. “He hasn’t changed. He is the same guy every day from the first day he got here. Those are good people, good pros. I know what to expect from him every day. Practice or game he comes ready to compete.
“He’s got some experience now and has turned into a good pro hockey player. He has a lot of confidence out there. He is a quiet guy and it’s nice to see him speak loudly on the ice.”
The Ice Flyers started loudly. Parrish fired home a one-timer three minutes into the game. The Ice Flyers then got a power play chance and LeTourneau scored eight seconds later.
Bondarenko was parked in the crease area when he easily tapped in Marcus Russell’s shot with 2:37 left in the period. Marcus Russell, who had a pair of assists on earlier goals, scored one of his own with 0.07 left, after Macon pulled its goaltender for an extra attacker.
“Overall, a lot of good stuff in the hockey game,” Aldoff said. “Lot of good execution. It wasn’t clean, wasn’t totally the way we wanted it, but the guys fought hard and at the end of day, we got the win.”
WHAT’S NEXT?
WHAT: Ice Flyers Final Home Weekend
WHO: Evansville Thunderbolts vs Ice Flyers
WHEN: Friday and Saturday. Both games start at 7:05 p.m.
WHERE: Pensacola Bay Center
TICKETS: Available through www.pensacolaiceflyers.com and Pensacola Bay Center box office
PROMOTIONS: Friday (Nickelodeon Night-Ft. Garfield, Specialty jerseys, post-game auction). Military Appreciation Night (sponsored by Navy Federal Credit Union), $12 tickets for active and retired military.
RADIO: Fox Sports Pensacola (101.1 FM).
