Good Times Roll Indeed For Ice Flyers In Record Mardi Gras Night Win
By Bill Vilona
Ice Flyers Correspondent
On a night with an all-time feat, the Ice Flyers truly let the good times roll.
And roll and roll.
After producing a six-goal barrage in the first period, it continued with a King Cake performance in the Ice Flyers’ record-busting, 13-4 victory Saturday against the Macon Mayhem on Mardi Gras Night at the Pensacola Bay Center.
A wow factor unlike any other in hockey’s 25-year history in Pensacola.
“Good night to do it, for sure,” said Ice Flyers coach Rod Aldoff, smiling.
The season’s third-largest crowd of 4,338 watched the Ice Flyers establish a single-game record in the Southern Professional Hockey League for most goals in a game. Four teams in league history had scored 12 goals in a game.
The Ice Flyers and Mayhem also tied the SPHL record for combined goals (17) in a game.
“To do that on home ice, in front 4300 or so people on Mardi Gras Night… something super iconic to this area…. everything just came together,” said Ice Flyers owner Greg Harris. “It was one of those nights you definitely never forget.”
The memories created include two Pensacola players, wingers Kyle Wendorf and team captain Brennan Blaszczak, producing hat tricks.
Wendorf finished off his trifecta with 15 seconds left in the second period, pushing the lead to 11-1. Blaszczak got the party started with the game’s first goal, a shorthanded gem, that occurred 7:14 into the first period.
From that point, goals came faster than beads were tossed during the two intermission, krewe parades on the ice.
Incredibly, 14 of the 15 Ice Flyers players who dressed out, excluding the goaltenders, produced points in this game. Six different players scored goals. Malik Johnson scored his first two goals since joining the Ice Flyers two weeks ago.
“Lot of excitement with Mardi Gras and finish it off with a great hockey game,” Aldoff said. “Fans like goals and the team gave them some goals (Saturday) so it is all good.”
At one point, the Ice Flyers led 10-0 with just 22 shots. They forced Macon (5-22, plus 2 OT losses) to make two goaltender changes. After starter Gregg Hussey was pulled when it was 4-0, his replacement, Michael Stiliadis, was pulled after allowing the next seven goals. Hussey was back in net to start the third period.
The Ice Flyers (15-11, plus 4 OT losses) scored a pair of goals 17 seconds apart to start the second period. Later in the period, they went back-to-back in 30 seconds.
“We came out hard, skated hard and the guys got rewarded,” Aldoff said. “They kept the pedal down in the second period and got rewarded. We played hard and deserved what we got.
“When we work and play with that kind of tenacity and competitiveness, we have a tough team.”
The only concern was Wendorf being helped off the ice with 4:08 remaining after crashing against the back boards when tripping over what seemed an inadvertent collision. That same sequence, the Ice Flyers Seth Ensor was whistled for high-sticking, drawing the ire and chants from fans.
But earlier in the game, Wendorf and Blaszczak were flying past Macon defenders, or being in position to tap in easy goals. Blaszczak’s final goal came off his own rebound that he batted in with his stick blade into an empty net.
“Kyle works hard and you are going to have these nights when it pays off,” Aldoff said. “He made some nice plays. And got some nice goals. I’m happy to see a guy like Kyle who puts a lot of work in, well deserved.
“Brennan has a lot of speed. He comes to play, he’s all heart and soul. He has a lot of speed that teams don’t realize. He can shoot out of a cannon type of thing.”
Aldoff said it was the most goals he’s ever been involved with – either as player or coach. Several of the Ice Flyers early goals were one-time shots off 2-on-1 breaks. The goals were perfect finish on great passes.
“And that’s being ready to play,” he said. “That’s being focused. Making the good passes and be ready to shoot. It was couple little breakdowns and lot of execution.”
After a trip to Fayetteville, N.C. next weekend to face the Fayetteville Marksmen, the Ice Flyers will host Macon again on Feb. 4-5 at the Bay Center.
Fayetteville has a three-point lead on the Ice Flyers in fifth place in league standings.
“We’ll enjoy (win) and when we wake up in the (Sunday) morning, we’ll have the day off, but we need to still prepare mentally and this week in practice,” Aldoff said. “This was a great night. Guys deserve the credit. But we have be prepared and keep climbing.”
In the third period Saturday, SPHL commissioner Doug Price sent a text message to Harris, informing the Ice Flyers owner if his team reached 13 goals, it would be the league record.
“By the time I saw that, we had already scored 13,” said Harris, laughing.
In addition to the Mardi Gras festivities between periods, the Ice Flyers’ nightly 50-50 raffle jackpot surpassed $5,000.
Included in the parade of trucks on the ice was a flatbed which included “Ranger,” the Labrador puppy that is the Ice Flyers service-dog-in-training.
“A good night for everyone,” Aldoff said.
WHAT’S NEXT?
WHO: Ice Flyers At Fayetteville Marksmen
WHEN: Saturday (Jan. 29), Sunday (Jan. 30)
WHERE: Crown Coliseum, Fayetteville, N.C.
NEXT HOME GAMES: Feb. 4-5 vs. Macon Mayhem
