Ice Flyers Rough Start Again Decisive In Series-Ending Loss To Macon Mayhem
By Bill Vilona
IceFlyers.com Correspondent
The Ice Flyers faced another three-goal hole early into Saturday’s series finale against the Macon Mayhem.
This time, they could not produce any late-game suspense.
The Mayhem twice answered the Ice Flyers brief points of momentum with insurance goals, then played tight defense in the final minutes to produce a 5-3 victory at the Pensacola Bay Center and claim both final meetings this season between the teams.
Saturday’s game attracted a crowd (5,619) that nearly filled every seat in the lower bowl for Toy Story Night with the Ice Flyers wearing custom designed purple jerseys to match the theme. There was also a live auction for game-worn jerseys following the game.
The back-to-back losses pushed the Ice Flyers four points behind Evansville and Birmingham for the last two playoff qualifying spots. The Ice Flyers (13-22, 5 OT losses) have 16 games remaining, eight apiece home and away.
With their wins, Macon (17-20, 3 OT losses) climbed from ninth to seventh place in the league standings.
After trailing 3-0 Friday night, closing to within a goal and failing to get an equalizer in the final minutes of 3-2 loss to Macon, the game Saturday began even rougher for the Ice Flyers.
They gave up three goals in the first nine minutes, forcing Ice Flyers coach Gary Graham to remove starting goaltender Brody Claeys for Cody Karpinski.
Only 28 seconds later, a jolt of good vibe occurred when Matt Wiesner poked in the puck through traffic to trim the deficit.
Macon then got the first goal of the second period to extend the lead, then a goal less than seven minutes into the third period to again answer an Ice Flyers lead-trimming score.
With more than three minutes left in the game, following a timeout, Graham pulled Karpinski for the extra attacker, but the Ice Flyers struggled with puck control in those closing minutes and were thwarted from getting numerous chances.
Pensacola played without team captain Jake Hamilton, suspended for his role in a fight Friday night. Also following last night’s game, winger Michael Herrera was placed on a 14-day injured list.
Once again the Ice Flyers managed more shots on goal (35-29), including an overwhelming edge in the second period (12-3), but could not generate more goals.
With the Bay Center transformed as the center venue for the ultra-popular Pensacon week, the Ice Flyers will travel to face the Birmingham Bulls next Friday and Saturday with an opportunity to close ground if they can win those back-to-back games.
They will then play Evansville at the Bay Center for three consecutive games the following week (Feb 21-23), so there are opportunities for this team to gain ground in a quest for a playoff spot.
Here’s a quick recap from Saturday.
FIRST PERIOD
The Ice Flyers struggled to gain puck possession following the opening faceoff and got pinned in their zone. That turned into Macon’s first goal just 2-minutes, 52 seconds into the game by Justin Kelly.
The Ice Flyers didn’t get their first shot on goal until nearly four minutes into the period.
The Mayhem then answered with two goals just 39 seconds apart to expand the lead and force the goaltender change.
Matt Wiesner’s goal put some energy back for the remainder of the period, following assists by teammates Greg Susinski and Jonathan Bartuccio-Pereira.
SECOND PERIOD
Sam Dabrowski converted a pass from Ivan Bondarenko with 5:13 left in the period to provide another lift. Bondarenko had massed on a backhand attempt as he swooped on net, but regained control of the puck on after circling the cage and found slid the puck to Dabrowski for ninth goal of the season.
Bondarenko and Wiesner then just missed converting on a two-on-one during a penalty kill situation, after the Ice Flyers were whistled for too many men on the ice.
Macon got called for the same penalty with 1:21 left, but the Ice Flyers couldn’t capitalize and Macon took intermission with a 4-2 lead.
THIRD PERIOD
Blake Tosto poked in puck amid traffic in front of the crease to cut the deficit to 4-3 with 17:57 left in the game and suddenly thoughts of comeback were returned.
But following a game timeout and a faceoff in the Macon zone, the Mayhem gained possession and Jake Goldowski scored the game’s biggest goal on a rush by flipping the puck past Karpinski with 13:10 left. It gave the Mayhem a two-goal edge they kept.
GAME NOTABLES
Following the game, many of the Ice Flyers players participated in a post-game skate with fans.
The jersey auctions and uniform design were popular with proceeds going to Covenant Care.
Chris Roney, owner of Ace Unlocks, an Ice Flyers partner, participated in the ceremonial opening puck drop.
During the second intermission, Ice Flyers owner Greg Harris and Florida Blue’s Kim Parker presented a $3,000 check to Valerie’s House Pensacola, a dedicated children’s grief center.
Fans can bid on autographed goal pucks from this weekend on Dash.
WHAT’S NEXT?
WHO: Ice Flyers vs. Birmingham Bulls
WHEN: Friday-Saturday (Feb. 14-15)
WHERE: Pelham Civic Complex, Pelham, Alabama.
LIVE STATS: www.thesphl.com
LIVESTREAM: www.flohockey.com (subscription required).
NEXT HOME GAMES: Feb. 21-23 vs. Evansville Thunderbolts.
