Ice Flyers’ Youth Jersey Night Generates Season’s Largest Crowd, But Not A Win
By Bill Vilona
Ice Flyers Correspondent
A first of its kind youth jersey giveaway Friday night generated the kind of response the Ice Flyers hoped to produce the season’s largest crowd.
But it couldn’t flip the same outcome from a week ago when the Ice Flyers played the Birmingham Bulls.
Once again, the Bulls buried their best scoring chances and skated away with a 5-2 win before a wow-factor crowd of 5,740 at the Pensacola Bay Center.
“It was nice to see that crowd and the kids,” said Ice Flyers coach Rod Aldoff. “That’s all excellent. It’s unfortunate we played the way we did. We didn’t give them much to cheer about. That’s on us.
“We have to get it figured out. Us as a team have to get it figured out. We are not good enough right now.”
The two teams will rematch Saturday at the Bulls’ Pelham Civic Complex near Birmingham. It will be their fourth meeting in the past six games.
The Ice Flyers emotional edge in this game was short-lived.
During a late first period power play – one of only two penalties in the entire game — Weiland Parrish camped himself near the left face-off circle where Ice Flyers captain Garrett Milan delivered the perfect pass that Parrish deposited into the upper top corner of the goal cage with 1:05 left.
But only 25 seconds later, the Bulls tied the game before intermission. They never trailed again.
“It was an odd game to be honest,” Aldoff said. “I thought from the start of the game to the very end we did not handle the puck well at all. I honestly thought we were playing with a tennis ball out there. It bounced all over the place. We couldn’t handle it, we couldn’t pass it or do anything.”
The Ice Flyers had only five shots on goal in the first 15 minutes and generated just eight shots in the second period. After the Bulls Nick Fea scored with a one-timer shot during a delayed penalty.
Two minutes later, however, the Ice Flyers answered when Kolton Olynek intercepted a pass from inside the Bulls zone, then Olynek rifled a shot into the top corner of the net. Those opportunities didn’t occur often.
“Obviously you just have to grind those out and that’s just what we have to learn,” Aldoff said. “We have to get better on the back end (defenseman, goaltender). We are not good enough. Our defense right now is not good enough. We are not handling the puck well enough.”
“It will happen. We just have to keep battling through it. This is very frustrating for me.”
Fea scored his second goal for the Bulls with 2:16 left in the second period. The rest of the game, the Bulls efforts to limit the Ice Flyers from odd-man rushes or clear-look opportunities paid off.
Aldoff pulled newcomer goalie Riley Morris with 3:17 left in the game for a two-man advantage. Morris made a pair sensational saves in the first period that reinforced why the Ice Flyers quickly signed him.
“I thought he made some great saves,” Aldoff said. “It was his first game in awhile. We definitely didn’t help him any and we have to get better.”
GAME NOTABLES
There were 1,000 youth-sized Ice Flyers jerseys for the Friday giveaway. The jersey supply was gone with 30 minutes before the first puck drop.
The ceremonial opening face-off featured three pairs of kids being able to share in the experience of a hockey game face-off.
Curt Metzger was the Ice Flyers “Center Ice Hero.” He was accompanied by family members. Metzger is in his 22nd year in the military and stationed at Corry Field.
WHAT’S NEXT?
WHO: Ice Flyers vs. Birmingham Bulls
WHEN: Tonight 7 p.m.
WHERE: Pelham Civic Complex, Birmingham
NEXT HOME GAME: Jan. 14 vs. Birmingham on “Weiner Dog Race Night.” Sponsored by Olive Branch Pet Hospital.
