Bulls forward Kolten Olynek opened the scoring early in the first period, and forward Filimon Ledziankou extended the Bulls’ lead to two before the first intermission.

Midway through the second period, Jirousek and the Bulls’ Kyler Mathews dropped the gloves in a fight. Later, Andrew Bellant scored to extend the Bulls’ lead to three.

After a tripping penalty against Nikita Kozyrev of the Bulls, Jirousek capitalized with a power play goal. Minutes later, when the Bulls received a holding penalty, Jirousek struck again, narrowing the score to 3-2.

Ice Flyers’ Matt Wiesner received a game misconduct and major penalty for elbowing, putting the Bulls on a power play for most of the remaining third period. The Bulls capitalized with Kolten Olynek’s second goal of the game, making the score 4-2.

Fans can bid on autographed goal pucks from this weekend on Dash.

The Ice Flyers play their final home game of the season on Sunday, March 23 for Spongebob Night presented by Pensacola International Airport. | Get tickets

Scoring Summary

First Period

BHM 1, PEN 0

2:12 Kolten Olynek (17) – Nikita Kozyrev, Andrew Bellant

BHM 2, PEN 0

16:09 Filimon Ledziankous (12) – Arkhip Ledziankou, Carson Rose

Shots on goal: BHM 9, PEN 0

Second Period

BHM 3, PEN 0

18:04 Andrew Bellant (4) – Nikita Kozyrev, Kolten Olynek

Shots on goal: BHM 9, PEN 6

Third Period

BHM 3, PEN 1

4:39 Lukas Jirousek (3) – Jake Hamilton

BHM 3, PEN 2

6:03 Lukas Jirousek (4) – Matthew Gilbert

BHM 4, PEN 2

15:09 Kolton Olynek (18) – Unassisted

Shots on goal: BHM 14 PEN 9

Total Shots: BHM 32, PEN 23

The post Recap: Bulls 4, Ice Flyers 2 first appeared on Pensacola Ice Flyers.

Ice Flyers.com Correspondent 

The Ice Flyers final home weekend began Friday night with a repeat of an unwelcome, season-long narrative. 

After getting a rare tying goal in the final 63 seconds with their goaltender pulled, the Ice Flyers emotional lift was short-lived in a 3-2 overtime loss against the Birmingham Bulls on “Small Dog Race Night” at the Pensacola Bay Center. 

The Bulls’ Arkhip Ledziankou, a forward from Belarus, scored his second goal of the game with 3:10 remaining in overtime. A crowd of 4,761 left deflated after the Ice Flyers’ 10^th overtime loss this season.

“Typical, right? You don’t know what to say,” said Ice Flyers coach Rod Aldoff, who has seen his team lose four overtime games now since he took over on February 21. 

“It comes down to this, we just don’t have the hockey sense. It’s frustrating as (heck),” he said. “Because you almost know (something bad is going to happen).”

Friday was the 50^th game of the season for the Ice Flyers (15-25, 10 OT losses), who remained mired in last place in the SPHL standings. They are nine points behind Quad City for the final playoff spot, which would now require winning all six remaining games and hoping Quad City lost all five of its remaining games. 

Aldoff said he will continue pushing this team to finish with a turnaround from current struggles. The Ice Flyers have won just twice in their last 11 games. 

“For me, I want to win every game,” he said. “That is going to be our goal. I don’t look it like we’re in first place or where we are at (last place). I want to win.

“We will prepare to win. And play hockey. Out of respect to the game, our team, our fans, our club. go play hard. That’s why we’re here. It doesn’t matter the situation. Finish with class.”

Friday’s game was the first start for goaltender Brody Claeys since he sustained an injury in the Ice Flyers last game against the Bulls on Feb. 15 in Birmingham. He was hurt 13 minutes into the first period in a game the Ice Flyers eventually won. 

Claeys stopped 31 shots against the Bulls (26-19, 5 OT losses), who have a one-point lead for fourth place in the standings. 

“I thought he played well and I was happy for him. He did his job,” Aldoff said. 

After a scoreless first period, the Ice Flyers scored the game’s first goal just 1:20 into the second period on a rush by Lukas Jirousek. The Bulls tied it on a power play with 5:44 left. They got a go-head goal in the third period before the Ice Flyers tied it. 

A quick recap:

FIRST PERIOD 

The game began with a center-ice fight. After the opening puck drop, Ice Flyers captain Jake Hamilton and the Bulls Jamie Dorsey squared off with both landing punches. Hamilton landed a flurry late before the officials separated the players. 

The Ice Flyers had a good scoring chance by Sam Dabrowski just 30 seconds into the period, then another on a two-on-one break with 6:26 left. 

The only power-play of the period was the Bulls chance with 2:42 left, but the Ice Flyers killed that off.

SECOND PERIOD

The Ice Flyers gave their crowd a lift when Lukas rushed the net and wristed a puck through the legs of Birmingham goaltender Hayden Stewart.

The Bulls tied the game with a power-player chance when Troy MacTavish got a perfect pass from Ledziankou and rifled it past Claeys. 

“I thought early we weren’t shooting enough …just getting some shots on net and getting to the net,” Aldoff said. “We picked that up. We talked about it and got more pucks to the net. We had some good chances. We had point blank chances that (Stewart) made the saves.”

THIRD PERIOD

The Bulls finished an end-to-end rush when Ledziankou scored on a rebound shot right near the Ice Flyers crease area. 

With 2:30 left, Aldoff pulled Claeys for the extra attacker. With 1:17 and a faceoff in the Bulls zone, Aldoff called timeout, went over a strategic play and it paid dividends. 

Jirousek won the faceoff, got the puck to Nick Pryce, who sent the disc to Ivan Bondarenko. He rifled a shot through traffic into the net. 

 “The faceoff happened and we didn’t get the quick look we wanted,” Aldoff said. “But they (players) regrouped and I thought it was a nice shot. It was a big-time screen and Stewart didn’t pick up and it hit the corner and it was a nice goal. 

OVERTIME
The Ice Flyers controlled the puck most of the way in the 3-on-3 situation but couldn’t get set up for a good shot. When the Bulls regain possession, they made the most of their chance to win the game. 

GAME NOTABLES 

The game sponsor was Olive Branch Pet Hospital. The small dog races featured about 130 pups of various breeds and an exciting championship race at the second intermission. 

Dr. Mark Sprayberry from Olive Branch along with Stephanie Sanders participated in the ceremonial puck drop. 

The Haze Gray Quartet performed the Canadian and American National Anthem. 

Samuel Lane, a long-time U.S. Navy veteran was the Pen Air Center-Ice Hero. 

Fans can bid on autographed goal pucks on dash.

WANT TO GO?

WHAT: Ice Flyers Final Home Weekend

WHO: Birmingham Bulls vs. Ice Flyers

WHEN: Saturday, 7:05 p.m.

WHERE: Pensacola Bay Center

PROMOTION: Military Appreciation Night: All active and retired military members and their families receive 50-percent discount if purchased at the Bay Center Box Office with proof of military ID. 

TICKETS: www.iceflyers.com or at Bay Center Box Office. 

LIVE STATS: www.thesphl.com. 

SUNDAY FINALE: Peoria Rivermen vs. Ice Flyers. Puck drop at 4:05 p.m. at Bay Center. 

The post Ice Flyers Get Late Tying Goal, But Sustain Another OT Loss To Start Final Home Series first appeared on Pensacola Ice Flyers.

The Ice Flyers figured to have an edge in a quest to gain ground in their weekend series against the team ahead for the final playoff spot.

That’s what made Saturday’s 3-0 loss against the Quad City Storm so baffling to Ice Flyers coach Rod Aldoff.

“This was not the team I had seen since coaching them,” said Aldoff, who returned on February 21 for his third return behind the bench.

After coming back from a two-goal deficit to win Friday’s game, the Ice Flyers again fell behind 2-0 in the second period Saturday, only to come up empty in a deflating loss before a crowd of 4,491 at the Pensacola Bay Center on St. Patrick’s Celebration Night.

There was no four-leaf clover found. Just the opposite. The weekend split kept the Ice Flyers seven points behind the Storm for eighth place, but now with just seven games left in the regular season.

“We just didn’t have legs, we weren’t moving, we weren’t getting to pucks, we weren’t supporting the puck,” Aldoff said. “In the third period there were spurts that were better, but you can’t play one period or 10 minutes and win a game.

“First period (Friday) we had no legs, which I understood because we had a goofy schedule with very little ice and no games last week. “I somewhat expected it might take a period to get into and we did. I expected much better legs (Saturday).”

Instead they were outshot 15-7 in the first period and trailed 1-0. Less than five minutes into the second period, a game-defining sequence occurred.

Quad City defenseman Dillon Fournier was assessed a major penalty (5 minutes) and ejected on a game misconduct for a vicious cross check against the Ice Flyers Sam Dombrowski who crumbled against the boards.

But the five-minute power play became a turning point. The Storm’s Leif Mattison, the league’s second-leading scorer, got a zone clearing pass from former Ice Flyers’ forward Weiland Parrish and turned a breakaway into a shorthanded goal for a 2-0 lead with 13:53 left in the period.

The crowd in the Bay Center groaned and the Ice Flyers never found a spark.

In the third period, the Ice Flyers had several good looks, but couldn’t get a goal, which forced pulling Ice Flyers goaltender AJ Ruskowski with 1:46 left. The Storm forced a turnover in the Ice Flyers zone and got an empty net goal with 51.5 seconds left to end the game.

“I have not seen that (Ice Flyers) team play yet,” Aldoff said. “The rest of the games we’ve played, I’ve been impressed. The guys have pounded and worked. I thought the first weekend (Feb. 21-23 when he returned to coach) we deserved six points. The work ethic was there. The execution was there.

“(Saturday) we had nothing. We were spinning our wheels.”

The Ice Flyers will play three home games next weekend, beginning Friday against the Birmingham Bulls and ending with a Sunday game against first-place Peoria.

After losing six of their last seven games, the Ice Flyers will need to win six of their last seven and get help to have a realistic chance of overcoming Quad City.

“We’re not out of it,” Aldoff said. “But this was a four-point swing (Saturday).”

Here’s a quick recap.

First Period
Before getting tossed from the game, Fournier assisted on the first Quad City goal. He set up Nick Pennucci, who fired a wrist shot through traffic into the upper right corner of the net with 15:10 left in the period.

The Ice Flyers killed the only penalty in the first period.

Making his fourth start, Ice Flyers goaltender Ruskowski stopped 14 shots in the period dominated by the Storm.

Second Period

The Ice Flyers outshot Quad City 12-2 in this period, aided by the five-minute power play, but could not get a tying goal.
Fournier’s penalty was the only one of the period.

Third Period
There were several sequences where the Ice Flyers swarmed the net, but could not get a rebound shot past Quad City goaltender Brent Moran who stopped all 28 shots he faced.

GAME NOTABLES
The St. Patrick’s Celebration Night was sponsored by McGuire’s Irish Pub. The Ice Flyers wore specialty jerseys for St. Patrick’s Day and had replica merchandise sold at the two stands.

Rich McDuff, a McGuire’s Irish Pub Performer, produced the National Anthem.

Amy Martin, a partner in the McGuire’s Management Group, was recognized with a ceremonial puck drop.

The McGuire’s famed BagPipe band entertained fans outside the Bay Center and during both intermissions.

Ed Flanagan, a long-time U.S. Marine Corps member, was honored as the Pen Air Center Ice Hero before the game.

Ice Flyers owner Greg Harris presented a $60,000 check to Rally Foundation-Gulf Coast during the first intermission. The organization was the Ice Flyers charity of the month.

WANT TO GO?
WHAT: Ice Flyers Final Weekend Home Games
WHO: Birmingham Bulls vs. Ice Flyers (March 21-22), Peoria Rivermen vs. Ice Flyers (March 23).
WHEN: Friday and Saturday games start at 7:05 p.m. The Sunday finale is at 4:05 p.m.
TICKETS: Available at www.iceflyers.com or the Bay Center Box office.

The post Ice Flyers Miss Ground-Gaining Opportunity In Loss To Quad City  first appeared on Pensacola Ice Flyers.

Former Ice Flyer Weiland Parrish started the scoring for the visiting Storm early in the 1st period.

Neither team found the back of the net for the remainder of the opening period as they headed to the first intermission with the Storm leading 1-0.

The Storm extended their lead with another early period goal off the stick of Brandon Stojcevski.

The Ice Flyers didn’t waver and battled back swiftly with three unanswered goals from Nick Pryce, Doug Elgstam, and Sam Dabrowski.

The score remained 3-2 the rest of the way as both teams traded chances in the third period, with the Ice Flyers ultimately securing their first home victory since February 1st.

Fans can bid on autographed goal pucks from tonight’s game on Dash.

Scoring Summary

First Period

QC 1, PEN 0

2:08 Weiland Parrish (12) – Mitchell Haight, Brent Moran

Shots on goal: QC 12, PEN 4

Second Period

QC 2, PEN 0

3:47 Brandon Stojcevski (10) – Noah Massie, Savva Smirnov

QC 2, PEN 1

6:02 Nick Pryce (7) – Nicholas Aromatario, Ivan Bondarenko

QC 2, PEN 2

11:28 Doug Elgstam (8) – Tyler German

QC 2, PEN 3

17:09 Sam Dabrowski (10) – Tyler German, Jonathan Bartuccio-Pereira

Shots on goal: QC 11, PEN 10

Third Period

No scoring

Shots on goal: QC 8, PEN 5

Total Shots: QC 31, PEN 19

The post Recap: Storm 2, Ice Flyers 3 first appeared on Pensacola Ice Flyers.

This season, that element has only compounded the overall struggles. 

For the second time in a three-game weekend, the Ice Flyers lost a two-goal lead in the final period, then fell 3-2 in overtime Sunday against the Evansville Thunderbolts, ending a crucial series at the Pensacola Bay Center in the least desired way. 

“It’s like there is just a black cloud over top of us and we got to get rid of it,” said Ice Flyers coach Rod Aldoff, who returned earlier in the week for a third time in his career behind the Ice Flyers bench, after a decision was made to release Gary Graham from his contract. 

Friday night, the Ice Flyers opened the series with a 2-0 lead in the third period, only to fall 4-3. Saturday night, they tied the game in third period, but lost 3-2 in the post-overtime shootout. 

Sunday, a 2-0 lead was erased by Evansville’s Issac Chapman, who scored with 11:59 left to halve the lead, then tied the game with just 2:30 remaining. 

In the 3-on-3 overtime period, the Thunderbolts got a 2-on-1 rush after an Ice Flyers turnover and Aidan Litke kept the puck and wristed a shot past Ice Flyers goaltender Ricardo Gonzalez for the game winner.

Playing in just his second game since joining the team this week, Gonzalez stopped 32 shots, including a penalty shot and other great saves, but Evansville’s resolve led to a big weekend. The Thunderbolts picked up six points to climb all the way into fifth place in the Southern Professional Hockey League standings. 

The Ice Flyers (14-23, 8 OT losses, 36 points) gained just two points, but still closed to within a point of ninth-place Macon and only two points behind the Quad City Storm for eighth-place and the final playoff spot. 

Confronting the Ice Flyers, however, is they’ve played more games (45) than any other team in the league. They also have to travel next weekend to Roanoke, Virginia to face the Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs, the third place team in the league for back-to-back games. 

A two-week break between games will follow before the Ice Flyers host Quad City for back-to-back games March 14-15 that will like be make-or-break for playoff hopes. 
“We’re past urgency,” said Aldoff, who guided the Ice Flyers to three of their four SPHL championships during his tenure. “It’s Game 7 every day for us.

“We played some good hockey,” he said. “I was impressed with the team overall. I used this weekend to evaluate a lot. I’m evaluating everybody in this situation… and I liked a lot of things. 

“It’s just a matter of getting this cloud over our head (removed). Because we were in great position Friday night and great position (Sunday) to finish those games off. And we found a way not to. We have to change that.”

Blake Tosto was involved in both goals to give the Ice Flyers their 2-0 lead after two periods. He assisted on Greg Susinski’s first period goal, then Tosto buried a shot on a feed from Ivan Bondarenko during 5-minute power play in the second period. 

But just as Friday’s lead slipped from the Ice Flyers’ grasp, this game took the same course. 

“First (Evansville) goal, (puck) bounced off the boards and off the slot and bounced a few times right on their (stick blade) tape and the shot goes up high into the net,” Aldoff said. “It’s just sequence after sequence of bad puck luck. 

“We fought hard. We did a lot of good things. We played a pretty good game as far as I’m concerned. The effort and tenacity was there. It’s just a bad bounce here or there.”
Both of Evansville goals followed situations where the Ice Flyers were unable to clear the puck from their zone. And too many times, when the Ice Flyers cleared the puck, it was a icing call and the faceoff was back in their zone.

“If you look at how Evansville played, one thing I think that’s important, is they got pucks and just flipped them out and they got to the red (center ice line) and flipped them in,” Aldoff said. 

“That’s all they did for nine periods. There were times when we were trying to make plays when there was no play there. And we just need to flip those pucks out. Just get it out, get it deep and go to work on it. 

So these are things, it’s a learning process, game management and knowing the situation you’re in. You don’t need to make something that’s not there. Just keep it simple and get it out and live another day and just keep doing it. They literally did that for nine periods.”

Here’s a quick recap.
FIRST PERIOD 
The Ice Flyers caught a break when one Evansville shot clanged off the goal post with 6:30 remaining. Two minutes later, Gonzalez made a big save on a point blank chance from the crease area. 

With 3:50 left in the period, Susinski got a feed from Tosto following a face off and rifled a shot through traffic past Evansville goaltender Cole Ceci, who finished the game with 37 saves and won all three games in net. 

There were no penalties in the period. 
SECOND PERIOD

Ice Flyers captain Jake Hamilton, returning from a five-game, league-imposed suspension, made his presence known by dropping a Evansville player during a brawl that led to each team getting two guys in the penalty box. 

The Ice Flyers thought they had a second goal during the 13-minute mark, but the replays showed the puck hit the cross ball, bounced down and straddled the goal line before rolling away. The referee made the right call in waving it off, even though the goal light came on. 

With 9:48 remaining Evansville’s Grayson Valente was hit with a 5-minute major penalty for boarding. During the power play, Bondarenko made a perfect pass to Tosto who buried the shot for the two-goal lead. 

THIRD PERIOD
After Gonzalez thwarted Evansville’s Scott Kirton on a penalty shot – awarded after the Ice Flyers’ Jonathan Bartuccio-Pereira was called for closing his gloves on the puck in the crease area with 13:31 left – the Ice Flyers seemed in good shape. But Chapman gave his team momentum with a goal from just outside the faceoff circle. He then buried a wide open look with 2:30 remaining. 
 
GAME NOTABLES
The game’s promotion, Savings Sunday with discounted merchandise was sponsored by HCA Florida West Florida Hospital. 
Dr. Charles Raudat, a cardiothoracic surgeon at the hospital, performed the ceremonial puck drop.
Victoria Stanfield, Supervisor PBX Communications and volunteer coordinator at HCA Florida West, performed a stirring rendition of the National Anthem to loud applause.  
 
WHAT’S NEXT?
WHO: Ice Flyers vs. Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs
WHEN: Friday-Saturday, both games at 6:05 p.m. (CST) 
WHERE: Berglund Center, Roanoke, Virginia. 
NEXT HOME GAMES: March 14-15 vs. Quad City Storm. 
TICKETS: www.iceflyers.com

BID ON AUTOGRAPHED GOAL PUCKS FROM THIS WEEKEND

The post Ice Flyers Have Lead Slip Away Into OT Loss Against Evansville In Difficult End To Weekend Series  first appeared on Pensacola Ice Flyers.

Myles Abbate opened the scoring with a quick shot past goaltender Ricky Gonzalez, who was making his first start as an Ice Flyer.

Sam Dabrowski and Bronson Adams energized the home crowd of 6,829 when they dropped the gloves at center ice to close out the first period.

Matt Wiesner evened the score with a hard-fought second-effort shot off a deflection from Eimantas Noreika.

Logan Vande Meerakker restored the Thunderbolts’ lead five minutes into the third period.

Nick Pryce tied the game again with a snipe from the faceoff circle late in the period.

After a scoreless overtime, Evansville’s Scott Kirton and Aidan Litke secured the win in the shootout.

Scoring Summary

First Period

EVV 1, PEN 0

13:09 Myles Abbate (7) – Aidan Litke, Cameron MacPhee

Shots on goal: EVV 7, PEN 15

Second Period

EVV 1, PEN 1

13:00 Matt Wiesner (9) – Eimantas Noreika

Shots on goal: EVV 10, PEN 9

Third Period

EVV 2, PEN 1

5:53 Logan Vande Meerakker (15) – Tyson Gilmour, Scott Kirton

EVV 2, PEN 2

15:01 Nick Pryce (6) – Ivan Bondarenko

Shots on goal: EVV 9, PEN 9

Overtime

No scoring

Shootout

Kirton, Litke

Total shots: EVV 29, PEN 35

BID ON AUTOGRAPHED GOAL PUCKS FROM THIS WEEKEND

The post Recap: Thunderbolts 3, Ice Flyers 2 – SO first appeared on Pensacola Ice Flyers.

PENSACOLA, FLA. – There was a natural mix of emotions Friday night when Rod Aldoff walked to the Ice Flyers bench, preparing for a third different return as the team’s head coach. 

“Just even in pregame and walking on the ice (before opening face), to be honest, it felt like yesterday,” said Aldoff, who was named Monday as the Ice Flyers coach to finish the season, replacing Gary Graham, who he knew well.

“It felt like … I’ve done it so many years here, it just felt like the next game and here we go. But it has been two years, But it felt good behind the bench and competing.”

Unfortunately for Aldoff and the Ice Flyers, what seemed to be a perfect capper for the evening, suddenly turned into disappointment. 

Leading 2-0 with less than nine minutes remaining, the Ice Flyers yielded two power play goals against the Evansville Thunderbolts in a three-minute span, then a go-ahead and empty net goal to follow, resulting in a 4-3 loss to begin a three-game series that is a must-win situation for playoff hopes. 

It left a crowd of 4,084 at the Pensacola Bay Center going from hopeful to deflated from the third period fall. 

“I thought overall we were the better team, so it was a tough one,” Aldoff said. 

The Ice Flyers called timeout and pulled goaltender Cody Karpinski with 1:57 left in the game for an extra attacker. That resulted in Eimantas Noreika scoring with 48 seconds remaining to halve the deficit. In the final seconds, several Ice Flyers players had the puck on their stick near the goal area but were denied. 

“I think in the last 10 seconds we had four sticks in the slot,” Aldoff said. “The guys battled back. They pushed hard. It was a tough one.”

Midway though the third period, however, a different feeling existed. The Ice Flyers led 2-0 on a second-period goal by Cale List and early third period goal by Blake Tosto. 

But a delay of game penalty against Nick Pryce for an attempted puck clear that went over the glass, began the downfall. 

Just 39 seconds after that penalty was called, Evansville’s Tyson Gilmour scored the power play goal.  A couple minutes later, Sam Dabrowski was called for tripping as he chased an Evansville player behind the Thunderbolts’ goal cage. 

That led to Gilmour assisting on the game-tying goal by Scott Kirton.

The Ice Flyers have been great this season on home ice penalty kills. They had allowed just eight goals in 20 home games, second best percentage in the league. 

“I just told the team, there were a lot of positive things that happened in this game,” Aldoff said. “You take those two power plays away… but at end of the day, those were just some unfortunate incidents. 

“Shooting the puck over the glass, those are penalties we just cannot do. We have to control what we can control and those are things that we just cannot do. 

“We’re getting pulled all the time. We don’t need to help pull the wrong way. We have to stay away from that stuff.”

With 3:23 left, Kirton got a rebound from his own shot and buried the go-ahead goal past Karpinski. The Thunderbolts then got an empty net goal immediately after the faceoff that followed the Ice Flyers timeout in the final two minutes. 

“I thought overall, up and down the ice, we were the better team,” Aldoff said. “We outplayed them. We deserved better, but it doesn’t matter, they (Thunderbolts) won the hockey game. 

“It just comes down to licking our wounds and try to get better and I hate to say that, because I know what (Ice Flyers) been through. It was just a real tough one.”

A quick recap.

FIRST PERIOD

No scoring. The Ice Flyers didn’t get their first shot on goal until four minutes into the opening period. Each team had only three shots midway through the period. 

But then the Ice Flyers found stride with 10 shots, including several good looks on their power play opportunity, but couldn’t a puck in the net. 

SECOND PERIOD

Cale List scored his fifth goal of the season, after making move to his left to deke a defender inside the blue line and then rifled a wrist shot through traffic into the net with 10:30 left for the game’s first goal. Pryce and Tosto both had assists. 

Evansville got its first power play chance with 7:14 remaining, but the Ice Flyers killed that one off. 

THIRD PERIOD
Ivan Bondarenko made a perfect pass to Tosto in the crease area and he flicked the puck into the net at 2:59 into the third period for the Ice Flyers second goal. Pryce set up the play with good work behind the net. 

The Ice Flyers then got a big chance to further their lead when Evansville’s Matthew Hobbs was called for a double-minor (4 minute penalty) for a high sticking penalty that drew blood at 4:51 into the period. But the Ice Flyers were thwarted and that shifted some momentum back to Evansville. 

GAME NOTABLES

The game was designated as College Night with Pensacola State College as the game’s sponsor and discount tickets for area college students. The PSC men’s basketball team was in attendance, along with school administrators and other personnel from PSC.

School president Dr. Ed Meadows has honored with the ceremonial puck drop. 

Fans can bid on autographed goal pucks from tonight’s game on dash.

WANT TO GO?

WHO: Evansville Thunderbolts vs. Ice Flyers

WHEN: Saturday, 7:05 p.m. and Sunday at 4:05 p.m.

WHERE: Pensacola Bay Center 

PROMOTION: Saturday is Military Appreciation Night, presented by Navy Federal Credit Union with 50-percent discount tickets for center ice seats for all active and retired military and guests when tickets are purchased at the Bay Center box office with a Military ID. Sunday’s game is Savings Sunday presented by HCA Florida West Hospital with significant discounts on all Ice Flyers merchandise through the first half of the game. 

TICKETS: www.iceflyers.com

The post Aldoff’s Return As Ice Flyers Coach Foiled by Evansville’s Third-Period Comeback  first appeared on Pensacola Ice Flyers.

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. 

The post Ice Flyers Rough Start Again Decisive In Series-Ending Loss To Macon Mayhem  first appeared on Pensacola Ice Flyers.

The first period ended scoreless, with neither team finding the back of the net.

Macon’s Jarret Kup broke the deadlock early in the second period.

Midway through the second, Ice Flyers’ Jake Hamilton and Macon’s Jacob Schapps dropped the gloves, energizing the crowd.

Macon then took control as Jake Raleigh netted two power-play goals before the period’s end.

In the third period, Nick Pryce scored his third and fourth goals of the season to cut the Mayhem’s lead to one.

However, the Ice Flyers couldn’t complete the comeback in the final minutes.

Scoring Summary

First Period

MAC 0, PEN 0

No Scoring

Shots on goal: MAC 6, PEN 15

Second Period

MAC 1, PEN 0

1:39 Jarret Kup (5) – Unassisted

MAC 2, PEN 0

13:32 Jake Raleigh (5) – Yaroslav Yevdokimov, Jake Goldowski

MAC 3, PEN 0

17:14 Jake Raleigh (6) – Yaroslav Yvdokimov, Jake Goldowski

Shots on goal: MAC 7, PEN 11

Third Period

MAC 3, PEN 1

7:12 Nick Pryce (3) – Matt Wiesner

MAC 3, PEN 2

12:53 Nick Pryce (4) – Douglas Elgstam, Houston WIlson

Shots on goal: MAC 4, PEN 7

Total shots: MAC 17, PEN 33

BID ON AUTOGRAPHED GOAL PUCKS FROM TONIGHT’S GAME

The post Recap: Mayhem 3, Ice Flyers 2 first appeared on Pensacola Ice Flyers.

Ivan Bondarenko opened the scoring just 29 seconds into the game with his second goal of the weekend.

Roanoke’s Bryce Martin evened the score later in the first period, beating a sprawled-out Brody Claeys.

The second period saw no scoring but plenty of action, as Ice Flyers’ Sam Dabrowski and Roanoke’s John MacDonald energized the crowd with a fight.

Carson Gallagher put the Rail Yard Dawgs ahead 5 minutes into the third period.

Late in the third, Sam Dabrowski capitalized on a Roanoke tripping penalty, redirecting a shot from Eimantas Noreika to tie the game.

With neither team able to score in the remaining minutes, the game headed to overtime.

Despite being outshot 5-0 in overtime, the Ice Flyers forced a shootout.

The Ice Flyers dominated the shootout as Tim Faulkner and Cayden Cahill both found the back of the net. Goalie Brody Claeys stonewalled all four of Roanoke’s attempts, securing the victory before the energetic crowd.

Fans can bid on autographed goal pucks from this weekend on dash.

Scoring Summary

First Period

RNK 0, PEN 1

:29 Ivan Bondarenko (7) – Blake Tosto

RNK 1, PEN 1

11:18 Bryce Martin (3) – Jacob Kelly, Andrew Harley

Shots on goal: RNK 17, PEN 13

Second Period

No Scoring

Shots on goal: RNK 14, PEN 13

Third Period

RNK 2, PEN 1

5:12 Carson Gallagher (11) – John MacDonald

RNK 2, PEN 2

17:43 sam Dabroswki (8) – Dante Fantauzzi, Eimantas Noreika – PP

Shots on goal: RNK 7, PEN 15

Overtime

No Scoring

Shots on goal: RNK 5, PEN 0

Shootout

Ice Flyers – Tim Faulkner

Ice Flyers – Cayden Cahill

Total shots: RNK 43, PEN 42

The post Recap: Rail Yard Dawgs 2, Ice Flyers 3 – SO first appeared on Pensacola Ice Flyers.