FireAntz remain undefeated at home
November 7, 2005 - SPHL (SPHL)
Fayetteville Marksmen News Release
[FAYETTEVILLE, N.C.] - The Fayetteville FireAntz of the Southern Professional Hockey League (SPHL) played three games in three nights for the first time this season. After a loss in Florida on Thursday, the FireAntz returned home and defeated Jacksonville on Friday and, in a battle for first place in the league, defeated Knoxville on Saturday. The wins at home pushed their home record to a perfect 5-0-0-0.
Thursday, November 3rd (at Florida): The FireAntz traveled to Florida to take on the Seals for the first matchup between the two teams.
The FireAntz outshot the Seals 15-5 in the 1st period but only had a 1-0 lead on a power play goal by rookie Rob Whidden (3rd) with assists going to Mark Phenow and Josh Welter.
Goals by Phenow (1st) and Jackson (3rd) sandwiched around a goal by Ryan Rivard of Florida gave the FireAntz a 3-1 lead with just over 5:00 minutes left to play in the second period. But goals by Lawne Snyder and Andrew Katzberg tallied for the Seals, knotting the score a three going into the 3rd period.
The Seals skated away with a victory netting two goals on eight shots in the 3rd and goaltender Terry Denike turned away all 15 of the FireAntz shots to preserve the Seals 5-3 victory.
The FireAntz outshot the Seals 48-26.
FireAntz 3-1-0-1 on the season. (0-1-0-0 vs. Florida)
Friday, November 4th (vs. Jacksonville): The FireAntz hosted the Barracudas, for the meeting between the two teams this season, in front of a raucous crowd of 4,345 fans at the Crown Coliseum on Friday night. FireAntz fans were honored to be the first ever in North Carolina to glimpse a prototype of the Saturn Sky, not available until the spring of 2006.
Glenn Ridler got his first start of the season between the pipes and was tested early and often. He was sharp in net all night, but especially in the 1st period turning aside 16 of the 17 shots he faced. The FireAntz led 3-1 at the end of the frame on goals by Tim Schneider (1st), Dean Jackson (4th), and George Nistas on the powerplay (2nd). The only goal for Jacksonville came off the stick of Justin Kot on the power play.
The only goal of the 2nd period was netted by Nick Kormanyos (2nd) on a 2-on-1 with Josh Welter, who worked a give and go, and Kormanyos deposited the puck into the back of the net past a sprawling Jan Chovan.
Protecting a 4-1 lead the FireAntz allowed two powerplay goals in the 3rd and got an even strength goal from Scott Corbett (4th) to preserve the 5-3 victory.
Ridler stopped 45 of 48 shots for his first victory of the young season (1-0-0-0).
Jacksonville outshot the FireAntz 48-38.
FireAntz 4-1-0-1 on the season. (1-0-0-0 vs. Jacksonville)
Saturday, November 5th (vs. Knoxville): The FireAntz (4-1-0-1, 9 points) hosted the Ice Bears (3-0-2-1, 9 points) in a matchup of the two teams tied for 1st place in the SPHL. It was held at the Crown Coliseum in front of 4,168 fans on the FireAntz Military Appreciation/Liberty Night. Sgt. Slaughter of the WWE was in attendance along with several special military guests from Ft. Bragg, as well as Pope Air Force Base. The game also saw the return of fan-favorite Caleb Moffat, who returned to the FireAntz from the Odessa Jackalopes of the Central Hockey League.
In a well-played 1st period, Knoxville scored twice on goals by Marcus Forsberg and K.C. Caudill and FireAntz tallied once, when Dean Jackson found Tyler Perry (5th) in the slot and he banged it past goaltender Ryan Person. The FireAntz outshot the Ice Bears 17-10 in the period.
The FireAntz outplayed the Ice Bears in the 2nd period and it showed on the scoreboard. Troy Linna (3rd) got things going in the period on the powerplay with an assist to George Nistas, tying the game at two. Four minutes later, the FireAntz took the lead that they would not give back. Jackson picked off a pass in the Knoxville zone and roofed it past the extended glove of Person, making the score 3-2 going into the 3rd frame.
The FireAntz would not sit on the lead in the 3rd. Nistas (shorthanded, 3rd), Corbett (powerplay, 5th), and Linna (empty net, 2nd of the game, 4th of the season) all tallied in the period. Knoxville got a shorthanded goal from Forsberg, his second of the contest. The FireAntz won the battle for first place, 6-3.
The FireAntz outshot Knoxville 38-28.
FireAntz 5-1-0-1 on the season. (1-0-0-0 vs. Knoxville)
3 stars of the Weekend:
George Nistas: 2G, 3A, 5 points, +3
Mark Phenow: 1G, 5A, 6 points, +1
Dean Jackson: 3G, 3A, 6 points, +1
Recent Notes:
10/21-10/30 Jomar Cruz named SPHL Player of the Week for weeks 1 and 2
11/5 Released D Patrick Carriere
11/5 Signed F Caleb Moffat
Noteworthy:
The FireAntz are back in 1st place overall (5-1-0-1, 11 points)
Tyler Perry is T-1st in the SPHL in scoring (11 points) on 5 goals and 6 assists
Tyler Perry, Scott Corbett, and Dean Jackson are all tied for 2nd in the SPHL with 5 goals
Upcoming:
The FireAntz next four games are on the road. Their next home games are November 24th (Thanksgiving) and the 25th. Both games start at 7:35pm at the Crown Coliseum.
Season tickets and Corporate Partnerships for the 2005-2006 campaign are still available. Contact the FireAntz office (910) 321-0123 for more information.
SPHL Stories from November 7, 2005
- Seals register points all week - Florida Seals
- FireAntz remain undefeated at home - Fayetteville Marksmen
- Bermingham's show on Tuesday - Knoxville Ice Bears
- Pee Dee Cyclones weekly review - Twin City Cyclones
- Meet the Barracudas at SOHO Sports Grille - Jacksonville Barracudas
- Huntsville Havoc weekly review - Huntsville Havoc
- Seals fall in overtime - Florida Seals
- Barracudas win again in overtime - Jacksonville Barracudas
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