SPHL Pensacola Ice Flyers

Game Recap: Ice Flyers Find Special Teams Success, Down Columbus

Published on November 11, 2016 under SPHL (SPHL)
Pensacola Ice Flyers News Release


PENSACOLA, Fla. (Nov. 11, 2016) - The Pensacola Ice Flyers (2-3-3) used success on both the power play and the penalty kill to secure a 5-3 victory over the visiting Columbus Cottonmouths (2-3-3) on Friday night inside the Pensacola Bay Center in front of 3,309 fans on Veterans Appreciation Night, presented by The Rockhill Group.

The Ice Flyers came out hot in the first period and looked hungry to get their first home win of the season. After struggling on the power play in this young season, the Ice Flyers cashed in on the first half of a double minor high-sticking call to Columbus' Erik Johnson. Brandon Lubin ripped a long shot from the left point for his first professional goal. The goal came 6:13 into the first and was assisted by Zach Loesch and Jesse Stoughton. The Ice Flyers once again found success from the left defenseman spot when Kyle Shapiro scored his first goal of the season with 27.4 second left in the period. Shapiro fired a bomb that was assisted by Stephen Buco and Aaron Clarke.

The Cottonmouths controlled play for much of the second period and it started when Riley Spraggs scored a couple of goals, the first 3:20 into the period and the second at the 6:40 mark, to tie the game up. Pensacola regained the lead with a power play goal scored by Austin McKay after a long shot by Loesch was deflected by a Columbus stick right to McKay. Lubin picked up the other assist on the goal scored at 9:39. The Ice Flyers reestablished the two-goal lead when Nick McParland found himself to the right of the Columbus crease while Cottonmouth's goalie Branon Jaeger was committed over to the left side. McParland put the puck into the virtually empty net in front of him to make it 4-2 with seven minutes left in the second. Columbus fought back and made it a 4-3 game when Jonathan Turk fired a one-timer from right in front of the Pensacola net with 2:15 left in the frame.

The third period proved to be a back and forth struggle with neither team scoring for the majority of the frame. With Pensacola on a penalty kill while Loesch sat for boarding, Columbus pulled the goalie in favor of the 6-on-4 manpower advantage. When Pensacola cleared the puck, Andrew Schmit chased it down and got just enough of his stick on the puck to push it into the open net with just under 20 seconds remaining. After a Columbus player broke a pane of glass out of frustration, the on-ice officials elected to run off the time remaining on the clock.

McLean stopped 22 of the 25 shots that Columbus put on net for his first win of the season.

The Ice Flyers will take on these same Columbus Cottonmouths tomorrow, Nov. 12, at 7:05 p.m. inside the Pensacola Bay Center. It will be the first Wiener Dog Race Night, presented by A DJ Connection and Pensacola Photo Booth, of the season with races taking place during both intermissions.

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