
Girduckis Nets Hat Trick to Lead Icemen Past First Place Florida
April 10, 2021 - ECHL (ECHL)
Jacksonville Icemen News Release
JACKSONVILLE, FL Ãâ Jacksonville Icemen forward Abbott Girduckis was the hero on Saturday night, scoring a hattrick to lead the Jacksonville Icemen to a 4-1 victory over the first place Florida Everblades on Day 2 of Youth Sports Weekend.
Just four minutes in after an innocuous whistle, Jacob Friend finds himself in a fight against FloridaÃ's Michael Downing and throws several haymakers including the knockout punch. There were a few chances both ways, with Jake Elmer having the best chance early on after he found himself wide open in the slot but could not convert. The highlight of the period came at the 13:53 mark of the period when Charles Williams was run into by the Florida attackers. Whilst some pushing and shoving ensued from the incident and Williams stayed down, Derek Lodermeier somehow found himself a breakaway, and despite FloridaÃ's Devin Cooley getting a piece of the puck, it managed to roll past him and into the net for a 1-0 Icemen lead.
The second period started with penalties both ways, but both teamsÃ' penalty kill units came out strong. Williams and Cooley both made some timely saves to keep their teams in it, but there was only so much the Florida goalie could do when the Icemen found themselves with a 3-on-2 rush just as a Jacksonville penalty was expiring. Carrying the puck down the left-wing boards, Wacey Rabbit fed it to the trailer Jason Binkley in the middle, who found Abbott Girduckis cutting in from the right. GirduckisÃ' first shot was stopped, but Cooley stood no chance on the rebound as Girduckis puts it home for his 4th of the season, giving the Icemen a 2-0 lead.
The Florida Everblades looked energized coming out for the 3rd period. After some good shifts of offensive zone time, FloridaÃ's Jordan Sambrook fired home a one-timer from the blue line past Williams to cut the deficit to 2-1. With the Icemen seemingly stuck in their own zone, Williams continued his hot play of late by making several key saves down low.
The Icemen would catch a break eventually Ãâ FloridaÃ's Alex Kile is whistled for unsportsmanlike conduct, and the IcemenÃ's powerplay unit went to work. Trevor Hamilton fired a point shot that was saved by FloridaÃ's Cooley, but the rebound popped right out to Girduckis at the left side circle who roofed it for his second goal of the night. Girduckis was not done yet though Ãâ after a great individual effort by Wacey Rabbit to retrieve the puck on his own dump-in, he found Girduckis cruising into the slot who squeaks the puck past Cooley to secure the hat-trick and the win for the Icemen.
The Icemen close out Youth Sports Weekend and the fourth game of a mini-series with the Everblades on Sunday, April 10.
-- Written by David Cheung
ECHL Stories from April 10, 2021
- Buitenhuis Shuts Down Grizzlies - Wichita Thunder
- Mavericks Fall 5-3 at Allen - Kansas City Mavericks
- Wichita Blanks Utah 1-0 - Utah Grizzlies
- Greenville Blanked by Solar Bears 3-0 on Saturday Night - Greenville Swamp Rabbits
- Six Goals Lift Indy over Fort Wayne - Indy Fuel
- Girduckis Nets Hat Trick to Lead Icemen Past First Place Florida - Jacksonville Icemen
- Windsor shuts door on Swamp Rabbits in 3-0 win - Orlando Solar Bears
- Everblades Frozen by Icemen - Florida Everblades
- Nailers & Stingrays Postponed After One Period - Wheeling Nailers
- ECHL Transactions - April 10 - ECHL
- Game Preview: Swamp Rabbits vs. Solar Bears, 7:05 PM - Greenville Swamp Rabbits
- Matthew Barnaby Signs with Greenville - Greenville Swamp Rabbits
- Nikita Pavlychev Returns to Solar Bears - Orlando Solar Bears
- Bounce Back Opportunity for Blades - Florida Everblades
- Game Day Preview: Americans Host KC, 7:05 PM - Allen Americans
- Grizzlies Preview: Utah at Wichita, April 10, 2021 - Utah Grizzlies
- Game Preview: Stingrays at Nailers, April 10 at 7:10 PM - South Carolina Stingrays
- Americans Beat KC 4-3 - Allen Americans
- Third Period Pushes Thunder Past Grizzlies - Wichita Thunder
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
Other Recent Jacksonville Icemen Stories
- EY US Unveils Andy Kaufmann as an Entrepreneur of the Year® 2025 Florida Award Finalist
- Icemen Remove Interim Tag from Sean Teakle & Garret Cockerill
- Icemen Announce 2025-2026 Regular Season Game Schedule
- Icemen Season Ends with Fourth Straight Overtime Loss
- Series Shifts to JAX Following a Pair of OT Losses for the Icemen

