Ice Flyers Edge RiverHawks in Overtime

January 20, 2012 - SPHL (SPHL)
Augusta RiverHawks News Release


The Pensacola Ice Flyers and Augusta RiverHawks traded the lead throughout Friday night's game in Pensacola, FL, but it was the Ice Flyers that skated away with the 5-4 overtime victory. Defenseman Donnie Harris scored with just a minute left in the bonus period to give his club the victory in front of the home town crowd.

Despite giving up the final goal of the game the RiverHawks did earn a point in the standings for getting the game to overtime. The point extended the team's lead in the race for first place in the SPHL regular season standings to four points over the Knoxville Ice Bears. The Ice Bears lost their game in regulation.

The two teams traded goals in the first period as Pensacola's Ryan Corry scored for the Ice Flyers early in the frame, followed a couple of minutes later by a goal scored by the RiverHawks' Neil Graham. The goal was originally awarded to Captain Matt Auffrey, but it was corrected and he was given an assist on the play.

The RiverHawks leaned on goaltender Peter Skoggard heavily in the second period as they were outshot 15-3. Skoggard stopped 36 of 41 shots on the night, including all of the shots fired at him in the second stanza, as the two teams emerged from the middle period tied at one goal apiece.

The third period blew the game wide open as the two teams traded the goals and the lead. Just over a minute into the period Ice Flyers' forward Chris Wilson scored to take the lead, but it was followed four minutes later by Auffrey scoring his first of the game. The score would remain knotted up at two goals until just under the 15 minute mark, when former RiverHawks' forward Jason Dolgy would score his first of the season.

The Ice Flyers' lead would last less than two minutes, as Auffrey once again brought his team back from a deficit. Auffrey would score a goal on a penalty shot that was awarded to him to tie the game up at three. For the first time all game the RiverHawks would then take the lead when forward Jesse Echternach scored giving his club a 4-3 advantage. However, again, less than a minute later Ice Flyers' forward Wilson would beat Skoggard for the second time in the evening to take the game to overtime where his team would eventually win the game.

The RiverHawks are back in action on Phoenix Refrigeration Ice at the James Brown Arena Friday, February 10th as the RiverHawks play the Fayetteville FireAntz.The puck drops at 7:35pm.Tickets for the game are available through the RiverHawks' office and the James Brown Arena box office. Additional information on the Team, tickets, and schedule are available on the RiverHawks' home on the web, www.augustariverhawks.com or by calling 706-993-2645.



SPHL Stories from January 20, 2012


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