Ice Flyers Lose Late Lead and Fall in Double OT to RiverKings 3-2
April 2, 2015 - SPHL (SPHL)
Pensacola Ice Flyers News Release
PENSACOLA, FL. (April 1, 2015) - In Game 1 of the best-out-of-three series, the Pensacola Ice Flyers fall to the Mississippi RiverKings in double OT 3-2 after giving up a one-goal lead with forty seconds left in regulation on Wednesday night at the Pensacola Bay Center.
Mississippi was the first on the board as Byron Paulazzo muscled his way from behind the net for a wrap-around, unassisted goal beating Max Strang on the far side 5:38 into the first.
Late in the period, from the near corner Keegan Flaherty dished off a pass to Brett Lutes who drove to the net and found Nick McParland open in the slot for a one-timer goal to even the game at one with 5:39 remaining.
Following a very physical, scoreless second period, the grind carried over into the final period. McParland followed up on a shot on net from Flaherty at the point to jam it in behind goaltender Peter Di Salvo for his second of the game 7:38 into the third to take the one-goal lead.
In desperate measures, with under a minute left in regulation Di Salvo was pulled for the extra attacker. Just eleven seconds after, Andrew Randazzo's shot on net was redirected in by Ryan Marcuz to tie up the game and send it into overtime.
After a scoreless, fifteen-minute OT, it was just 3:49 into the second OT that Paulazzo would silence the few thousand at the Hangar with the game-game winning goal and the RiverKings won with a final score of 3-2.
Pensacola now finds themselves in a do-or-die situation. In order to stay alive in the best-of-three series they must win in Southaven, MS. this Friday night to bring it back home for a Game 3 at the Bay Center on Saturday. The puck drops for Game 2 on the road at 7:05 p.m. The game will be available to watch live at Beef O Brady's in downtown Pensacola and 9 Mile Rd. You can also watch online at SPHLLive.com.
SPHL Stories from April 2, 2015
- Rivermen Goalie Rank Repeats on All-SPHL 1st Team - Peoria Rivermen
- Ice Flyers Lose Late Lead and Fall in Double OT to RiverKings 3-2 - Pensacola Ice Flyers
- Whitehead, Randazzo and Di Salvo Awarded by SPHL - Mississippi RiverKings
- SPHL Announces First Team Selections - SPHL
- All-SPHL Second Team Announced - SPHL
- Rivermen Post-Game Notes - Peoria Rivermen
- Paulazzo Scores Winner as RiverKings Win Game 1 - Mississippi RiverKings
- IceGators Win in 2OT; Take Series Lead - Louisiana IceGators
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