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Ice Pilots Weekly

March 25, 2008 - ECHL (ECHL)
Pensacola Ice Pilots News Release


PENSACOLA, FL - The Ice Pilots enjoy a week at home, beginning a three game home stand against Augusta and Mississippi. Pensacola is coming off consecutive wins at Columbia on Saturday night and last night at home vs. Augusta. Despite the victories, the Ice Pilots have officially been eliminated from playoff contention. Bryan Esner leads the Ice Pilots in all scoring categories with 24 goals and 28 assists for 52 points. Mike Brodeur has won two of his three starts since returning from AHL Rockford.

This week's Games

Tuesday, March 25 at 7:05 p.m. vs. Augusta (Pensacola Civic Center)

The Ice Pilots finish off the season series against the Augusta Lynx. Pensacola holds the season advantage, having won three of the five contests. The Lynx currently sits in seventh place in the South Division. Augusta is led by their captain Louis Goulet who has 55 points (18g-37a). Bobby Goepfert has earned both Augusta wins against the Ice Pilots this season.

Sunday, March 30 at 5:05 p.m. vs. Mississippi (Pensacola Civic Center)

The Ice Pilots take to the ice against their rivals from the Gulf Coast, in the Mississippi Sea Wolves. The two teams will finish the 2007-08 regular season by playing three games head-to-head in the final seven days. The Sea Wolves have the eighth place spot in the playoffs. The Ice Pilots are 4-3-2 against the Sea Wolves this season. Mississippi is led by Jason Tejchma with 59 points (21g-38a). Ryan Munce has a 2.80 GAA and a 0.919 save percentage.

Monday, March 24 vs. Augusta (3-2 WIN)

Patrick Bordeleau scored two goals, Adam Hobson scored the game winner and Mike Brodeur made 41 saves as the Ice Pilots downed the Augusta Lynx 3-2 on Monday night at the Pensacola Civic Center. All five goals were scored in an 11 minute and 10 second span in the opening of the third period. Goaltenders stole the show in the first period as Mike Brodeur made 14 saves for the Ice Pilots and J.P. Levasseur stopped all 11 Ice Pilots shots as it was scoreless after the opening 20 minutes. Again in the second period, both goaltenders were on top of their game as Augusta pounded out 16 shots and the Ice Pilots put 9 pucks on net but Brodeur and Levasseur would not let any by. The red lights started to come on in the third as for the second straight game, the Ice Pilots lit the lamp first. Patrick Bordeleau knocked in a loose puck at 3:21 of the third to give Pensacola a 1-0 lead. Bryan Esner and Luke Erickson added assists on the goal. Augusta would answer quickly as they scored twice in a span of a minute and 23 seconds. Ryan Dingle registered his 10th goal of the year. Then it was Louis Goulet firing one past Brodeur for his 18th and all of a sudden, the Lynx led 2-1. Pensacola responded as Bordeleau beat Levasseur for his second of the night and eighth of the season to even the score at two. It was a power play goal from Adam Meyer and Peter Rouleau as Rouleau registered his first professional point. The game winner would go to Adam Hobson as he fired a one timer from the left wing circle at 11:10 of the third and with some sensational saves by Brodeur down the stretch; the Ice Pilots won their second in a row by a score of 3-2.

Season Tickets

Season Tickets are on sale for the 2008-09 season. There are two levels of pricing, the lower level and the upper level. Tickets for next season start at just $432 if you put a $75 deposit down by May 30th. Mini Plans are also available as well. Season tickets include a gift, the "never wasted a ticket" program, savings off of Ice Pilots merchandise and much more. To purchase your season tickets, call the Ice Pilots at 432-PUCK.

Upcoming Home Games

Tuesday, March 25 vs, Augusta at 7:05 p.m.

Sunday, March 30 vs. Mississippi at 5:05 p.m. (Saturn Sunday and Recycle Sunday)

Saturday, April 5 vs. Mississippi at 7:05 p.m. (Fan Appreciation Night)

Ice Pilots Itinerary

Monday - 3-2 WIN vs. Augusta at Pensacola Civic Center

Tuesday - Pre-Game Skate at 10 a.m.

GAME vs. Augusta, 7:05 p.m. at Pensacola Civic Center

Wednesday - Day Off

Thursday - Practice at 10 a.m.

Friday - Off-Ice Workout TBD

Saturday - Off-Ice Workout TBD

Sunday - GAME vs. Mississippi, 5:05 p.m. at Pensacola Civic Center

(All Practices at home are open to the public and all Times are CT).

Good Numbers

Bryan Esner leads the Ice Pilots in scoring with 24 goals and 28 assists for 52 points.

Pensacola is 12-6-5 when scoring first.

Patrick Bordeleau has scored a point per game in his last seven (5g-2a).

The Ice Pilots are 12-2-0 when allowing just 2 goals or less.

Pensacola is 7-0-2 when leading after two periods.

Pensacola is 14-8-8 in one goal games.

Roster Moves

The Ice Pilots have added several new players to the roster. The club signed Brian Pouliot and Michael Mullen who both finished their senior season at New England College.

In addition, the team claimed Peter Rouleau off waivers from the Idaho Steelheads. He also finished up his senior season but at Michigan Tech.

Ice Pilots in the Community

Thurs. March 27 - Crestview High School gym as Ice Pilots players will participate in a game of broomball against local doctors and business leaders from 6-8:30 p.m. Proceeds from the event will go to the American Cancer Society Relay for Life

Sat. March 29 - Hockey Day at Fort Walton Beach Library from 1-3 p.m.

Last week's Games

Monday vs. Charlotte (4-3 Loss)

Adam Hobson scored two goals but Charlotte held off another third period comeback as the Checkers defeated the Ice Pilots 4-3 on Monday night at the Pensacola Civic Center. For the third straight game, Charlotte was able to find the back of the net first. Defenseman Kenton Smith pinched in blasting a shot from the top of the left wing circle past Ice Pilots goaltender Cam Ellsworth and the Checkers led 1-0 after 20 minutes of play. The Ice Pilots tied things up in the second period as for the second straight game Adam Hobson netted a power play goal on a one timer. Charlotte would score two quick goals though a minute and 11 seconds apart. Michael Busto fired a shot from the top of the right circle to make it 2-1. Then Jeff Kyrzakos increased the lead to 3-1 with his 20th goal of the season. Pensacola tried to come back from a third period deficit as they cut the lead to one. Adam Hobson with his second power play goal of the year made it 3-2. Charlotte again went back up by one. Bruce Graham scored his second goal in as many games. It turned out to be the game winner as Charlotte went ahead 4-2. Patrick Bordeleau cut the lead to one as he found the back of the net to make it 4-3 but it wasn't enough and the Checkers won all three games against the Pilots.

Wednesday at Columbia (4-3 SO Loss)

The Ice Pilots battled back from three deficits, earning a point in a 4-3 shoot out loss to the Columbia Inferno at the Carolina Coliseum on Wednesday night. Columbia opened the scoring as it took four consecutive shots in one sequence but Mac Faulkner banged in the puck for his 15th goal of the season to put the Inferno up 1-0. At 11:23, Tim Songin started the play taking away the puck in the neutral zone and Michael Cohen finished it, weaving his way into the Inferno zone and firing a snap shot to tie the game at one. The Inferno went back ahead in the second period as defenseman Julien Brouillette pinched in with a shot from the high slot for his third goal of the season making it 2-1 Columbia after two periods of play. Cam Ellsworth kept the Ice Pilots only down one with a spectacular save on a 5 on 3 Columbia man advantage diving back in time to keep the puck out of the net. Adam Hobson tied the game up at two with his 4th goal in the last three games. Columbia regained the lead again. This time Steve McJannet tipped in a loose puck at the doorstep to make it 3-2 Inferno. Patrick Bordeleau would answer for the Ice Pilots with his 3rd goal in the last four games to tie things up at three. The game would go to overtime then a shootout as the Ice Pilots held two shoot out leads with Bordeleau and Hobson scoring but Columbia tied it and won it in the final round as Mac Faulkner beat Ellsworth. Ellsworth played a strong game making 36 saves in the defeat.

Friday at Augusta (3-0 Loss)

Bobby Goepfert made 29 saves as the Augusta Lynx shut out the Ice Pilots 3-0 at James Brown Arena on Friday night. Augusta went ahead in the first period as a face-off win allowed defenseman Will Bodine to fire a shot up high beating Mike Brodeur to give the Lynx a 1-0 lead after 20 minutes of play. Brodeur made 16 saves on 17 shots in the opening frame, including some huge stops on an Augusta 5 on 3. The Ice Pilots were not able to capitalize on a four minute double minor given to Augusta for high sticking and shortly after, Louis Goulet snuck past the Ice Pilots defense and Shane Hynes found the back of the net with the loose puck on the doorstep to make it 2-0 Lynx. In the third period, Augusta netted another goal as Chase Watson got credit for it after it went off an Ice Pilots player in front. The Lynx led at this point 3-0 and would go on for the victory. Goepfert stopped all 29 Ice Pilots shots for the victory.

Saturday at Columbia (4-2 WIN)

Bryan Esner scored two goals and Mike Brodeur made 35 saves as the Ice Pilots snapped a nine game losing skid, defeating the Columbia Inferno 4-2 on Saturday night at the Carolina Coliseum. The Ice Pilots and the Inferno skated to a scoreless first period as Mike Brodeur stopped all 16 Inferno shots in the opening 20 minutes. Pensacola scored the game's first goal for the first time in the last 11 contests as JC Sawyer completed a four on two, blasting a shot from inside the blue line to make it 1-0 early in the second period. Columbia answered as a breakaway for Daniel Sparre was denied by Brodeur but Reid Cashman found the loose puck on the doorstep to even things up at one. Cashman would take a five minute major for boarding and was given a game misconduct. The Pilots would take advantage as Bryan Esner backhanded a shot from the left wing side past Inferno goaltender Jeff Jakaitis to give the Pilots the lead back at 2-1. In the third period, the Ice Pilots increased the lead to two as Luke Erickson created a breakaway on the right wing side firing one past incoming goaltender Todd Ford to make it 3-1 Pensacola. Columbia responded as Daniel Sparre tallied his 23rd goal of the season on the power play to cut the Ice Pilots lead to one, but Bryan Esner would fire the Ice Pilots second shorthanded goal into an empty net as the Pilots won 4-2 over the Inferno.

Flight Deck

The Ice Pilots have introduced the new flight deck, available at the Hangar for home games. The Flight Deck is located between sections 105 and 108 on the event level and is a perfect party area for groups, business associates and birthday parties. It can come complete with a cash bar and catered food. For more information, contact the Ice Pilots at 432-PUCK.

Tickets for Troops

The Ice Pilots have started a new program this season called Tickets for Troops. It encourages individuals and businesses to purchase special ticket packages to donate to the local military. The package includes 10 tickets for just $80. For more information call the Ice Pilots at 432-PUCK.

Broadcast Information

You can catch all the Ice Pilots action home and away on Newsradio 1620am, the flagship station for the Pensacola Ice Pilots. Ice Pilots' Broadcasts begin with the Hill-Kelly Dodge Jeep Pilots Pre-game Show 15 minutes prior to all games and conclude with Pilots Post-Game presented by Wal-Mart. You can also listen to all of the home games inside the Hangar on 100.1 FM. The final radio show of the season will take place on Monday, April 7 from 6-7 p.m. at New York Nick's in Downtown Pensacola.

Ticket Information

Don't miss the hard hitting, exciting action, as the Ice Pilots' next home game is Tuesday, March 25 at 7:05 p.m. vs. the Augusta Lynx at the Civic Center. Group Tickets and Military Packages are still available through the Ice Pilots office. For more information, or to reserve your seats, call (850) 432-PUCK, or visit the Ice Pilots web site at www.icepilots.com.

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