Inferno beat Ice Pilots 4-3 in OT

February 14, 2008 - ECHL (ECHL)
Columbia Inferno News Release


COLUMBIA, S.C. (Feb. 14, 20080-The Columbia Inferno (20-19-4-6, 50 points) beat the visiting Pensacola Ice Pilots (12-31-3-3, 30 points) 4-3 in overtime on Valentine's Day for game one of the Second Annual Pink in the Rink weekend.

The Ice Pilots took a 1-0 lead 14:22 into the first period when Bryan Esner found a loose puck in the crease and beat a sprawling Jeff Jakaitis for his 17th goal of the year. The Inferno tied the game just a few minutes later when, while shorthanded, Mac Faulkner dug the puck out of the near corner and sent the puck to a wide-open Steve McJannet in the slot. McJannet didn't waste the opportunity, as he sent a quick snapshot past under Mike Brodeur's glove side.

Liam Huculak put the Inferno up 2-1 just 46 seconds into the second period when he used his backhand to pot a Julien Brouillette rebound past Brodeur and into the net. The lead didn't last, however, as Adam Meyer took advantage of a 2-on-1 situation, beating Jakaitis and sending the puck into a wide-open net at 7:43.Faulkner and McJannet reunited on the penalty kill at 12:56 as Faulkner accepted McJannet's pass and torqued a snapshot under Brodeur's glove from the high slot to give the Inferno a 3-2 lead. The Ice Pilots clawed back once more on the same power play opportunity when Luke Erickson quickly wristed a puck from the far boards past Jakaitis' glove hand at 13:40.

The two sides skated through a deadlocked third and into overtime, where Jeremy Hall tallied his ninth of the season just 38 seconds into the extra frame to give the Inferno the 4-3 victory. Hall camped out in front of the net and deflected a Reid Cashman shot from the point past Brodeur to clinch the first game of the Pink in the Rink weekend.

Jakaitis finished with 24 saves on 27 shots, while Brodeur stopped 33 of 37.

The Inferno return for the second game of a three-day homestand tomorrow night, as they host the Mississippi Sea Wolves at 7:05 p.m.

Season tickets, group tickets, fundraisers and the coolest birthday parties in town are all available by calling 803.256.7825 or by logging on to columbiainferno.com.



ECHL Stories from February 14, 2008


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