Pensacola Ends Surge Season, 5-3
Published on March 30, 2013 under SPHL (SPHL)
Mississippi Surge News Release
The Mississippi Surge saw its season come to an end Saturday in a 5-3 loss to the Pensacola Ice Flyers in Pensacola. The Ice Flyers won the best of three quarterfinal series two games to none. It was the second straight year Pensacola has swept the Surge in the opening round of the playoffs.
The game had a shaky start for the Surge as Pensacola's John Dunbar stole the puck at the Surge blueline and walked in on a breakaway and beat goaltender Dan Clarke with a wrist shot just 1:14 into the game. But it took only a minute and 15 seconds for Joe Harcharik to tie the score, converting on a rebound sliding the puck past Pensacola goalie Ross MaacKinnon. The Surge took the lead on Matt Gordon's first goal of the playoffs as he swopped in on a loose puck after Brandon Coccimiglio had tried to jam it past McKinnon.
Mississippi's first period was in stark contrast to a sluggish start in game one. The Surge had 17 shots on goal in the first period Saturday night. On Friday, the Surge managed just 11 shots through the first two periods.
A wild second period saw the Ice Flyers turn the 2-1 deficit into a 3-2 lead in the blink of an eye. Patrick Knowlton tied the game with a power play goal at 15:44. Ron Cramer put Pensacola on top just 51 seconds later. The momentum continued to shift to the Ice Flyers and Brandon Vossberg had a penalty shot attempt only 41 seconds after Cramer's goal. But Clarke turned away the shot and helped turn momentum back the Surge's way. And with only 34 seconds left in the period, Brandon Kosolofsky tipped in a centering pass out of the right wing corner by Harcharik to tie the game.
However, Kosolofsky was penalized for unsportsmanlike conduct immediately after the goal, forcing the Surge to start the third period shorthanded. The Surge killed the penalty keeping the game tied.
But a fluke wrist shot off the stick of Dick Dupuis trickled off the web of Clarke's catching glove and into the net for a 4-3 Pensacola lead with 14 and a half minutes left. The surge staged a spirited rally, but couldn't get the equalizer. And Ryan Salvis sealed the fate of the Surge season with an empty net goal with 1:05 left to play.
Season tickets for 2013-14 are available by calling the Surge office at 228-594-3800.
SPHL Stories from March 30, 2013
- Ice Bears Dominate Defending Champs to Advance to SPHL Semi-Finals - Knoxville Ice Bears
- Pensacola Ends Surge Season, 5-3 - Mississippi Surge
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