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Pilots beat Inferno 4-2

March 22, 2008 - ECHL (ECHL)
Columbia Inferno News Release


COLUMBIA, S.C. - The Inferno (30-27-4-6, 70 points) lost to the Pensacola Ice Pilots (17-41-3-5, 42 points) 4-2 on Saturday night, dropping Columbia's season record against their South Division rivals to 5-2-0.

After a scoreless first period, the Ice Pilots took a 1-0 lead a minute into the second period when Jean-Claude Sawyer beat Jeff Jakaitis' glove side with a blast from the top of the near circle. Patrick Bordeleau notched the assist. Reid Cashman tied the game 1-1 when he followed up Daniel Sparre's breakaway rebound, flipping the puck up and over Mike Brodeur's outstretched goalie stick. Cashman netted his fourth goal of the year at 11:10 with assists to Sparre and Steve McJannet. Bryan Esner reclaimed the lead for the Pilots when, while on a two-on-one with Mathieu Roy, he backhanded the puck under Jakaitis' blocker shoulder with 12 seconds left in the second period.

Inferno head coach Troy Mann replaced Jakaitis with Todd Ford to start the third period. However, Pensacola built a two-goal lead 7:28 into the final frame when Luke Erickson skated through two defenders and put the puck between Ford's legs and into the back of the net. Sparre breathed some life into the Inferno nine minutes into the third when, while on the power play, he camped out in the far circle and found the sliver of daylight between Brodeur's glove-side shoulder and the crossbar. Eric Lundberg and Jeff Miles added the assists as Sparre cut the deficit to 3-2.

Despite a flurry of activity in the final minutes, the Inferno were unable to solve Brodeur. The Ice Pilots iced the game with 56 seconds left when Esner notched his second of the night, sending a long shot into the empty net.

Brodeur finished with 35 saves on 37 shots, while Jakaitis stopped 20 of 22 and Ford seven of eight.

The Inferno return to the Carolina Coliseum on Wednesday, March 26 to host the Mississippi Sea Wolves at 7:05 p.m.

2008 Kelly Cup Playoff 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.

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