Sayles Earns Victory in Athens Debut against Former Team
FPHL Athens Rock Lobsters

Sayles Earns Victory in Athens Debut against Former Team

Published on March 7, 2026 under Federal Prospects Hockey League (FPHL)
Athens Rock Lobsters News Release


FLORENCE, S.C. - The Athens Rock Lobsters defeated the Pee Dee IceCats 4-3 Saturday night at the Florence Center in their final game in Pee Dee this season.

A night removed from scoring the final Athens goal on Friday, Joe Mack started the scoring at the 14:50 mark of the first period after burying a takeaway in the Pee Dee zone.

The IceCats came storming out of the tunnel in the second period however, taking a 2-1 lead on tallies from Vadim Frolov and Dominiks Marcinkevics.

Garrett Milan stormed the crease and knotted the scoreline up at 2-2, but it was initially called off for goaltender interference. After a challenge from head coach Garrett Rutledge, a video review reversed the decision on the ice.

Four minutes later, Luke Croucher wristed the visitors back into the lead with a notch just seconds after an Athens power play ended.

Halfway through the third period, Mack scored his second of the game on a one-timer off of an Eli Lieffers drop-pass feed.

Domenic Della Civita breathed life into the game with a bulge of the net at the 14:23 mark, but the oxygen in the high-temperature Florence Center was snuffed out by Matt Sayles. In his first start as a Rock Lobster against his former team, the Milton, Ga. native stopped 37 of 40 shots.

The Rock Lobsters (27-8-7-0, 95 pts) return home to Akins Ford Arena on Wednesday, March 11 for the final meeting against the Pee Dee IceCats this season.

Check out the Athens Rock Lobsters Statistics

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Federal Prospects Hockey League Stories from March 7, 2026


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