The Ice Flyers closing residence weekend started Friday evening with a repeat of an unwelcome, season-long narrative.
After getting a uncommon tying aim within the closing 63 seconds with their goaltender pulled, the Ice Flyers emotional carry was short-lived in a 3-2 additional time loss towards the Birmingham Bulls on “Small Canine Race Evening” on the Pensacola Bay Heart.
The Bulls’ Arkhip Ledziankou, a ahead from Belarus, scored his second aim of the sport with 3:10 remaining in additional time. A crowd of 4,761 left deflated after the Ice Flyers’ tenth additional time loss this season.
“Typical, proper? You don’t know what to say,” mentioned Ice Flyers coach Rod Aldoff, who has seen his group lose 4 additional time video games now since he took over on February 21.
“It comes all the way down to this, we simply don’t have the hockey sense. It’s irritating as (heck),” he mentioned. “Since you virtually know (one thing dangerous goes to occur).”
Friday was the fiftieth recreation of the season for the Ice Flyers (15-25, 10 OT losses), who remained mired in final place within the SPHL standings. They’re 9 factors behind Quad Metropolis for the ultimate playoff spot, which might now require profitable all six remaining video games and hoping Quad Metropolis misplaced all 5 of its remaining video games.
Aldoff mentioned he’ll proceed pushing this group to complete with a turnaround from present struggles. The Ice Flyers have received simply twice of their final 11 video games.
“For me, I need to win each recreation,” he mentioned. “That’s going to be our aim. I don’t look it like we’re in first place or the place we’re at (final place). I need to win.
“We’ll put together to win. And play hockey. Out of respect to the sport, our group, our followers, our membership. go play arduous. That’s why we’re right here. It doesn’t matter the state of affairs. End with class.”
Friday’s recreation was the primary begin for goaltender Brody Claeys since he sustained an harm within the Ice Flyers final recreation towards the Bulls on Feb. 15 in Birmingham. He was damage 13 minutes into the primary interval in a recreation the Ice Flyers ultimately received.
Claeys stopped 31 photographs towards the Bulls (26-19, 5 OT losses), who’ve a one-point lead for fourth place within the standings.
“I believed he performed properly and I used to be glad for him. He did his job,” Aldoff mentioned.
After a scoreless first interval, the Ice Flyers scored the sport’s first aim simply 1:20 into the second interval on a rush by Lukas Jirousek. The Bulls tied it on an influence play with 5:44 left. They bought a go-head aim within the third interval earlier than the Ice Flyers tied it.
A fast recap:
FIRST PERIOD
The sport started with a center-ice battle. After the opening puck drop, Ice Flyers captain Jake Hamilton and the Bulls Jamie Dorsey squared off with each touchdown punches. Hamilton landed a flurry late earlier than the officers separated the gamers.
The Ice Flyers had an excellent scoring likelihood by Sam Dabrowski simply 30 seconds into the interval, then one other on a two-on-one break with 6:26 left.
The one power-play of the interval was the Bulls likelihood with 2:42 left, however the Ice Flyers killed that off.
SECOND PERIOD
The Ice Flyers gave their crowd a carry when Lukas rushed the web and wristed a puck via the legs of Birmingham goaltender Hayden Stewart.
The Bulls tied the sport with a power-player likelihood when Troy MacTavish bought an ideal go from Ledziankou and rifled it previous Claeys.
“I believed early we weren’t capturing sufficient …simply getting some photographs on web and attending to the web,” Aldoff mentioned. “We picked that up. We talked about it and bought extra pucks to the web. We had some good probabilities. We had level clean probabilities that (Stewart) made the saves.”
THIRD PERIOD
The Bulls completed an end-to-end rush when Ledziankou scored on a rebound shot proper close to the Ice Flyers crease space.
With 2:30 left, Aldoff pulled Claeys for the additional attacker. With 1:17 and a faceoff within the Bulls zone, Aldoff referred to as timeout, went over a strategic play and it paid dividends.
Jirousek received the faceoff, bought the puck to Nick Pryce, who despatched the disc to Ivan Bondarenko. He rifled a shot via site visitors into the web.
“The faceoff occurred and we didn’t get the fast look we needed,” Aldoff mentioned. “However they (gamers) regrouped and I believed it was a pleasant shot. It was a big-time display screen and Stewart didn’t choose up and it hit the nook and it was a pleasant aim.
OVERTIMEThe Ice Flyers managed the puck a lot of the means within the 3-on-3 state of affairs however couldn’t get arrange for an excellent shot. When the Bulls regain possession, they made essentially the most of their likelihood to win the sport.
GAME NOTABLES
The sport sponsor was Olive Department Pet Hospital. The small canine races featured about 130 pups of varied breeds and an thrilling championship race on the second intermission.
Dr. Mark Sprayberry from Olive Department together with Stephanie Sanders participated within the ceremonial puck drop.
The Haze Grey Quartet carried out the Canadian and American Nationwide Anthem.
Samuel Lane, a long-time U.S. Navy veteran was the Pen Air Heart-Ice Hero.
Followers can bid on autographed aim pucks on sprint.
By Invoice Vilona – Ice Flyers.com Correspondent
