JACKSONVILLE, FL – Sunday afternoon at the Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, the Jacksonville Icemen (15-23-3-2) and Greenville Swamp Rabbits (18-22-3-1) faced off for the third consecutive day in what was the final day of the “Faith and Family” promotion. Jacksonville won the previous two games (2-1 and 3-1). The contest also marked the last regular season visit by Greenville to Jacksonville (although Jacksonville still has three games still to play in Greenville).
Jacksonville’s Garrett Klotz (5, black) pins a Greenville player against the boards (PHN photo by Trina Kirk)
Jacksonville was also looking to escape the cellar of the Eastern Conference. They were, at the start of play on Sunday, three points behind the Norfolk Admirals.
Greenville started Zoltan Hetenyi (0-0-1-0, 3.92 goals against average) who was playing in only his fourth game for the Swamp Rabbits. Jacksonville started Austin Lotz (9-5-1-1, 2.83 goals against average) for the third straight day.
The action started early in the game when, while Tanner Eberle was off for slashing, Shawn Bates recorded his first goal of the season, a power play goal at 1:16. The only assist on the goal was awarded Evan Jasper.
Greenville would get a second power play opportunity in the period when Jacksonville was hit with a too many men on the ice penalty. With two seconds left on the power play at 7:39, Bates recorded his second power play goal of the game (and second goal overall for the season) to give the Swamp Rabbits a 2-0 lead. Assists went to Jasper and Matt Prapavessis.
Greenville increased its lead to 3-0 at the 12:32 mark of the period when Sean Flanagan recorded his first goal of the season, with the assist going to Caleb Herbert. It was after Flanagan’s goal that Icemen head coach Jason Christie changed goalies, replacing Lotz with Colton Phinney.
Jacksonville would chip away at the Swamp Rabbits lead, getting its first goal at 17:19 of the period when Tyson Fawcett recorded his ninth of the season, when his wrister beat Hetenyi to the far side. The only assist was awarded to goalie Colton Phinney. There would be no more scoring in the period as the frame ended with Greenville leading 3-1.
Jacksonville was be assessed the only three penalties of the period, all minors. Greenville outshot the Icemen for the period 13-8.
In the second period, Greenville got the only goal of the period. Caleb Herbert recorded his team leading 19th goal of the season, off an assist from Shane Walsh. That would be the only scoring of the period with Greenville holding a 4-1 lead heading to the final stanza.
Jacksonville outshot Greenville in the second period 9-8 but Greenville held a 21-17 lead after two. There again were three minor penalties called in the period, with Greenville being called for two of them. After two, Jacksonville had eight minutes, Greenville four.
Jacksonville’s Bobby MacIntyre had a big weekend against Greenville (PHN photo by Trina Kirk)
The third period began and only 3:14 in, Jacksonville cut the lead to two when Bobby MacIntyre scored his 11th of the season. Tyson Fawcett, who intercepted Hetenyi’s clearing pass along the board and fed it to MacIntyre, was awarded the only assist. It would be as close as the Icemen would get as Greenville ended up winning the game 4-2.
Jacksonville outshot Greenville in the third 11-2 and for the game 28-23. The only two penalties called in the third period were both called on Greenville. Both were minors and both teams ended up with eight penalty minutes for the game.
Icechips: With the win, Greenville avoided being swept by Jacksonville in the three game series… The three stars of the game were all from Greenville: Shawn Bates—1st, Caleb Herbert—2nd, and Evan Jasper—3rd… The attendance for the game was posted as 4,237… Jacksonville stayed three points behind Norfolk in the Icemen’s move to get out of the ECHL Eastern Conference as the Admirals lost in South Carolina 3-1… Greenville’s next game is Friday night when it travels to Estero to play the Florida Everblades in a two-game weekend set. The Swamp Rabbits return home onTuesday, February 6th when they host Jacksonville… Jacksonville’s seven game homestand continues Thursday night when it host the Atlanta Gladiators in the first of two straight.
Contact the author at kenneth.holdren@prohockeynews.com
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