JACKSONVILLE, FL – Saturday night at the Veterans Memorial Arena, the Jacksonville Icemen (15-26-3-2 35 points), mired in a three game losing streak, played the last game of their seven game home stand, meeting the South Carolina Stingrays (28-11-4-1 61 points) South Carolina led the series 3 games to 2 entering the contest.
Dajon Mingo had the lone goal in regulation for Jacksonville Saturday night (PHN photo by Trina Kirk)
The game was an example of extremes. South Carolina is currently trying to catch the Florida Everblades for the best record in the Eastern Conference, in which they are currently four points behind. Jacksonville, on the other hand, is trying to escape the cellar of the Eastern Conference and at the start of the game, they stood five points behind the Norfolk Admirals.
The game also marked the final game of the “Hockey Fights Cancer” weekend in Jacksonville, sponsored by the American Red Cross.
Jeff Jakaitis (12-5-1-0) got the start tonight for the Stingrays while Colton Phinney (3-7-1-1) started for Jacksonville.
The first period was rather quiet for the scoreboard, with neither team able to light the red light. Each team was assessed four minutes in penalties in the period and Jacksonville outshot the Stingrays 12-6 for the period.
In the second, it just took 47 seconds for Jacksonville to register the first goal of the night when, off the faceoff, Dajon Mingo recorded his third of the season, with the only assist to Emerson Clark.
South Carolina tied the game on the power play at 15:39 of the period when, while Garet Hunt was off for roughing, Marcus Perrier beat Phinney for his fifth of the season. Assists on the score went to Dylan Margonari and Steven Whitney. There was no more scoring in the period and the game was tied 1-1.
Jacksonville was hit with six minutes in penalties and South Carolina with four. After two, Jacksonville had been charged with 10 minutes, the Stingrays 8. Jacksonville had 12 shots in the period and South Carolina 9 with the overall advantage after two favoring Jacksonville 24-15.
The third period was tightly played, with neither team scoring or being charged with a penalty. In fact, the two teams combined for only eight shots on goal in the period, both teams being credited with four.
Jacksonville goalie Colton Phinney (center) made 21 saves in Saturday’s game (PHN photo by Trina Kirk)
The same result took place during overtime, with neither team scoring and the shots being even at three each. A 10-minute misconduct was charged against the Jacksonville bench, which skewed the penalty minutes for a game total of 20 for Jacksonville and 8 for South Carolina. Both teams had three shots on goal, Jacksonville winning that battle 31-23.
The shootout itself also went to a shootout, after both teams scored on two of three attempts in the regulation portion. In round four, Steven Whitney scored for the Stingrays and Jakaitis stopped Garet Hunt and South Carolina would end the game with the 2-1 shootout win.
Icechips: The three stars of the game were: Jeff Jakaitis (SC)—1st, Dajon Mingo (Jax)—2nd, and Marcus Perrier (SC)—3rd… Attendance for the game was posted as 6,307… Jacksonville ended its seven game homestand with a 3-3-0-1 record… The Icemen remained five points behind Norfolk in the Eastern Conference with Norfolk having lost at home to Reading 2-0… South Carolina remained four points behind Florida for the top stop in the east as the Everblades defeated Greenville 5-1… South Carolina’s next game is Friday night, when they travel north to play Worcester. They return home on February 16th to face Jacksonville… Jacksonville next game is Tuesday night, when they travel to Greenville. They return home Friday night to play Atlanta.
Contact the author at kenneth.holdren@prohockeynews.com
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