JACKSONVILLE, FLA – The Jacksonville Icemen finished the 2017-18 by not making the post-season. However, off-ice, they were more successful, finishing fourth in the league in attendance. Like 2017-18, the Icemen get to start their season at home, facing division foe South Carolina Stingrays this time. Also, like 2017-18, the first game of the season was announced as a sell-out before the drop of the first puck.
PHN photo by Trina Kirk
Parker Milner, in his third stint with the Stingrays, got the start for South Carolina while Mikhail Berdin, who spent last season with Sioux Falls in the USHL, started the season in goal for Jacksonville.
Needless to say, the first period of the first game of the new season was a slow affair. Few shots on goal as the teams got used to each other and playing in regular game situations. In fact, the first and only goal of the period came at the 17:12 mark of the period, when Kevin McKernan defeated Berdin for the first goal of the season. Patrick Gaul was awarded the only assist.
The second period would end up much like the first with low scoring. The only scoring of the period came as an equalizer by the Icemen. With South Carolina’s Jonathan Charbonneau off on a two-minute slashing call, Blake Kessel tied the game on assists from Wacey Rabbit and Everett Clark. After two, the teams were knotted at 1-1.
Scoring definitely opened up in the third period and it opened up quickly, first for the Stingrays. Just 34 seconds into the third, Jake Kamrass gave South Carolina the lead, off assists by Joey Leach and Andrew Cherniwchan. However, that lead would not last long as just 57 seconds later at the 1:31 mark, Garet Hunt tied the game for the Icemen off assists from Matt Ustaski and Cody Fowlie.
PHN photo by Trina Kirk
At 6:32 of the third, South Carolina looked to have a good chance to take the lead when Jacksonville’s Colton Veloso was sent off for two minutes for slashing. However, things did not work out for the Stingrays like they had hoped. Not only did the Stingrays not get a shot on goal during the power play, with four seconds left on the power play, Jacksonville took the lead short-handed when Cody Fowlie beat Milner. Goaltender Mikhail Berdin was awarded the only assist.
South Carolina tried for the equalizer but were unable to find it. In fact, Jacksonville added some added insurance when Alexis D’Aoust scored at 16:20 off assists from Jake Randolph and Jack Glover. South Carolina pulled Milner but could not get closer as Jacksonville won their home opener 4-2.
OTHER STATS: South Carolina ended up with 20 minutes in penalties for the game, Jacksonville 12… Jacksonville ended the game with 32 shots on goal, South Carolina 26… Jacksonville went 1-for-4 on the power play, South Carolina 0-for-5.
TRIVIA: This was the first home opener victory for a Jacksonville based franchise in five tries. The last victory in the home opener was back in the SPHL days in 2005, when the Jacksonville Barracudas defeated the Florida Seals.
FUTURE GAMES: South Carolina’s opening road trip to the Sunshine State continues Monday, October 15th when they travel down to Orlando to play the Solar Bears for the first of a two games in two nights stretch. The Stingrays open their home schedule Friday, October 20th against Greenville.
Jacksonville continues their opening home stand Friday night when the Solar Bears pay a visit to the Arena.
Contact the author at kenneth.holdren@prohockeynews.com
Contact the photojournalist at trina.kirk@prohockeynews.com
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