NORFOLK, VA – In a Monday afternoon President’s Day special, the Jacksonville Icemen (18-28-3-3, 42 points) travelled once again to the Scope to face off with division foes the Norfolk Admirals (20-26-5-1, 46 points) This was the fourth meeting in Norfolk between the two clubs, Jacksonville having won all three previous meetings.
Colton Phinney (4-8-1-2) got the start for Jacksonville while Ty Reichenbach (13-15-3-0) started for the Admirals.
Jacksonville took the early lead when Garet Hunt recovered a rebound off a shot from the point by Christopher Dienes at 5:18. For Hunt, it was his 12th of the season.
A little over two minutes later, Norfolk tied the game on Grant Besse’s 23rd goal of the season, off assists from Dominic Alberga and Jordan Abt at 7:58. Just over a minute later, Jacksonville would take the lead again when Cameron Critchlow got his 11th of the season, beating Reichenbach on the stick side. Assists went to Jimmy Lodge and Hunt.
That lead would last to the 14:43 mark when Norfolk tied the game back up on Alex Pompero’s 7th of the season, with assists going to Tommy Schutt and Sam Ftorek. A little more than a minute later, at 16:06, Norfolk would score the last goal of the first period when TJ Melancon beat Phinney on the power play. Assists went to Brady Dupont and Ftorek. The period ended with Norfolk leading 3-2. Norfolk had the shot advantage for the period 15-12 while Jacksonville had nine penalty minutes and Norfolk had five.
From five goals in the first period to just one in the second. That lone goal in the second went to Jacksonville’s Cody Fowlie, who recorded his first of the season when his backhander from the corner deflected off a Norfolk player and further deflected off Reichenbach’s skate into the goal. Dienes would be awarded the only assist at 8:54.
Each team would find themselves hit with six minutes in penalties for the period, Jacksonville now having 15 minutes, Norfolk 11. Jacksonville outshot Norfolk in the second 11-7 and then take a 23-22 advantage after two.
Jacksonville regained the lead in the third period when Everett Clark took control of the puck at center ice, entered the zone, slid the puck through the legs of Chase Harrison and beat Reichenbach. For Clark, the unassisted goal was his 8th and came at 7:28.
Fifty-four seconds later, at 8:22, Norfolk tied the game back up when Melancon got his 13th of the season, off assists from Michael Young and Darik Angeli. The teams would be unable to score again and the game went to overtime tied at four.
Shots in the third favored Norfolk, so both teams were tied in shots 34 each after two. Jacksonville would have six minutes in penalties in the third, Norfolk two. Jacksonville overall now had 21 minites, Norfolk 13.
It would be the last two penalties of the third (Chris Joseph for delay at 18:18 and Garet Hunt for roughing at 20:00) that would hurt the Icemen the most as they would have start the OT down two men. They were able to kill off one penalty but could not kill them both off because, at 1:29 of OT, Norfolk would win the game on Christian Horn’s 10th of the season, off assists from Brodie Dupont and TJ Melancon. Norfolk won by a final of 5-4.
There were no addition overtime penalties and the only three shots on goal in the OT were all recorded by Norfolk.
Icechips All three stars of the game came from the Admirals. TJ Melancon (1st), Christian Horn (2nd) and Sam Ftorek (3rd)… Announced/posted attendance for the game was 1,562… The win put Norfolk only four points behind Orlando in the battle for the final playoff spot in the southern division. Jacksonville’s one point for the overtime loss put them one point behind Greenville in the battle to get out of the South cellar and nine points behind Orlando…. Norfolk’s next game is Tuesday night, when they travel to North Charleston to play the South Carolina Stingrays… Jacksonville’s next game is Friday night when they play host to Norfolk.
Contact the author at kenneth.holdren@prohockeynews.com
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