FORT WAYNE, IN – Garret Ross scored at 2:22 of overtime to lift the Jacksonville Icemen to their first win of the season by a score 6-5 over the Fort Wayne Komets at the Allen County War Memorial Coliseum Saturday night. The wild game featured 11 different goal scorers between the two sides.
The Icemen opened the scoring just 5:20 into the first period when newcomer Pierre-Luc Mercier and Hayden Shaw combined to set up Ian McKinnon.
The host Komets answered with a pair of tallies during the back half of the frame. Shawn Szydlowski took advantage of a power play to net the equalizer with assists going to Brady Shaw and Max Gottlieb at 11:49. Less than a minute later at 12:24, Mason Bergh put Fort Wayne in front with an even strength score. The assists on Bergh’s goal went to Anthony Petruzzelli and Olivier Galipeau.
Jacksonville asserted itself in the second period, scoring three times in a span of 5:52 to regain the lead. First it was Nikita Korostelev who netted the equalizer at 3:59. Then at 4:36 during a power play, Charles-David Beaudoin scored with assists from Ross and Alexis D’Aoust. The Icemen completed the three goal run when Beaudoin set up Chase Lang at the 9:51 mark to make the score 4-2.
Fort Wayne responded with two tallies of its own in the space of 3:13 to once again pull even. Shaw got the rally going with a goal at 12:05 with assists from Matt Brassard and Shawn St.-Amant. That was followed by a man advantage score by A.J.Jenks at the 15:18 mark. Assists on the Jenks goal were awarded to Szydlowski and Gailpeau.
James Phelan put Jacksonville up again when he scored at the 17:34 mark on helpers from Mercier and Hayden Shaw. Not to be outdone, the Komets were able to knot the score with a short-handed goal by Matthew Boudens with 23 second remaining before the second intermission.
Neither team was able to find the back of the net in the third period, setting up a second straight night of overtime hockey. Unlike their first two tries at the extra period, the Icemen were able to come away with the extra point on Ross’ unassisted score.
With the win the Icemen took three of a possible four points on the weekend road trip to Fort Wayne. The Icemen will battle Orlando at the Amway Center this Tuesday at 7 p.m. before returning home on Wednesday, Oct. 30th against the Atlanta Gladiators at 7 p.m.
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