NORTH CHARLESTON, SC – The Jacksonville Icemen, winless in their four games so far during their inaugural season, continued with game two of their five game road trip with their first rematch of the season. They traveled to North Charleston on Sunday to play a South Carolina Stingrays franchise that defeated the Icemen 3-2 two weeks ago in Jacksonville.
The Stingrays were coming off a four game road trip which began with that win in Jacksonville. The Stingrays went 3-1 on the trip and brought a record of 4-1 into the contest. The Stingrays are beginning a five game home stand today.
Jamie Philips got the start again for Jacksonville, making him the starter in all five games for the Icemen. Vitek Vanecek got the start for the Stingrays. South Carolina’s Trevor Gillies and Jacksonville’s Emerson Clark fought at the 5:37 mark, both getting a fighting major and a minor for removing their helmet. There were three other minor penalties in the period, but only one after the fight. The Stingrays outshot the Icemen for the period 12-8.
The red light finally came on in the second period and it was South Carolina that did it first. While Jacksonville’s Christopher Dienes was off serving a boarding minor, Nick Johnson scored his third goal of the season, beating Philips from the right face-off circle. Assists went to Robbie Baillargeon and Travis Welsh.
Jacksonville would tie up the game 42 seconds later when the previously mentioned Dienes got his second goal of the season for near the left face-off circle. Alexandre Goulet and Emerson Clark got the assists.
Dienes’ penalty was the only penalty in the second period. In the second, the Stingrays outshot the Icemen 8-7. Through two periods, the Stingrays held an advantage on the shot board over the Icemen at 20-15.
It would take almost ten minutes into the third period for the tie to be broken and it was the Stingrays that struck. Johnson got his second goal of the game (and fourth of the season), scoring from the right face-off circle, beating Philips. The only assist was given to Joey Leach.
Jacksonville would pull Philips to try and tie the game but that effort would fail as Joe Devin would get his second of the season, an empty net goal to close out the scoring and give the Stingrays the 3-1 win. Assists on the final Stingrays goal went to Johnson and Leach.
Icechips: This was the first game the Icemen have lost this season by more than one goal… Even though being outshot by Jacksonville 8-6 in the third, South Carolina ended the game outshooting the Icemen 26-23… Jacksonville had 15 penalty minutes for the game, South Carolina had 11… Attendance was 3,248… The three stars of the game were all from South Carolina: Nick Johnson (1st), Joe Devin (2nd) and Joey Leach (3rd)… Jacksonville continues their five game road trip, with game three of the trip taking place Wednesday when they travel to Brampton, Ontario to play the Beast in their school day special, with the game starting at 11 a.m… South Carolina’s home stand continues Tuesday, when they open a two-game set with the Reading Royals.
Contact the author at kenneth.holdren@prohockeynews.com
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