PENSACOLA, FLA – When the Knoxville Ice Bears invaded the Pensacola Civic Center on Saturday, January 7th to battle the Pensacola Ice Flyers, they knew they were facing a team that was on a roll. The Ice Flyers had won nine of their previous ten games.
Make that ten out of eleven.
Paced by the efforts of Jordan Chong, the Ice Flyers nipped the Ice Bears 5-4 in overtime. Chong’s night included a fight, and assist and most importantly the game-winning tally 2:37 into the extra period off of a pass from Donnie Harris.
The Ice Bears went into the game winners of twelve of their previous fourteen games as well as having taken one of the two meetings between the teams in November. Despite the contest being their third in three nights, the Ice Flyers were first on the scoreboard when Andrew Howes connected for the first of three Pensacola power play tallies in the game at the 12:31 mark of the first period.
It took Knoxville just 1:24 into the middle stanza to reply to Howe’s score. Kevin Swider turned a Pensacola turnover in the neutral zone into a breakaway and beat Ice Flyers goalie Steve Christie to tie the score. Pensacola went back in front with a five-on-three man advantage goal by Harris at the 6:18 mark but once again Swider had an answer, scoring his second of the night at 7:48 to once again even the score.
Just under five minutes after Swider scored, Pensacola’s Chris Wilson notched his first of two goals on the night to reestablish the Ice Flyers’ lead. His second came at the 9:44 mark of the third period, giving Pensacola what looked like a solid two goal lead at 4-2.
Knoxville coach Mike Craigen rallied his troops and got a quick response as defenseman Mark Van Vliet put the puck past Christie to cut the lead to 4-3. Then with goalie Jesse Kallechy pulled in favor of an extra skater, Mike Townes beat Christie with just 2.5 seconds left in regulation to tie the score and send the game to overtime.
In the extra session, Knoxville’s Dan Bremner was whistled for hooking, giving the Ice Flyers a rare four-on-three power play. Pensacola worked the puck around to Harris who sent it toward the net where Chong deflected it home past Kallechy.
The win brought Pensacola’s overall record to 15-8-2 while Knoxville fell to 21-7-0.
Pensacola%27s Ryan Ramage (33%2C left) gets a glove to the face during a scrum.
Pensacola%27s Donnie Harris (10%2C left) and Knoxville%27s Kevin Swider (12%2C right) follow the flying puck.
Ice Bers froward Kevin Swider (12%2C right) chases Pensacola%27s Kevin Brojek behind the net.
Ice Bears Kevin Swider (12%2C center) and Mike Towns (25) watch the puck cross in front of Ice Flyers goalie Steve Christie (38%2C lef)
Pensacola player/assistant coach Dan Buccella (47%2C center)and teammate Donnie Harris try to clear th puck away from the front of the Pensacola net.
The Ice Flyers mob Jordan Chong after his overtime game-winning goal.
Contact the photographer at vanessa.johnson@prohockeynews.com Comment@prohockeynews.com
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