JACKSONVILLE, FLA – Mike Hedden scored twice, while Dajon Mingo scored at 3:51 into overtime to lift the Jacksonville Icemen to a 3-2 victory over the Florida Everblades at Veterans Memorial Arena on Friday, March 6th.
The Icemen were rewarded for a sound first period effort when Mike Hedden recorded a 4-on-4 goal. Hedden forced a turnover at his own blue line and took off on a breakaway opportunity. Hedden deked to the backhand to force Florida goaltender Cam Johnson to slide to his right. Hedden then switched to the forehand and slid the puck into to the net for the tally.
Hedden’s eighth goal in the last ten games would be the only goal scored in the opening period, as the Icemen took a 1-0 lead into the first intermission.
The opportunistic Everblades struck again with a shorthanded tally by Michael Huntebrinker. Huntebrinker picked up a turnover and led a 2-on-1 rush into the Icemen end. He then called his own number and wristed a shot that clipped past Icemen netminder Adam Carlson to even the score at 1-1.
Six minutes later, Jacksonville reclaimed the lead on the second goal of the night by Hedden. Following some sustained pressure in the offensive zone, Mingo delivered a perfect pass across the seam to Hedden on the opposite wing. Hedden hurled the puck into the wide-open net to give the Icemen a 2-1 lead after two periods
Jacksonville controlled the pace and play for a majority of the third period, but the Everblades made the best of a power play opportunity with five minutes remaining. Derek Sheppard snapped a shot from the point that was stopped by Carlson, but the rebound was knocked in at the top of the crease by Darik Angeli to even the game at two and eventually force overtime.
Both teams created chances in the extra session, including two breakaway chance by Bobby Lynch and Hedden that were stopped by Johnson. However, Mingo netted the game-winner with a shot low from the shortside that hit off the inside of Johnson’s pad and skirted across the goal line to seal the Icemen win 3-2. 
Text courtesy of Jacksonville Icemen
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