The Ice Flyers took the 1-0 lead on their second power play of the game. With Bret Peppler in the box for interference, a shot from Corey Banfield hit a couple bodies and found its way to Adam Pawlick’s stick. Pawlick fired it into the net behind Mississippi goalie Garrett Sheehan’s right arm. Stephen Buco picked up the secondary assist on the goal that came with 3:03 left in the first period.
It didn’t take long for Mississippi to tie the game as Todd Hosmer scored just 1:22 into the second. Less than two minutes later, the RiverKings’ Donald Olivieri capitalized on a power play to take the lead. Another power play goal scored by Max Cook pushed Mississppi’s lead to 3-1 7:02 into the middle frame.
The Ice Flyers thought they had started a comeback when the puck went into and came back out of the net, but there was no signal from referee Dre Barone. At the next whistle, Barone consulted with the goal judge and ruled it a good goal. The goal was officially scored as a power play goal 3:09 into the third by Mike Krieg with assists going to Pawlick and Buco. With the Ice Flyers now back within one, the intensity picked up and Pensacola forced Sheehan to make several great saves. The intensity even showed itself in a big check by Mark Rivera that sent a Mississippi player into the glass and broke the glass on the side of the visitor’s penalty box. Unfortunately for the Ice Flyers, the comeback attempt fell short.
John McLean stopped 29 of the 32 shots he faced. Pensacola’s lone representative in the Three Stars was Pawlick who was named the third star.
Text provided by Pensacola Ice Flyers media release
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