JACKSONVILLE, FL – Saturday night at the Veterans Memorial Arena saw act two in the three games in three days series between the Jacksonville Icemen and Orlando Solar Bears. Game One on Friday night saw Orlando come out on top 5-3, with the two teams combining for 109 penalty minutes. The game also marked the fifth and final regular season visit by the Solar Bears to Jacksonville. In the previous four games, the teams split them 2-2.
Jacksonville goalie Jamie Phillips fights off a shot in Saturday night’s game (PHN photo by Trina Kirk)
Before the game, Jacksonville’s NHL parent club, the Winnipeg Jets, reassigned the team’s leading scorer, Jimmy Lodge, to Manitoba of the AHL.
Starting for Jacksonville in net was Jamie Phillips (2-10-1-0) while MacKenzie Skapski (8-2-1) started for Orlando.
The first period would see no scoring but the mood from Friday’s penalty filled contest remained when Orlando’s Sean Zimmerman and Jacksonville’s Garet Hunt were sent off for fighting just 14 seconds into the game. The period would see six penalties in total called in the first half of the game, just one in the second. The period ended with Jacksonville having 9 minutes in penalties, Orlando 11. Orlando outshot Jacksonville in the first 6-3.
The only scoring of the second period would take place at the 11:07 mark when Joshua WInquist recorded his 18th of the season, on assists from Chris Crane and Sean Zimmerman. Penalty minutes would be even in the period, with both teams getting nine minutes. The second (and last fight) of the game took place between Orlando’s Mike Monfredo and Jacksonville’s Garret Klotz.
Jacksonville’s Garrett Klotz (white) and Orlando’s Mike Monfredo duked it out in the second period Saturday night (PHN photo by Trina Kirk)
Orlando would take a two-goal lead at the 10:38 mark of the period when Martin Dzierkals recorded his 8th of the season, beating Phillips. Chris LeBlanc recorded the only assist on the score. Orlando would be forced to play almost the last six minutes of the game on the penalty kill when Sam Jardine was hit with the minor/major/game combo for high sticking and cross checking at 14:15. The advantage would do not good for Jacksonville , who even pulled Jamie Phillips for a two-man advantage with three minutes left. Orlando’s Chris Crane would tally an empty net, short-hander at 18:13 for the final score.
There would be no more scoring as Orlando finished up the game with a 3-0 win.
Jacksonville would reverse the tally on the shots on goal in the third, outshooting Orlando 13-6. Orlando would end the game with a 25-22 advantage. Due to Jardine’s triple penalty, Orlando had 19 penalty minutes in the third for a game total of 39. Jacksonville had only one penalty called on them in the third, game total of 20.
Icechips: The game was Orlando’s first shutout win of the season and would be the first time that Jacksonville had been shutout for the season… The three starts of the game were all from Orlando. MacKenzie Skapski (1st), Martins Dzierkals (2nd) and Joshua Winquist (3rd)… Attendance for the game was listed as 8,176. The game was only 324 fans away from a sellout…Orlando and Jacksonville will face off in the final game of the three game set (and 8th overall) with Jacksonville trying to avoid being swept in a 1:30 start at the Amway Center on Sunday. After Sunday, the teams will only face each other one more time this regular season on March 29th in Orlando… Jacksonville’s next game after the series with Orlando ends will be Wednesday, January 10th when they play host to Greenville. After Jacksonville, Orlando has a short two game road trip next weekend. First stop is Friday night in Greenville.
Contact the author at kenneth.holdren@prohockeynews.com
Contact the photojournalist at trina.kirk@prohockeynews.com
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