The Ice Flyers newly acquired Sam Dabrowski had slightly emotional tinge whereas glancing at this former crew previous to Friday evening’s recreation.
“There have been a pair instances after I noticed the (Knoxville Ice Bears) jerseys and I had slightly double take the place I used to be like, wait, these aren’t my teammates,” Dabrowski mentioned. “However I understand how they compete.
‘I’ve apply with them for longer than I’ve practiced with these guys right here in Pensacola, so I’m acquainted with everybody on the ice and their tendencies and the way they play. And I simply attempt to play my greatest recreation.
He did simply that.
Dabrowski scored a pair of second interval targets – his first two with Pensacola – because the Ice Flyers gained a 7-4 scoring fest Friday towards the Knoxville Ice Bears earlier than a crowd of 5,330 on the Pensacola Bay Heart.
The engaging grownup jersey giveaway, sponsored by Kia Autosport-Pensacola, had followers ready outdoors the Bay Heart nicely earlier than the doorways opened for the reproduction jersey fashion worn Friday by the Ice Flyers.
When the sport started, the Ice Flyers followers had extra causes to cheer in what grew to become the primary residence ice win of the season.
Cameron Cook dinner and Matt Weisner scored targets simply 1-minute, 11 seconds aside within the first interval for a 20 lead at intermission.
The groups mixed for seven targets in a wild second interval, which noticed Ice Bears’ goaltender Stephen Mundinger, who performed for the Ice Flyers most of final season, pulled after giving up a fourth purpose on simply 14 photographs confronted with 13:39 left within the second interval.
The Ice Flyers then sealed the sport in third interval when Ivan Bondarenko slipped an ideal go behind him to Jordan Henderson, who then rifled a wrist shot into the online 5:44 remaining for a 6-4 lead. CJ Hayes then made a diving whack on the puck with a defender on him for an empty web purpose with 15 seconds left to finish the evening.
“It’s good for the group, I feel we’ve been getting our justifiable share of possibilities, we simply haven’t been burying (pucks) and I feel that’s what has been irritating,” mentioned Ice Flyers coach Gary Graham. “So the longer that goes, guys begin squeezing their sticks.
“It’s all about confidence on this recreation. Extra assured gamers, the higher they’re going to play, so it’s good to see the crew lastly get rewarded. We bought just a few bounces for as soon as (Friday), haven’t been getting loads of these.
“On the flip facet, I can’t sit right here and be pleased giving up that many targets. It’s not our customary. We’ve had means too many video games this season giving up too many targets.”
The groups will rematch Saturday at 7:05 p.m. on the Bay Heart on Blue Angels Evening with the Ice Flyers sporting spectacular Blue Angels uniforms in honor of the U.S. Navy famed flight demonstration squadron based mostly at Naval Air Station Pensacola.
The popularity follows the Blue Angels ultimate air present of 2024 final Saturday in Pensacola and happens on Veterans Day weekend.
A fast recap
FIRST PERIOD
Cameron Cook dinner began issues off for the Ice Flyers working the puck free off the boards from a faceoff after which rifling a wrist shot previous Stephen Mundinger lower than six minutes into the primary interval.
Matt Weisner shortly adopted on an ideal go from C.J. Hayes, who labored himself across the again of the online, then discovered Weisner open for a one-timer that grew to become a 2-0 lead at intermission.
SECOND PERIOD
Simply 47 seconds into the interval, as followers have been nonetheless coming back from the primary intermission break, Dabrowski scored his first Ice Flyers purpose on assists from Cook dinner and Shane Bull.
Knoxville answered lower than a minute later to make it a 3-1 and ignite the scoring spree.
Dabrowski scored once more, assisted by the identical two linemates once more, to make it 4-1 with 13:39 left. He was acquired by the Ice Flyers on Oct. 26 and made the journey with the crew final weekend to Roanoke and Fayetteville.
“We kinda had slightly little bit of sluggish weekend final weekend once we have been thrown collectively for the primary time with no complete lot of apply time,” Dabrowski mentioned. “With per week of apply collectively (this week) issues began to click on.
“The sport plan was laid out for us, we executed, did what we have been purported to.”
That purpose led to Mundinger getting pulled and ignited Knoxville to make it a 4-3 recreation with the subsequent two targets earlier than Bull scored with 2:06 left within the interval.
THIRD PERIOD
Henderson’s purpose late within the interval adopted each groups getting energy play possibilities earlier within the interval. Ivan Bonderenko’s go made the distinction in organising the goal-scoring play.
The Ice Bears pulled their goaltender with 1:15 remaining and had a two-man benefit briefly because the Ice Flyers killed off a penalty then Hayes’ nice hustle play despatched the puck into the online for the ultimate purpose.
GAME NOTABLES
Jessica Lee, the CEO of Kia Autosport-Pensacola tossed the ceremonial puck drop whereas holding her toddler daughter.
The jerseys worn Friday evening by the gamers and the followers will likely be adopted on Saturday with the gamers sporting the Blue Angels uniforms in a partnership with the U.S. Navy’s famed squadron.
“You go all over the world, everybody is aware of who the Blue Angels are,” Graham mentioned. “I feel these jerseys are most likely the most effective I’ve ever seen, and I’ve seen loads of cool jerseys in my lifetime. That jersey we will likely be sporting I feel is the sharpest factor.”
By Invoice Vilona
Ice Flyers Correspondent
