JACKSONVILLE, FL- Francois Brassard stopped all 37 shots faced to help guide the Jacksonville Icemen to a 5-0 victory over the Atlanta Gladiators in game 4 of the South Division Semifinals to win the series in a clean sweep 4-0. The victory was the first ever playoff series win for the Icemen in their five years in Jacksonville.
The Icemen got off to a good start in period one as they came out with the momentum being at home and up in the series. Moments later, Jacksonville was able to get on the board as Ben Hawerchuk buried a shot from the slot to take the first lead of the contest. The Icemen took that lead into the first intermission.
In the second, Jacksonville added another goal as Luke Lynch redirected a Victor Hadfield point shot to take a two-goal lead.
Later in the period, the Icemen were forced to go back on the penalty kill. However, following the kill, they had an odd-man rush which led to Craig Martin burying a rebound off Ben Hawerchuk’s shot to take a commanding three-goal lead into the second break.
Atlanta one again largely outshot the Icemen in third period with a 17-5 mark. However, Francois Brassard managed to turn them all aside.
The Icemen went to the powerplay with about six minutes remaining in the period, an Christopher Brown scored off of a wrist shot from the slot to take a four-goal lead.
Moments later, the Gladiators would pull their goaltender Chris Nell in favor of the extra attacker and Jacksonville’s Jacob Friend scored to make it five. The Icemen won 5-0 while being outshot 37-23 in the contest.
The Icemen advance to the second round of the Kelly Cup Playoff and will now wait for the conclusion of the Greenville Swamp Rabbits and Florida Everblades series before determining when the next opponent game.
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