The Jacksonville Icemen outplayed the Manchester Monarchs on Saturday night in a 4-2 win. In the last two games, the Icemen have combined to score nine goals.
Bobby MacIntyre rejoined the team just hours before puck drop, and he made an immediate impact minutes into the game. Brendan Collier grabbed a loose puck in the crease and found a wide open MacIntyre on the other side of the net for the easy goal at 6:41 into the first. With just over seven minutes remaining in the first period, Scott Savage forced a turnover behind the Manchester net and battled his way around the net for a backhand goal. For the second straight game, the Icemen went to the locker room with the lead after 20 minutes.
The Icemen would not take their foot off the gas pedal in the second period. Right before the midway point in the game, Justin Agosta turned the puck over in the slot with a poor pass and Josh Erickson skated right into it with a powerful slap shot past Branden Komm. The Monarchs would eventually respond on the power play when Spencer Watson connected on the power play with an unlucky bounce off Colton Phinney's right skate. Jacksonville would have a two-goal lead as they entered the third period.
Fresh out of the locker room, the Icemen created a turnover in the offensive zone and Brendan Collier found Bobby MacIntyre wide open again for a one-timer 25 seconds into the third period. Once again, the Monarchs would find another power-play goal when Jordan LaVallee Smotherman deflected Eric Schurhamer's shot to make it a two-goal game. Two late Manchester penalties would help the Icemen hold on for their second straight win.
The Icemen have an opportunity for their first-ever three-game winning streak on Sunday as they take on the Monarchs for the final time in the 2017-18 season, presented by Community First Credit Union, at 3:00 p.m.
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