Icemen Earn Another Point in 4-3 Overtime Loss at Orlando

ORLANDO, FL – Blake Kessel’s goal at 4:44 of overtime lifted the Orlando Solar Bears to a 4-3 overtime win over Jacksonville Icemen at the Amway Center Thursday evening.   Despite the loss, the icemen extend their point streak to five games. 

The Solar Bears got on the board first just six minutes into the contest.   Eric Drapluk fired a shot from the point that was tipped and redirected into the net by Ryan Lohin to give Orlando the 1-0 lead. 

The Icemen evened the score with just under nine seconds remaining in the opening frame.   Jacksonville angled the puck off the neutral zone dashers and caught Emerson Clark in stride.  Clark broke into the Orlando zone on the right wing and floated a saucer pass across to a wide-open Dajon Mingo.  Mingo caught the puck and immediately flipped a wrist shot past a sliding Zachary Fucale to put the score at 1-1 at the first intermission. 

Just past the halfway point of the second, Orlando reclaimed the lead on the power play.  Chris Leblanc steered a cross crease pass to Alexey Lipanov who hammered a one-timed shot behind Icemen goaltender Michael McNiven for the tally. 

Exactly two minutes later, the Icemen tied the game with a power play goal of their own.  Jacksonville worked the puck to the Mingo at the center point.  Mingo delivered a slapshot that was tipped into the net at the top of the crease by Pierre-Luc Mercier to even the score at two.

Moments later, the Icemen grabbed their first lead of the game when rookie Bobby Lynch hustled to a rebound at the right wing circle and hurled a shot past an outstretched Fucale for the go-ahead marker. 

The Jacksonville lead would be short lived as Orlando tied the game just over a minute later.   Blake Kessel delivered a cross-ice pass to a wide-open Jake Coughler who buried a wrist shot past a diving McNiven to tie the game at 3-3. 

Both teams held each other off the scoreboard in the third to send to the game to overtime.   An errant pass by the Icemen in the offensive zone set up a foot race for the puck the other way.   Blake Kessel gained a step on his man in the slot and floated backhanded shot high into the net over the shoulder of McNiven to seal the 4-3 overtime win for the Solar Bears. 

The Icemen will have a rare weekend off before playing host to the Florida Everblades on Wednesday (December 11) at Veterans Memorial Arena.  Game time is set for 7:00 p.m. CLICK HERE to purchase tickets.  Fans can catch all game broadcasts at www.mixlr.com/jaxicemen or watch the game online at ECHL.TV

---Flexible ticket packages and discounted group tickets are on sale now.  Contact 904-602-7825 for more information. 

The 2019-20 Jacksonville Icemen Season is Presented by Community First Credit Union

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