NORFOLK, VA- The Jacksonville Icemen rallied from a 3-0 deficit to score nine unanswered goals to defeat the Norfolk Admirals 9-3 Tuesday night at the Norfolk Scope.   Sam Sternschein finished the game with four points (2g, 2a).  Jacksonville’s nine goals tied a club record for most goals scored in a game, originally set on February 23, 2020 against Norfolk in a 9-6 win. 

The Icemen got off to a slower start in period one as the Admirals came out winning puck battles and races and earning most of the offensive pressure. The Admirals got the scoring started as Cody Milan found the back of the net on a wrister from the slot to give his team the early lead.

Moments later, Norfolk’s Christian Hausinger scored to give the Admrials a two-goal lead when he tipped and re-directed a Sam Thibault shot. The Admirals kept pushing, and found the back of the net a third time on a rebound opportunity in front by Ryan Valentini as Norfolk sailed to a 3-0 lead. 

Following that third goal, the Icemen started to find their legs and finally got on the board as Derek Lodermeier won a faceoff in the offensive zone to James Sanchez.  Sanchez passed the puck across the ice to Jacob Friend who buried it short side to cut the deficit to two goals.

Less than minute later, Jacksonville would answer again, as Craig Martin redirected an Austin McEneny point shot to cut the deficit to one-goal just before the close of the period. 

The Icemen got off to a fantastic start in the second period as they controlled the play right from the opening faceoff. Just 90 seconds into the period, the Icemen tied up the game as Brendan Harris found the back of the net on a nice set up Martin.

Moments later, Jacksonville’s Ben Hawerchuk scored on a quick snapshot from the right faceoff dot to give Jacksonville  the first lead of the contest.  The Icemen struck again just 43 seconds later as Jake Elmer drove the net and found the rebound to give the Icemen a two-goal lead.

Highlighting a flurry of goals by Jacksonville was forward James Sanchez.   Nearly halfway through the period, Sanchez pulled off the “Michigan” lacrosse-style goal. With time and space behind the Norfolk net, Sanchez scooped up the puck onto the blade of his stick, and in a lacrosse style fashion he stuffed it the puck into the net for the highlight goal to make it a 6-3. 

The Icemen kept it rolling in the third period as they just simply outplayed the Admirals and had all of the momentum. A minute in, Sam Sternschein scored the first of his two goals as he received a pass from Brendan Harris in the slot and made a quick wrist shot to make it a 7-3 count.  

 Moments later, Sternschein scored again as he made a deke around the Admirals goaltender to pick up the eighth goal of the night.  Jacksonville added another goal later in the period as Brendan Harris buried a back door pass from Craig Martin to score the ninth and final goal in a commanding 9-3 victory for the Icemen.

The Icemen play the Admirals again on Wednesday, March 30th at 7:30 pm.