JACKSONVILLE, FL – Newcomer Luc Brown scored twice, while a total of 13 players recorded points for the Icemen, as they go on to defeat the Orlando Solar Bears 7-2 Wednesday evening at Vystar Veterans Memorial Arena.
Inside the six-minute mark of the first period, the Icemen logged the game’s first goal. Rookie forward Logan Cockerill skated down low and delivered a perfect pass above the crease to a wide-open Brendan Harris on the back side of the net for. Harris patiently caught the puck and shoved it in the Orland net for the goal.
Nesrly a minute and half later, the Icemen struck again, as a drop pass was left for Craig Martin just above the slot. Martin immediately hurled a shot high into the net past Orlando goaltender Evan Fitzpatrick to give Jacksonville a 2-0 edge.
Opening minutes of the second period, the Solar Bears got on the board on a tally by Tyler Bird who redirected a shot from the point into the net behind Icemen netminder Matt Vernon to make it a one-goal game.
Halfway through the second period, Martin slipped down to his knees, but was still able to deliver a pass to springboard new teammate Luc Brown for a breakaway. Brown collected the puck and snapped a shot low past the block of Fitzpatrick to make it a 3-1 game.
For the second consecutive game, the Icemen ignited to score four goals in the third period. The most thrilling of them all, came at 6:31 of the period, when Christopher Brown led a 2-on-1 rush into the zone. Brown steered a pass to Garrett Van Wyhe who was simultaneously tripped up by a defender. However, the puck stayed with Van Wyhe, and he sprung back up to his feet and unleashed a hard wrister that ripped into the Orlando net to make it a 4-1 game.
Ten seconds later, the Icemen made it 5-1, when Logan Cockerill darted toward the net and stuffed the puck through Fitzpatrick’s five-hole for the marker and to cap off a three-point night of his own.
The Icemen would later tack on a shorthanded goal from Riley Fiddler-Schultz and a second goal from newly acquired Luc Brown to propel the Icemen to a 7-2 victory.
Icemen goaltender Matt Vernon stopped 20 of 22 shots faced and also logged two assists in the game. Meanwhile, Craig Martin finished with three points on the night and tied Ara Nazarian with 132 points for the Jacksonville Icemen’s All-Time Points Leader.
The Icemen and Solar Bears will meet again on Friday in downtown Jacksonville at 7:00 p.m. The Icemen remain at home on Saturday for the annual Teddy Bear Toss game.
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