Written by Noah Epstein
ORLANDO, FL -- Jacksonville failed to finish off a three-game sweep of Orlando on Tuesday, as the Icemen were defeated 4-1 at the Kia Center.
The Solar Bears got off to a hot start, with Spencer Kersten scoring the game’s first goal just 1:13 into action. Kersten extended his point streak to eight in doing so.
Kersten ended up scoring the final goal of the contest as well; the goal that made it 4-1 Orlando in the third period. The forward finished the night with a team-leading 40 points and 18 goals.
Orlando scored two more goals in the first period, taking a 3-0 advantage into intermission. Brayden Low (11) and Aaron Luchuk (16) were the two goal scorers for the Solar Bears other than Kersten on Tuesday.
Jacksonville cut into the deficit at the beginning of the second period, on a 4-on-4 chance. Ivan Chukarov carried the puck into the attacking zone through the right point, with a 2-on-1 developing. Chukarov, seeing his teammate Garrett Van Wyhe approaching to his left, fired a shot on Ryan Fanti. The goaltender blocked it with his pads, and the puck caromed right to Van Wyhe, who buried his shot past Fanti.
Van Wyhe’s seventh goal of the season was the lone Icemen goal of the evening. Chukarov recorded his 21st assist, which leads the team.
The Icemen outshot Orlando 12-2 in that second period, continuing to generate chances to try cutting it to a one-goal deficit, but Fanti made 11 saves and kept his team up a pair.
Kersten’s second goal of the night in the third period sealed the deal for the home team.
Jacksonville ended with 27 shots to Orlando’s 20, but the Solar Bears were able to sneak four of those 20 past Justen Close to salvage the series and win 4-1.
The Icemen weren’t able to sweep, but still came away with a series victory against their in-state rival. They remain in third place in the South with 51 points, trailing Florida and South Carolina in the standings.
Jacksonville will now face off against Savannah in a home-and-home series, with the first of two matchups taking place on Friday at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena. Puck drop is at 7 p.m.
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