Written by Noah Epstein

ORLANDO, FL -- The Jacksonville Icemen relinquished a 3-0 second-period lead Wednesday night, falling to the Solar Bears 5-4 in overtime on Jaydon Dureau’s game-winning goal. Despite the setback, the Icemen extend their point streak to seven games (5-0-2). 

Jacksonville couldn’t have dreamed of a better start.

Just about halfway through the first period, Noah Laaouan fed Christopher Brown perfectly from the slot to the left circle, with Brown quickly firing a shot past Ryan Fanti for the game’s first score.

Brown, the hero from Saturday’s 5-4 overtime win at Greenville, recorded his 15th goal of the season.

Laaouan extended his assist streak to eight straight games - the only player in the ECHL to reach that mark this season. He’s recorded 10 assists in the span, and helped get the Icemen off to a 1-0 lead on Wednesday.

Bennett MacArthur increased the lead a few minutes later, working along with Liam Coughlin to stay patient after entering the attacking zone. MacArthur ended up receiving a centering pass from Coughlin, scoring to make it 2-0 Jacksonville.

The Icemen took a 3-0 lead when capitalizing on the man advantage toward the end of the opening stanza. Coughlin scored on a rebound after MacArthur and Chris Grando got shots on net near the crease, continuing the early domination.

But that domination didn’t last for long.

Orlando responded with two goals in the second period - Aaron Luchuk (20) and Kris Myllari (3). Myllari scored with just 87 seconds remaining in the period, giving the Solar Bears all the momentum they needed entering the third.

The Bears got the better of the Icemen in the final period of regulation. After two periods of Jacksonville outshooting Orlando, things didn’t exactly play out that way in the third. The Icemen were outshot 18-2 in the period, losing the puck possession battle in a major way.

Logan Cockerill scored first in the period to make it 4-2 Icemen.

The Solar Bears proceeded to score the final three goals of the contest, the first two being in regulation.

After Reece Newkirk brought it to a one-goal deficit for Orlando, Fanti was pulled with under two minutes to go. The Solar Bears had chance after chance against Justen Close, until Luchuk scored his second of the game with 23 seconds remaining to tie the game at 4.

Jacksonville possessed the puck for the first 90 seconds of overtime. When Orlando finally touched the puck, Ivan Chukarov was assessed a hooking penalty that put the Solar Bears on a 4-on-3 power play.

Dureau managed to receive a feed from Hudson Thornton, sending a snap shot past Close to complete the comeback for Orlando.

The Icemen, who were previously 5-0 against Orlando in overtime and 3-0 against the Bears during the month of February, lost for the first time in each capacity, 5-4.

Jacksonville finished its four-game road trip with nine power-play goals and six points, but with two heartbreaking 5-4 overtime losses - one to South Carolina and the other to Orlando.

The Icemen head back home for three games in as many days this weekend - the first being against Savannah on Friday at 7 p.m.