SAVANNAH, FL – The Jacksonville Icemen (0-1-1) earned a point Saturday in a 4-3 shootout loss to the Savannah Ghost Pirates (1-1-0) at Enmarket Arena. Drew Kuzma, Sasha Teleguine, and Jacques Bouquot all scored, while Icemen goaltender Cameron Rowe made 43 saves in the shootout loss.
FIRST PERIOD
For the second night in a row, the Icemen scored in the first period, this time on the power play. Tyler Scheleppe made a pass along the right wing to Sasha Telequine in the slot. Telequine then fired a quick shot to the net, and a rebound in front was pounced on by Drew Kuzma, who buried it to put the Icemen up 1-0. Jacksonville kept up the offensive pace and pressured the Ghost Pirates into mistakes. However, several big saves by Savannah goaltender Tyler Muszelik kept Jacksonville’s lead at 1-0.
SECOND PERIOD
The middle period was chaotic and back-and-forth; every time the Icemen took the lead, Savannah came back to tie the game. The Ghost Pirates scored the tying goal less than two minutes into the second period, tying the score 1-1. But then Schleppe led the Icemen on a short-handed rush, drew a hooking minor, and curled with possession. He then dished a pass to Teleguine, who fired a quick shot that produced a rebound the Massachusetts native made no mistake on, giving Jacksonville the lead back. Savannah tied it up again on a power-play scramble in front, but the Icemen struck back on the rush. Jacques Bouquot got a pass from Kyle Bettens in the slot and redirected the puck between the legs of Muszelik. But again, Savanah tied the game up late on a breakaway to even the score at 3-3 heading into the third period.
THIRD PERIOD AND OVERTIME
Both teams had quality chances, and both goaltenders were tested in the third period. Cameron Rowe turned aside all 15 shots he faced in the third, but Jacksonville couldn't find the back of the net to take a fourth lead. The game came down to overtime and the shootout, and Savannah scored in the skills competition to earn the extra point.
The Icemen take one of four possible points on the weekend and will head on the road next week against Greensboro on Friday (October 23) and Savannah (October 24).
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