JACKSONVILLE (Florida Sports Wire) – The Jacksonville Icemen (10-9) opened a three-game series against the Utah Grizzlies (9-10) Wednesday night before 5,125 at Veterans Memorial Arena with a 5-2 win.
Neil Robinson cut into a two-goal Jacksonville lead just 22 seconds into the final period.
But Travis Howe increased the Icemen’s advantage with his first goal of the year midway through the third. Then made it 5-2 on a shot into an empty net.
The Icemen scored twice in the decisive second period. Luke Martin and Zach Jordan lit the lamp. Jordan made it 3-0 on a shorthanded goal.
Utah averted a shutout on Tyler Penner’s fourth goal of the season on a power play in the final minute of the second period.
Icemen defenseman Hunter Skinner scored his second goal of the season on a power play to open the scoring. Derek Lodermeier picked up two assists in the victory.
Parker Gahagen stopped 27 shots for the Icemen. Trent Miner made 33 saves for the visitors.
The clubs meet again in Jacksonville Friday night at 7 p.m.
ICEMEN NOTES: Forward Derek Lodermeier has been named the Inglasco ECHL Player of the Week. Lodermeier scored four goals and added two assists for six points in three games last week. Lodermeier has 14 points (7g-7a) in 19 games with the Icemen this season. Lodermeier has recorded 65 points (37g-28a) in 151 career games with Jacksonville…. defenseman Jacob Friend was back in the Icemen lineup after a call-up to Manitoba last week…. the Icemen has won two in a row.
AROUND THE LEAGUE: Good week for ECHL Southern Division clubs. The South Carolina Stingrays goaltender, Clay Stevenson, was selected as the Warrior Hockey ECHL Goaltender of the Week. Stevenson posted a perfect 2-0 record with one shutout, a 0.50 goals-against average, and a save percentage of 0.984 in two appearances against the Savannah Ghost Pirates last week. This is Stevenson’s first time receiving the league’s weekly honor. Cam Johnson, Florida (2-0-0, 0.50 GAA, .973 save pct.) was a runner-up.
(Mike Bonts covers hockey for SportsDay and the Florida Sports Wire.)