Jacksonville, FL – A three-goal flurry in the first period gave the Jacksonville Icemen a lead they wouldn’t relinquish as they held off the Admirals 5-3 on Friday night.
Defenseman TJ Melancon has five goals in his last four games, tying him for the lead among all ECHL defensemen. Melancon and Grant Besse each finished the night with a goal and assist. Max Cook has two points (1g, 1a) in two games since returning to the Norfolk lineup. The forward has four points (1g, 3a) in his last five games.
The goals came in flurries in the opening period for both sides. Jacksonville got the scoring started, netting three goals in 1:47 to jump out to a 3-0 lead. With the teams skating four-on-four, Tim Daly took a pass from Bobby MacIntyre in the high slot and wristed a shot into the top right corner to open the scoring. Just under a minute and a half later the Icemen doubled the lead. Tanner Eberle, parked in front of the net, tipped a point shot from Jimmy Lodge that found its way to the back of the net. Just 0:14 later the Icemen would again push the lead. Bobby MacIntyre netted his 14th goal of the season giving Jacksonville a 3-0 lead, and three goals in 1:47.
Four minutes later the Admirals offense would come to life. Norfolk was on the power play when TJ Melancon took a shot from the top of the left circle beating Austin Lotz, and getting the Admirals on the board. Just over a minute later the Admirals would get the man-advantage and strike again. Darik Angeli worked his way through the Jacksonville defense before giving way to Max Cook who deked past Lotz to bring the Admirals within one.
In the third period Jacksonville would push the lead back to three goals. Former Admiral Tim Daly intercepted a clearing attempt at the right point before sending a spinning shot towards the net that beat Reichenbach. The Icemen lead would extend to three goals once again three minutes later. Bobby MacIntyre found the puck in the midst of a net front commotion and tucked it into the net giving Jacksonville the 5-2 lead.
Grant Besse, who finished the night with two points, brought the Admirals back within two just under a minute and a half later. Besse’s 25th of the season cut the lead to 5-3, but that’s where the score would sit when the final horn sounded.
Norfolk falls to 21-28-5-1 with the loss while the Icemen moved to 19-29-4-3.
Ty Reichenbach made 25 saves on 30 shots for the Admirals.
Norfolk is back in action Sunday at 1:30 pm as they take on the Orlando Solar Bears.
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