IceMen Cap Pink Weekend with OT Win over Atlanta

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Records:  Evansville: 20-25-6-2; Atlanta: 29-19-5-2

Goalies:   ATL – Patterson (OTL), 14-7-3-1, 31 saves

               EVN – Greenham (W), 7-5-1-1, 37 saves

Scoring:

1st Period: No Scoring

2nd Period:  1. ATL – Buzzeo 9 (Neiley, Higgs, 15:17)

3rd Period:  2. EVN – Moon 11 (Penny, Sims, 19:13)

Overtime: 3. EVN – Rumble 9 (Moon, Leveille, 4:09)

EVANSVILLE, IN – The 5,475 fans at the Ford Center for the finale of Pink the Rink Weekend had to wait patiently to stand up and roar, but the wait was well worth it. The Evansville IceMen scored the game-tying goal in the final minute of regulation, and defenseman Chris Rumble provided the heroics in overtime to defeat the Gladiators 2-1.

 The two teams combined for 18 shots in a scoreless first period, which was quite the contrast from Friday’s game that featured five goals in the opening frame. Evansville goalie Scott Greenham made 11 saves, while Atlanta goaltender Kent Patterson stopped all seven shots.

Atlanta broke the scoreless tie with 4:43 left in the second period, when Justin Buzzeo buried a rebound in front of the net. The Gladiators outshot the IceMen 16-13 in the frame, and held a 27-20 shots advantage through 40 minutes of play.

It took over 59 minutes for the IceMen to solve Patterson, but with Greenham pulled for an extra attacker, Nathan Moon put Evansville on the board when he rang a shot off the post and in to tie the game with 47 seconds left. In overtime, Rumble was the hero when he caught a pass in front of the Atlanta net and lifted a backhander over Patterson to win the game with 51 seconds left.

 Greenham stopped 37 of 38 shots in the win, while Patterson made 31 saves in the loss.

The IceMen continue their season-long six-game home stand next weekend with three games in three days at the Ford Center. Evansville hosts the Tulsa Oilers Friday and Saturday at 7:15pm, and welcomes the Wichita Thunder Sunday at 5:15pm.