 The Evansville IceMen dropped a heartbreaker Wednesday at the Ford Center to the Atlanta Gladiators. The Gladiators tied the game with 31 seconds left in regulation and won the game on a power play in overtime.
Atlanta jumped out to an early 1-0 lead, when Justin Buzzeo toe-dragged around an Evansville defenseman before sending a pass across the crease for Patrick D’Amicoto tap into the net on the Gladiators’ first shot.
Late in the period, the IceMen tied the score when Alex Wideman centered a pass from the corner for Daultan Leveille, who tipped the puck past Atlanta goaltenderKent Patterson. Then on Evansville’s first power play, Troy Rutkowski blasted a one-timer past Patterson on the blocker side to put the IceMen in the lead with 13 seconds left in the frame.
The second period was one filled with interesting goals and odd bounces. The Gladiators tied the game at 2-2, when Tyler Murovich scooped up a loose puck off of a faceoff and flipped what looked like a harmless wrist shot on goal. The shot fooled IceMen goalie Scott Greenham as it bounced off of his glove and across the goal line.
Newcomer Mike Duco, who made his Evansville debut, tipped a Chris Rumble shot in front of the net on the team’s second power play to put the IceMen back in front. But Atlanta had an answer when D’Amico centered a pass from behind the net that ricocheted off of the stick of an Evansville defenseman and through the legs of Greenham.
Alex Guptill gave the IceMen their third lead with 1:59 left in the period when he spun low in the right circle and sent a hard centering pass to the front of the net from a sharp angle. The puck bounced off of Patterson’s pad and into the Atlanta net as the IceMen carried the 4-3 lead into the final period.
This time Atlanta’s power play struck back, as Matt Register ripped a shot into the net from the point to even the score at 4-4. Again, Evansville responded. RookieVincent Dunn lifted the stick of a Gladiators defenseman and set up Jordan Sims all alone in front of the net. Sims lifted a backhander over Patterson to give the IceMen a 5-4 lead with under eight minutes to play.
With their goalie pulled, the Gladiators found the equalizer a fourth time when Justin Buzzeo lifted a shot over Greenham’s blocker with 31 seconds to play.
After killing of a penalty in the overtime period, Atlanta got a power play of their own, and Captain Derek Nesbitt scored the game-winner from the right circle.
The two teams meet again January 23 in Atlanta and play a weekend series in Evansville February 26-27.
The IceMen stay home for two games this weekend against the Indy Fuel before a weeklong Holiday break. Friday and Saturday night, Evansville will host the Fuel at 7:15pm at the Ford Center.
The Cheyenne’s Hope Farm Sanctuary’s ambassador dog Bishop will accompany Head Coach Al Sims for the ceremonial puck drop Friday, and representatives from the group that specializes in animal rescue will be selling Chuck-A-Pucks and accepting donations.
Then Saturday is Evansville’s annual Teddy Bear Toss game, where fans are encouraged to bring new or gently used teddy bears in plastic bags to the game. When the IceMen score their first goal, fans will throw the teddy bears onto the ice and the IceMen will donate those to 911 Gives Hope and other local children’s charities.
