Pensacola, Fl.: Although they were shorthanded more than they planned on being, the Thunderbolts went a perfect 9-for-9 on the penalty kill, capping things off with a shorthanded goal in overtime to defeat the Ice Flyers 2-1 on Friday night in Pensacola. The Thunderbolts’ next home game will be on Friday, April 5th against the Birmingham Bulls, puck drop at 7:00pm CT.
After a scoreless first period, the Ice Flyers grabbed the first lead of the game at 6:10 of the second period as Spencer Kennedy converted on a surprise turnover at the Evansville net front. Only a few minutes later at 11:02, the Thunderbolts tied the game as Grant Spence scored off a rebound from Brendan Harrogate, the goal being Spence’s first professional goal in his first game as a Thunderbolt. It had appeared that Evansville had taken a 2-1 lead late in the second period on a power play, however the goal was waived off due to incidental contact with Ice Flyers goaltender Stephen Mundinger. Following a scoreless third period that saw both teams come up short on power plays, the game went to overtime, where Matt Hobbs scored on a shorthanded breakaway, off a feed from Lincoln Hatten only 51 seconds into overtime to win it for the Thunderbolts 2-1. With a playoff spot already in hand, the Thunderbolts have now won 5 of their last 6 games, with only 3 games remaining in the regular season.
Spence and Hobbs each scored one goal, while Cole Ceci finished with 37 saves on 38 shots for his 13th win of the season. The Thunderbolts and Ice Flyers meet again for the final time this regular season on Saturday, March 30th at Pensacola Bay Center.
