JACKSONVILLE, Fla – Sunday afternoon in their Sunday Funday Publix jerseys, the Jacksonville Icemen played their last game of the regular season against the Atlanta Gladiators. In the second of back-to-back games, Atlanta took a 7-4 victory, for the most conceded goals in a game for Jacksonville this season. This was the last game of the 2023-24 season for Atlanta, who ended up in last place in the South Division, and not making the playoffs.
The first period started fast and furious, with four goals scored within the game’s first nine minutes. Brenden Harris tallied first for Jacksonville at the 4:14 mark. This was his 21st goal of the season and 64th point, tying the Jacksonville franchise single-season point record. Assists on two more goals in the third period would break that record, and Harris would finish with 66 points for a new franchise record. Atlanta responded with a goal from Carson Denomie, who deflected the puck into the net. Making his debut in an Icemen jersey, Ryan Scarfo scored his first goal as an Icemen player on a snapshot from the faceoff circle. Just 45 seconds later, Luke Prokop evened the score up 2-2.
The second period saw Atlanta go up 4-2, with goals from Nolan Burke and Zach Yoder. Jacksonville’s Justin McRae rung the pipes with a near miss on goal late in the second period, much to his frustration. Third-period action started well for Jacksonville, with a powerplay goal less than two minutes into the period by Brandon Fortunato, making it a 4-3 game. A powerplay goal by Ryan Calisti would put Jacksonville back down by two again, but an Olivier Nadeau powerplay goal would again bring Jacksonville within one. Carson Denomie scored an unassisted goal at the 11:44 mark and an empty net goal with four seconds left on the clock, earning himself a hat trick and a big win for Atlanta to finish the season.
If the Greenville Swamp Rabbits won their game, Jacksonville needed a win in regulation to clinch first place in the South Division. Greenville did win, and the loss moved Jacksonville back into 2nd place in the standings, setting up a first-round matchup in the playoffs against the third-place Florida Everblades. Game one will take place on Thursday, April 18th.
Check out this photo gallery from Inside The Rink’s Andrew Fielder, for highlights from the game.
