JACKSONVILLE, Fla – Wednesday night, the Jacksonville Icemen came back from a 3-0 deficit against the Trois-Rivières Lions to win 4-3 in overtime.
The Trois-Rivières were quick to get on the board, scoring three goals in quick succession within the first seven minutes of the game. Nolan Yaremko scored the first at the 3:41 mark, followed by two goals from Alex-Olivier Voyer. All three goals came less than two minutes apart from each other, stunning the Jacksonville crowd. A goaltender change by Jacksonville gave the team some momentum, with Dominick Mersch scoring less than two minutes later at the 8.58 mark to make it a 3-1 game. A power-play goal by Logan Cockerill at the 12:05 mark cut the Lions’ deficit to two to finish the first period at 3-2.
Neither team would score in the second period and it looked like the third period would be the same. With the Icemen netminder Joe Murduca pulled for the extra attacker in the closing minutes of the game, Jerry D’Amigo tied the game up with 34 seconds left on the clock to force overtime. This was the first time in franchise history for a game tying goal to be scored that late in a game. The Lions would be held to only one shot on goal during that period, with the Icemen outshooting them 12-1.
Garrett Van Wyhe scored the game-winning goal in OT, on a pass from Ivan Chukarov to take the 4-2 victory in one of the greatest comebacks in Icemen history. The victory put Jacksonville just three points behind division leaders Greenville, who they face in their next two pivotal games this Friday and Saturday.
Check out this photo gallery from Inside The Rink’s Andrew Fielder for highlights from the game.
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