Best wins wild one in OT for the Marksmen

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C.- The Fayetteville Marksmen, proud members of the Southern Professional Hockey League, defeated the Pensacola Ice Flyers 6-5 in overtime on Sunday afternoon at the Crown Coliseum.

Bryan Moore opened the scoring just 1:04 into the game with a partial breakaway finish on the game’s first shot, extending his scoring streak to eight games.

However, Pensacola would answer back with three straight goals. Brennan Blaszcak scored just over three minutes into the game right after a Marksmen penalty timed out.

Then, a Marksmen powerplay failed to convert and Brandon Tucker fed Robert Blugers for a shorthanded breakaway goal to give the Ice Flyers a 2-1 lead.

11:39 into the first period, Douglas Elgstam would shovel a backhand over the shoulder of Brent Moran on the powerplay to extend Pensacola’s lead to two.

Late in the first period, the Ice Flyers took back-to-back penalties separated by only 39 seconds and Marksmen head coach Cory Melkert used his timeout to set up a 5-on-3 play. Don Olivieri blasted his seventh goal of the season by Sean Kuhn to make it 3-2.

As the period came to a close, F.X. Girard crashed the net for a pass from Matt McNair to tie the game with just 24 seconds remaining in the first period.

The combined six goals in the first period is the most the Marksmen have seen this season, and the momentum would carry.

Fayetteville would take a 4-3 lead when Taylor McCloy took the puck from Seth Ensor behind the net and wrapped in front to score just 36 seconds in the period.

Then, Pensacola would get the goal back just 57 seconds later when Matt Rupert picked the top corner on Moran.

After 8 goals in 22 minutes of action, the Marksmen would have to wait 35 more to see another when Zach Remers beat Kuhn from the near-side faceoff circle.

But just as in the rest of the game, the Ice Flyers had an answer. Malik Johnson banged home a rebound with Kuhn pulled.

For the fourth time this season, the Marksmen headed to overtime and it didn’t take long for a hero to emerge.

Brian Moore set up Zack Hoffman who fired a shot off of Kuhn and Taylor Best hammered home the rebound.

The Marksmen extend their win streak to four games with the victory and will head to Roanoke on Thursday looking for their fifth straight.

Fayetteville will return home on Friday, February 11 for Family Weekend presented by Manna Church vs. Roanoke. Tickets are still available at marksmenhockey.com.