Marksmen keep pace for home-ice advantage, ground Ice Flyers 5-2 

FAYETTEVILLE, N.C. – The Fayetteville Marksmen kept pace to earn home ice advantage in the first round of the President’s Cup Playoffs with a 5-2 win over the Pensacola Ice Flyers at the Crown Coliseum Friday. 

Fayetteville jumped out to a 1-0 lead early in the game when Matt Araujo (7) scored from Hudson Lambert (1) at 3:12, but the Ice Flyers battled back with two goals of their own to take a 2-1 lead into the first intermission. 

Three straight Marksmen goals in the second period turned the tides in favor of the home team, and Fayetteville wouldn’t falter afterward. First, Tyler Barrow (17) potted the game-tying goal from Araujo (27) and Pitters (8) early in the second period. Later, back-to-back powerplay goals took back control of the game. Jordan Timmons (5) tipped in a shot from Araujo (28) at 6:30, and Pitters (2) added to it at 9:06 from Grant Loven (27). Fayetteville led Pensacola 4-2 after 40 minutes of play, homing in on the win. 

The sole goal of the final frame came off the stick of Anthony Yurkins (7) while shorthanded. Yurkins picked the top corner of the net without breaking stride to finish off a play from Justin Michaelian (4) and Tyler Love (6). 

The Marksmen got closer to clinching home-ice advantage for the first round of the President’s Cup Playoffs with the win, but must win again Saturday to lock it in. 

Single-game tickets to the final home game of the regular season and the first home game of the playoffs are available at marksmenhockey.com.