Enforcers Give Up 4 to Ice Breakers
By Jonathan Kliment
Elmira, NY - The Elmira Enforcers met up with the Mentor Ice Breakers for just the seventh time in franchise history only to have their unbeaten streak against the other new expansion team broken. Mentor would pull the upset after a back and forth game in front of 3,490 at First Arena.
The first period got off to a slow start as these two teams hadn't met in over a month and a half. The Enforcers able to score first as Sean Reynolds picked up a loose puck and wrapped around the net to bury one behind former Elmira netminder Derek Moser. Another former Enforcer in Parker Moskal tied the game late in the period. Mentor entered intermission with the shots on goal lead at 14-9.
The second period started off similarly as the Enforcers saw a bevy of shots. Joe Ftoma was able to bury his 2nd of the year by Troy Passingham to give Mentor a 2-1 lead. Though both sides had 16 shots on goal, the Enforcers were unable to answer back and ended the frame down by one.
The final period saw both sides light the lamp. Marko Novosel scored shorthanded at 6:23 and Anton Lennartsson scored a go ahead goal at 14:19 after being released from the penalty box to give the Enforcers a 3-2 lead. It took just 1:22 for Jon Buttitta to answer back on the power play, scoring his first of the year to tie it. The Ice Breakers took the final lead of the night as a puck bounced around several times to beat Passingham with just 1:41 to go.
Passingham stopped 36 of 40 on the night, but was unable to secure a 7th straight win for Elmira against Mentor.
Elmira concludes their regular season home schedule tomorrow night at 7:05 PM as they play one final time at First Arena against the Ice Breakers. Tickets are on sale now at (607) 734-PUCK (7825).