Ice Flyers Fill Arena, Fall To Birmingham
February 3, 2024
By Bill Vilona, Ice Flyers Correspondent
For more photos, click or tap here.
The Ice Flyers had a filled arena Friday on their special 15th anniversary weekend, created plenty of scoring chances, had strong goaltending and evoked crowd reaction from several hard checks.
But a too-familiar, empty feeling, became the final narrative.
The Birmingham Bulls got a deflected goal midway through the second period and made it stand in a 1-0 victory against the Ice Flyers before a sellout crowd of 8,049 at the Pensacola Bay Center.
“(Bulls) made one more play than we did and that’s what the game came down to,” said Ice Flyers coach Gary Graham. “Tip your hat to Birmingham, they’re the top defensive team in the league for a reason. They are very structured. They defended very well.”
It was the Bulls sixth consecutive win against the Ice Flyers, further burnishing their position atop the SPHL standings. Birmingham backup goaltender, Drennan Atherton, a Winter Haven native, who played a game earlier this season for the Ice Flyers, earned his first shutout by stopping all 34 Ice Flyers shots.
His performance included several big stops in the first period and kept the packed arena from having a goal dance celebration to start the annual $5 ticket weekend. The Ice Flyers will get another opportunity Saturday in a sold-out game against the Macon Mayhem to complete back-to-back discount games.
“I’m disappointed for the guys, because again, I know how badly they wanted to get a win for the big crowd,” Graham said. “But I told them (afterward), we get back here, we’ll have a big crowd (Saturday), we have to get points.
“The urgency of this group, they have to start playing with a desperate, killer instinct. And will it happen? That’s the million-dollar question.”
The Ice Flyers (15-17, 2 OT losses, 32 points) had three power play chances in the game. They were only whistled for one penalty. They were able to pull goaltender Stephen Mundinger with 2:46 remaining and a timeout with a faceoff in the Bulls zone.
But even with chances in that final sequence, they could not get a shot into the net and Birmingham (24-6, 6 OT losses, 54 points) improved to 7-3 in the series with Pensacola this season.
“I go back to the first period all the scoring chances, Grade-As, that we had in the slot and we don’t bear down,” Graham said. “We missed the net a lot. And didn’t create enough second chances, greasy goals around the net. That is the issue for our team. We’ve talked about it this year, we have a forward group that we want it the easy way.
“We’ve gone through this in this season about crashing the net, getting positioning around the net front and scratching and clawing for goals.”
The game’s only goal came on what started as a pass. Birmingham’s Dillon Radin was created for a goal when his play in the goal crease area led to the puck bouncing off a skate and into the net.
“Unfortunately, bounces didn’t go our way,” Mundinger said. “We’re right there. One of those things where we ran into a hot goalie, he played well, but I think if a couple bounces go our way, that game is 5-0. It’s frustrating, but we’re playing good hockey.”
Mundinger was awed by scene in the arena where people were literally sitting in the final row near the Bay Center roof. From ice level to rafter left, the seats were filled. And it will occur again Saturday.
“I feel like every week here, you think like you get the best and it just keeps more and more,” Mundinger said. “Nothing but great things about playing here… more than I could have ever dreamed of when coming here. This is a special weekend. You want to win for everyone that’s there. “
For more photos, click or tap here.
WHAT’S NEXT?
WHO: Macon Mayhem vs. Ice Flyers
WHEN: Saturday, 7:05 p.m.
WHERE: Pensacola Bay Center
Bratt Elementary Staffers Stuck To A Wall Using Tape In Relay For Life Fundraiser
February 3, 2024
The principal and two staff members at Bratt Elementary were stuck to a wall Friday in a fundraiser for Relay for Life and the American Cancer Society.
Students purchased strips of duct tape in the “Stuck for a Buck” fundraiser.
Mrs. McCrory, Mr. Johnnie, and Coach Blackburn were stuck on a wall, raising over $1,400 for the Cancer Society
.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Six More Weeks Of Winter? North Escambia Weather Ducks See Shadow
February 2, 2024
On this Groundhog Day, Punxsutawney Phil, the world famous groundhog, and the NorthEscambia.com Weather Ducks have differed on their winter predictions.
Folklore says that if the groundhog sees his shadow on Groundhog Day, it means six more weeks of winter. Punxsutawney Phil did not see his shadow, predicting an early spring up in Pennsylvania.
We did not have a groundhog handy for a photo, but we did have the NorthEscambia.com Weather Ducks. And unlike their more famous Pennsylvania weather buddy, our weather ducks saw their shadow late this morning at our office, predicting six more weeks of winter in North Escambia.
This was one of the few times our weather ducks have predicted more winter. For those that might be a little unsure as to the weather ducks’ ability, we offer the two photographs below showing the weather ducks predicting six more weeks of winter on Groundhog Day 2010 and 10 days later with their snowman.
NorthEscambia.com photos, click to enlarge.
One Person Rescued; Dog Killed In Ensley RV Fire
February 2, 2024
A resident was rescued but a dog died in a travel trailer fire Thursday in Ensley.
Escambia County Fire Rescue responded to a mobile home structure fire at the 10 block of East Hood Drive about 5:40 a.m.
The travel trailer was about half involved in fire when they arrived. ECFR firefighters were able to rescue one patient who was transported to an area hospital by Escambia County EMS.
A dog was found deceased inside the structure, ECFR said.
The fire was brought under control in about 10 minutes. The travel trailer was a total loss, but nearby structures were saved.
The Florida Bureau of Fire and Arson is investigating the cause of the fire.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Tate High School Names Students Of The Month
February 2, 2024
Tate High School has named their Students of the Month for December. They are Synoma Perea and Carson Hindsman. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Developer Revises $20 Million Offer For OLF-8 Property
February 2, 2024
Escambia County has received a revised non-binding offer for a portion of the county-owned OLF-8 property on Nine Mile Road.
The offer revises a previously received Letter of Intent (LOI) from Beulah Town Center, LLC.
The offered price remains the same at $20 million for 290 of the approximately 500 acres. The original offer received from Beulah Town Center partner Fred Hemmer last November was for 375 acres with additional options totaling up to an additional $12 million.
The revision:
- Reduces the due diligence time period from 12 months to 10.
- Increases the refundable deposit from $100,000 to $150,000
- Removes parcel 3 out of the options.
If the county does not develop light industrial properties as planned, Beulah Town Center is offering $3 million for 55 additional acres after four years and another $4 million for another 50 acres six years later.
Bratt Students Enjoy Pensacola Opera’s Little Red Riding Hood’s Most Unusual Day
February 2, 2024
Little Red Riding Hood is having a most unusual day.
Third and forth graders at Bratt Elementary School were able to enjoy a special performance Thursday from the Pensacola Opera.
Each season, the Pensacola Opera’s Jan Miller Studio Artists travel to over 40 schools and libraries in Escambia and Santa Rosa counties performing a short opera production designed just for elementary age children.
There are three upcoming West Florida Library performance that are open to the public:
For more photos, click or tap here.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
With Recent Rains, Our Drought Is Over (But Some Areas Are Abnormally Dry)
February 2, 2024
For several months, the entire area was in a drought. But with recent rains, only a small part of the North Escambia.com area is considered to be out of a drought but still abnormally dry.
The Walnut Hill, Davisville, Nokomis and Bratt areas in Escambia County in Florida, and most of Escambia County in Alabama were considered abnormally dry in the latest U.S. Drought Monitor issued this week. A week ago, the areas were considered to be in a moderate drought and in an extreme drought back in October 2023.
There is a 90% chance of more rain Saturday night and Sunday. Click here for the forest.
Man, 74, Gets 40 Years For Shotgun Slaying Of His 64-Year Old Companion In McDavid
February 1, 2024
A McDavid man has been sentenced to 40 years in state prison for the March 2022 murder of his live-in companion.
Frankie Milton Wilson, 74, was convicted by an Escambia County jury of the second degree murder of 64-year old Sonja Burch. Forty years was the minimum mandatory sentence.
The shooting happened at their home on Worley Road off Mystic Springs Road where they lived together as a couple but were not married. Burch was pronounced deceased with a single gunshot wound to the chest.
ECSO deputies arrived to find Burch deceased in the kitchen of the home and Wilson standing outside.
Wilson asked deputies to look at injuries to him caused by the victim. He showed deputies an obviously old superficial scratch on his stomach and another superficial scratch on his left arm, which was bandaged and blooded. He told deputies that the two injuries were from being attacked by Burch with a butter knife in the days prior to the murder.
A search warrant was executed at the home. Deputies recovered a .410 shotgun from Wilson’s room but did not locate a butter knife near Burch.
“Due to not locating the alleged butter knife, it is reasonable to believe that (the victim) was unarmed at the time she was shot by Frank Wilson,” an arrest report states.
Wilson made statements indicating that he “snapped” and shot the victim out of anger and complications with his blood pressure, according to the report.
One Person Seriously Injured In Quintette House Fire
February 1, 2024
One person was seriously injured in a house fire late Wednesday night in the Quintette community.
The fire in the 2600 block of North Highway 95A near Quintette Road was reported at 11:43 p.m. Ten units from Escambia County Fire Rescue responded with the first on scene reporting heavy fire on the front of the home.
One person was discovered inside the home and was rescued, according to ECFR. The injured individual was airlifted to the hospital by LifeFlight. An update on their condition was not available.
The cause of the fire is under investigation by the Florida Bureau of Fire and Arson.
Photosfor NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
