Ice Flyers Seek To Reverse Road Fortune As Schedule Hits Holiday Peak
December 21, 2023
by Bill Vilona, Ice Flyers Correspondent
The schedule allowed the Ice Flyers to have an extended break before the holiday portion of their season.
Now, the quest is to make the most from it.
After losing consecutive games for the first time last weekend at Quad City, the Ice Flyers had a full week to recharge and get a pair of practices before Saturday’s game in Huntsville, Ala. against the Huntsville Havoc. A shorter break then ensues before the Ice Flyers play five games in eight days, including three at the Pensacola Bay Center as part of a Christmas-New Year’s flurry of contests.
“It’s not sitting well with our group right now and we have to figure some stuff out,” said Ice Flyers coach Gary Graham, prior to his team leaving Friday for a practice in Birmingham, before the game at Huntsville. “Our road game has just not been good this year. You can’t hide from it.
“We had some hard conversations after (last) Friday night’s game. You have to have an attitude when you go on the road and we have to find it somehow.”
The Ice Flyers are 3-7 on the road and have been outscored 41-21 in those games. But their unbeaten home record (8-0) has buoyed them into a second-place tie with the Birmingham Bulls (22 points) as the Ice Flyers near the one-third point of their 56-game schedule in the Southern Professional Hockey League.
Following the losses on back-to-back nights against Quad City in Moline, Illinois, several Ice Flyers players traveled to visit with their families who they won’t see at Christmas. Graham traveled back to Fort Wayne, Indiana to be with his wife and family for a few days.
He took a side trip to Chicago last Sunday, then began refocusing on the schedule ahead Monday and throughout this week.
“I talked to (Ice Flyers owner) Greg (Harris) about a month ago about this and seeing the schedule, and the fact we didn’t have a Thanksgiving break and we don’t have a Christmas or New Year’s break, we decided to do it,” Graham said. “Typically, in the past, the teams I have coached, I try to look at the calendar for the whole year and see if there’s a little bit of time where you can give a break.
“It was a rare thing in our schedule where we only had the one Saturday game and it made sense for us to try and a have a break. It’s cool if guys can see families, but it’s really more about a recharge, a little extra rest for the body.
“It stinks that we didn’t play well (last week). You never want to go into a break not playing good hockey. It probably weighs more on the head coach than it does the players.”
The Ice Flyers will follow Saturday’s game at Huntsville with another road game, this one Dec. 22 in Macon, Ga. against the Macon Mayhem. They will faceoff against Macon the following night in Pensacola in the first home game in three weeks.
The Ice Flyers then will play home games Dec. 26 and Dec. 30 against the Birmingham Bulls and play in Birmingham on Dec. 29. It will be a quick turnaround each time between games.
“We are going to start getting into the thick part of the season when games are going to start coming at you in a hurry,” Graham said. “With our group, it has taken a little longer to figure out the road thing and I am starting to get a little impatient. Because my job is to find solutions.
“For us on the road, we have to be more patient. We have to understand that it’s okay for us to win a low scoring ugly game on the road. We don’t have to entertain our fans. It can be an ugly win, we just need the points. Just getting the message across to the group is very important.”
Another evaluation will occur Saturday in Huntsville as Graham looks at his roster and players he can count upon for the rest of the season.
The Havoc (8-8, 2 OT losses) have 18 points and reside in sixth place right now. This is a team Graham knows will present the same kind of challenges as the first two meetings.
“They have good goaltending and they play the game the right way… they don’t beat themselves,” he said. “They work hard away from the puck. The two times we played them, they were very stingy defensively both nights. They are a hard-working team.
“Overall team defense and special teams are always huge on the road and we haven’t been good at either one of those lately. We have to change that right away.”
WANT TO FOLLOW?
WHO: Ice Flyers vs. Huntsville Havoc
WHERE: Propst Arena, Huntsville, Ala.
WHEN: Saturday, 7 p.m.
NEXT HOME GAME: Dec. 23 vs. Macon Mayhem at 7:05 p.m.
Cantonment Lodge Donates Meals For Needy Jim Allen Elementary Families
December 21, 2023
Cantonment Masonic Lodge #322 donated holiday meals for 16 needy families of Jim Allen Elementary School students. Not only did they donate food, but they also provided meal preparation tips as well. Photo for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Man Gets Life In Prison For Escambia County Home Depot Murder
December 20, 2023
A man has been convicted in an Escambia County Home Depot murder trial and sentenced to life in prison.
Keith Agee, was convicted by a jury of premeditated first degree murder for shooting 18-year-old Brooklyn Sims at the Davis Highway store back in August. She was the mother of his 2-year old daughter and was working at the store as a contract employee.
On Tuesday, Agee took the stand and confessed to the murder, saying it was his intent. He said he tested positive for a sexually transmitted disease after becoming intimate with Sims. He testified that he was angry, hurt and felt betrayed. In reality, prosecutors said she did not have a STD.
Agee’s mother Sheila is also facing a first degree premeditated murder charge because, according to authorities, she knew of Agee’s plan and aided him. She will go to trial in February
Escambia Supervisor Of Elections Stepping Down After 19 Years To Join Homeland Security
December 20, 2023
Escambia County Supervisor Of Elections David Stafford is stepping down after 19 years in office.
Stafford will join the U.S. Department of Homeland Security’s Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency as an Election Security Advisor. His last day as Escambia County Supervisor of Elections will be January 15, 2024.
Stafford has asked Gov. Ron DeSantis to consider appointing his Chief Deputy Supervisor Sonya Daniels to fill the final year of his term.
“I am eternally grateful to the voters of Escambia County for allowing me the opportunity to serve for nearly twenty years and look forward to continuing to serve the public in a different role. I am especially thankful for our staff, poll workers, my colleagues, and my family for their support throughout my tenure,” Stafford said in his letter to the governor.
Pensacola Installing Red Light Cameras At These Intersections
December 20, 2023
The City of Pensacola will install red light cameras to several intersections to monitor for violations.
The cameras will be installed at:
- 9th and Bayou on the north, south, east and west approaches.
- 9th and Airport on the north, south, east, and west approaches.
- 9th and Fairfield on the east and west bound approaches.
- 9th and Gregory on the west bound approach.
- Davis and Fairfield on the east and west bound approaches.
These intersections were selected based on crash data collected over the past 10 years.
The infractions that will be enforced will be traveling straight through a red light and making a left turn on a red light.
Police Seek Counterfeit Money Suspect In Flomaton, Century Area
December 20, 2023
Flomaton Police are looking for a man they say is passing counterfeit money in the Flomaton and Century areas.
Aaron Madison has warrants for counterfeit bills, failure to appear, second degree criminal mischief, and first degree theft of property.
“He is causing a lot of trouble between Flomaton and Century, breaking into vehicles/ stealing vehicles/ trespassing on private property/ passing counterfeit money,” Flomaton Police said in a statement.
FPD said Madison has a violent history.
He is described as walking with a slight limp and often wears a black hoodie pulled over his head.
Anyone with information is asked to call FPD at (251) 296-5811 or their local law enforcement agency.
Meet ‘MILO’ From The Escambia County Tax Collector, And Learn How It Will Benefit Century
December 20, 2023
The Escambia County Tax Collector brought their new Mobile Identification License Office (MILO) mobile office to Century on Tuesday.
MILO is a standalone mobile full service tax collector office with technology to provide most motorists’ needs. The mobile unit provides a convenient method to renew a driver license, obtain a replacement driver license, conversion/reciprocation of out-of-state license, change a name or address on a current driver license or identification card, and get a first-time identification card. In addition to licensing services, the mobile unit also provides an opportunity to renew or replace a vehicle registration, receive a parking placard, transfer a title, pay property taxes, and apply for a business tax receipt. Written and driving tests are not available from the MILO unit.
MILO was tested Tuesday at the Billy G. Ward Courthouse in Century.
“We built this Mobile Identification License Office to be able to serve Century residents more frequently,” Escambia County Tax Collector Scott Lunsford said.
Future MILO visits to Century will be announced in advance on NorthEscambia.com.
Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
Escambia Schools Look To Hire More Campus Security Officers
December 20, 2023
Escambia County Public Schools (ECPS) has announced it is hiring additional Campus Security Officers to begin training in April of 2024.
“Campus Security Officers are ECPS employees trained by the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office whose sole mission is to protect students and staff in our public schools across Escambia County,” said ECPS Protection Services Director Kyle Kinser. “All personnel are put through rigorous screening.”
Ideal candidates should have prior law enforcement or military experience and must have a passion for working with children.
Successful applicants will go through an extensive training curriculum with the Escambia County Sheriff’s Office that prepares them to safeguard our schools. Candidates will be paid throughout their training and will be hired as a Campus Security Officer upon successful completion of training. The position is currently posted and any interested applicant should apply immediately, as the screening process is extensive.
Selected candidates begin with a starting salary of $33,642 for 10 months of employment. Once the training process has been completed, candidates are eligible for a variety of benefits.
Ninth Red Bulb Placed on County Wreath During ‘Keep the Wreath Green’
December 20, 2023
Escambia County Fire Rescue has placed the ninth red bulb on the county wreath following a residential structure fire late Monday evening.
At 11:18 p.m. on Monday, ECFR units responded to a residential structure fire at the 700 block of Decatur Avenue. Upon arrival, the back half of the home was showing flames and heavy smoke. Assistance was requested from NAS Pensacola’s Truck 34 due to the significance of the fire. Crews were able to bring the situation under control by 12:15 a.m. Tuesday. While there were no injuries or fatalities, the home experienced significant damage to the rear addition and attic, causing the occupants to be displaced. ECFR conducted the investigation and determined an electrical issue caused the fire.
The “Keep the Wreath Green” fire safety campaign is a collaborative initiative with the City of Pensacola to promote fire safety during the month of December. During the month-long campaign, five-foot wreaths are on display at 21 county fire stations and five city fire stations, as well as Escambia County’s Ernie Lee Magaha Government Building downtown, the Escambia County Public Safety Building and Pensacola City Hall. Each time firefighters respond to a residential fire with damage, a green light bulb will be replaced with a red one to remind citizens of the dangers posed by fires in a residential home.
File photo.
Lipscomb Elementary Presents Christmas Musical
December 20, 2023
Third through fifth grade students from Lipscomb Elementary School presented their Christmas musical, “A Golden Oldies Musical,” at Hillcrest Church recently. Photos for NorthEscambia.com, click to enlarge.
