HOOKSETT, N.H. – The Elmira Aviators (12-17-5-1) fell 6-5 in a high-octane game to the New Hampshire Mountain Kings (11-18-2-3) at Delta Dental Arena Saturday night.
The Aviators sought a bounce-back performance after getting blanked 5-0 on Friday night, and things looked to be trending that way throughout the first period.
Elmira controlled the opening 20 minutes, outshooting the Mountain Kings 11-8 and scoring the opening goal with 1:15 left in the first. Greg Johnson tied up an attacking zone faceoff, then Quinn Pine stepped in and whipped the puck with a slap shot to the back of the net for the opening goal.
The Aviators felt good heading into the first intermission. New Hampshire did not let that joy last long into the second period, tying the game up 21 seconds into the middle stanza.
Then, the teams combined for three goals in a 1:21 span. First, Elmira captain Brenden Bedorf fired one home on a power play to re-establish Elmira’s lead. The Mountain Kings answered 1:07 later, tying the game back up at two.
On the ensuing faceoff, Elmira won the draw and got right back into the attacking zone. Before New Hampshire could blink, Andrew Horn was firing the Aviators back into the lead. Horn’s goal occurred 14 seconds after the Mountain Kings’ equalizer.
Horn had himself a solid outing, picking up one goal and two assists in Saturday’s contest.
Elmira took a 3-2 lead into the final period, but like in Friday’s game, everything unraveled in the third.
New Hampshire fired off three unanswered goals in the first five and a half minutes of the period, building a 5-3 lead. After controlling a majority of the hockey game, the Aviators suddenly found themselves in a two-goal hole.
The Elmira power play goal came alive to help drive the Aviators back into it. Cael Primanti deflected a Horn shot to pull Elmira within one. Then, on another Aviator power play, Max Campbell fired a long-ranged wrister on the rush to tie the game at five.
The teams looked to be racing toward overtime, but with less than five minutes to go in regulation, Yianni Koukouves took a high-sticking penalty. The Mountain Kings paid it off, taking a 6-5 lead with Rogie Cacciarelli scoring the go-ahead goal.
Time ultimately ran out on Elmira as they fell 6-5 to New Hampshire, dropping both games against the 10th-place Mountain Kings.
The Aviators will try to rebound next weekend when they welcome the Johnstown Tomahawks to the LECOM Event Center. Game 1 is Friday, Jan. 16 at 7 p.m. and Game 2 is Saturday, Jan. 17 at 7 p.m.
The games can be streamed on NATV or listened to on WINGZ93.
Mac Young is the play-by-play voice of the Elmira Aviators. To contact him, email [email protected].