ODENTON, M.D. – The Elmira Aviators (1-3-0-0) were swept out of Piney Orchard Ice Arena by the Maryland Black Bears (3-1-0-0) 6-2 Saturday night.
After being shut out Friday evening, the Aviators got off to as bright a start as they could have hoped for. Maryland’s Sokratis Markarian took a cross-checking penalty less than three minutes into the game, allowing Elmira’s power play to go to work.
It wasn’t a pretty goal, but the Aviators were able to sift it through the Black Bears’ defense to score the contest’s opening goal.
Defenseman Zach Buffone threw the frozen biscuit to a dangerous area, where Jack Kohlmann dished it to Max Campbell for his first career NAHL goal. Kohlmann leads the Aviators after four games with five points.
Maryland’s penalty kill was 11-for-11 to start the season, up until the Aviators’ opener.
Elmira could not have started the game better after Friday’s 3-0 loss, but Maryland came back with vengeance.
The Black Bears went on to put up four unanswered goals in the period. They scored and created chances in all facets of the game, tallying two power-play goals and two even-strength tallies to put an exclamation mark on a dominant opening frame.
Maryland was even outstanding defensively. After giving up the lead, the Aviators were gifted a lengthy five-on-three power play. But the Black Bears’ staunch PK was up to the task, reassuring that the momentum pendulum would swing in their favor.
The middle period wasn’t much better for Elmira. Maryland added two more goals to its tally to make it six unanswered.
One silver lining for the Aviators is that they did win the third period. Max Campbell snatched his second score of the game to give his team an inkling of optimism before they head to Blaine for the NAHL Showcase.
Next week, Elmira will play a trio of games against teams from other divisions in Blaine, Minnesota, for the NAHL Showcase. The Aviators will face off against the Shreveport Mudbugs on Thursday, Sept. 25, at 4:15 p.m. EST, the Oklahoma Warriors on Friday, Sept. 26, at 10:30 a.m. EST, and the North Iowa Bulls on Saturday, Sept. 27, at 2 p.m. EST.
All three games will be available to stream and listen to on NATV and Wingz 93.
Mac Young is the play-by-play voice of the Elmira Aviators. To contact him, email [email protected].