Athens Win on New Year’s Eve

The Athens Rock Lobsters Ring In the New Year with a Shootout Win

ATHENS, GA - The Athens Rock Lobsters defeated the Mississippi Sea Wolves 3-2 in the shootout Tuesday night at Akins Ford Arena.

The New Year fireworks started early for Athens, as Garrett Milan found the top-right corner after following up a rebound off a Matt Garcia shot from close distance. The player-coach’s 14th goal of the season came at the 10:04 mark of the first period.

The Sea Wolves turned the game on its head in the second period, starting with a nifty zone entry from Don Carter Jr.. The defenseman flicked a pass over to the left for leading goalscorer Dalton Anderson to first-time wrist it past Josh Rosenzwieg at 2:48 of the second period.

The 1-1 scoreline lasted less than three minutes, as the Rock Lobsters converted on a five-on-three power play. Kayson Gallant scored his 11th of the campaign as he went hard to the net and scored on a wrist shot of his own.

Reminiscent of the last time these two teams met, the Sea Wolves scored to tie the game up for the fourth time in the two games these teams have played. 22-year-old rookie Blake Keller scored on a breakaway in the late stage of the second period.

Ed Coffey kept his team in the game making a total of 53 saves on 55 shots on goal; he would force the game into overtime and eventually a shootout.

Rosenzwieg stopped all of the shots he saw in the shootout and secured his fifth win of the season after shootout goals from Milan and Carter Shinkaruk.

The Rock Lobsters (13-2-2, 34 pts) return to Akins Ford Arena with a series opener against the Columbus River Dragons on Friday, Jan. 3. Puck drops at 7:05 p.m.