Bennett MacArthur scores twice as Jacksonville Icemen beat Florida Everblades 4-2 in Estero

Icemen earn road win after being outshot, leaning on special teams and late insurance

The Jacksonville Icemen defeated the Florida Everblades 4-2 on Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026, at Hertz Arena in Estero, Florida. Bennett MacArthur scored twice and added an assist as Jacksonville closed a three-game set with a victory against a Florida club that entered the night among the ECHL’s South Division leaders.

Jacksonville opened the scoring late in the first period. With 49 seconds remaining before intermission, Nathan Dunkley tipped in a shot from MacArthur to make it 1-0. The goal came in a tightly played opening 20 minutes, with Florida generating more chances while Jacksonville capitalized on one of its limited looks.

Second-period exchanges set the stage

Florida tied the game at 8:02 of the second period when Craig Needham scored on a backhand in the slot. The response was immediate: Jacksonville regained the lead shortly after, with MacArthur scoring to put the Icemen back in front. By the second intermission, Florida had built a sizeable advantage in shots on goal, but Jacksonville carried the lead into the third.

Shorthanded strike becomes the game-winner

The decisive moment arrived midway through the third period. Craig Martin scored a shorthanded goal to extend Jacksonville’s advantage to 3-1, a swing that forced Florida to chase the game late. Florida pulled within one on the power play when Gianfranco Cassaro scored from the right circle off a feed that set up a one-timer, making it 3-2 with roughly six minutes remaining.

Florida pressed with an extra attacker in the final minutes, but Jacksonville sealed the result with an empty-net goal by MacArthur, completing a three-point night and securing the 4-2 final.

Goaltending and shot totals highlight the margin

• Jacksonville goaltender Cameron Rowe recorded 31 saves.
• Florida goaltender Cam Johnson finished with 11 saves on 14 shots.
• Florida outshot Jacksonville 33-15, underscoring Jacksonville’s efficiency and defensive structure in key stretches.

The win came despite Jacksonville dressing a short lineup for the night, making the special-teams impact—particularly Martin’s shorthanded goal—stand out as a central factor in the outcome.

Jacksonville’s result provided a notable road performance against a division rival, combining timely scoring with penalty-kill execution and late-game composure to close out the contest.