Savannah Ghost Pirates beat Jacksonville Icemen 2-1 in overtime after late tying goal at Vystar Arena

Ghost Pirates earn overtime win in Jacksonville on Feb. 14

The Savannah Ghost Pirates defeated the Jacksonville Icemen 2-1 in overtime on Saturday, Feb. 14, 2026, at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena, ending a tightly played game that remained scoreless for long stretches after an early special-teams breakthrough.

Savannah opened the scoring at 9:09 of the first period on a 5-on-3 power play. Forward Reece Vitelli scored with assists credited to defenseman Dennis Cesana and forward Nicholas Zabaneh. The goal stood as the only scoring play through 40 minutes as both teams settled into a defense-first rhythm and goaltenders controlled rebounds and traffic.

Second-period swings: penalties, pressure, and no goals

The middle frame featured extended special-teams sequences and momentum shifts that did not translate into goals. Savannah took three minors in a span of 1 minute, 19 seconds early in the second period, putting Jacksonville in repeated power-play situations. The Icemen generated sustained zone time and a high volume of second-period shots, but could not break through.

By the end of regulation, Jacksonville had built a 40-32 shots advantage, including a 19-4 edge in the second period. Savannah’s ability to defend in-layered structure—particularly during penalty kills—kept the game within a one-goal margin and set the stage for a late push by the home team.

Late equalizer forces overtime; Amonte finishes it

Jacksonville tied the game with 1:50 remaining in the third period while skating with the extra attacker. Lincoln Griffin scored at 18:10 on a redirection, with assists awarded to Adam McMaster and Logan Cockerill, sending the game to overtime.

In the extra session, Savannah navigated a bench minor for too many men at 3:41, then regained the initiative after the kill. The winning goal came at 6:01 of overtime when Tristan Amonte redirected a Vitelli shot, with Evan Nause credited with the secondary assist.

Key numbers and game details

• Final: Ghost Pirates 2, Icemen 1 (OT)
• Shots on goal: Jacksonville 40, Savannah 32
• Goaltending: Noah Giesbrecht made 39 saves for Savannah; Cameron Rowe made 30 saves for Jacksonville
• Power plays: Jacksonville 0-for-5; Savannah 1-for-3
• Attendance: 10,027 announced

The game hinged on special teams: Savannah converted its early 5-on-3 opportunity, while Jacksonville’s late six-on-five pressure produced the equalizer but not the deciding goal.

The result delivered a standings point to Jacksonville while giving Savannah the overtime win in a matchup that combined early special-teams execution, extended five-on-five defending, and decisive finishing in the final minutes.