JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — Through 33 games so far this season, the Jacksonville Icemen have been just about mediocre with a 17-16 record.
The Icemen are currently 4th in the ECHL South Division standings and 5th in the Eastern Conference.
For third-year head coach Nick Luukko, the expectations are high as the Icemen are coming off a franchise-record 44 wins last season, while being eliminated in the South Division finals by the Florida Everblades in six games.
With this season not going as planned, defender Garrett Cockerill spoke about the team's inconsistency.
"When our team turns it on, we're one of the best teams in the league. Then there are times when we're playing down to the other team's level," said Cockerill. "It's tough when you have a long stretch of games, playing three games in two and a half days. So I think it's more or less just consistency. Just chip the pucks up, make the smart plays when your legs aren't there, and be smart on the ice."
The Icemen will look to defeat the South Carolina Stingrays for the first time this season as they face off on Friday, Jan. 12, at 7 p.m. at Vystar Veterans Memorial Stadium.