Lynx welcomed home with loss to Inferno

This was not the homecoming the Augusta Lynx envisioned.

Friday's game against the Columbia Inferno was their first at Augusta-Richmond County Civic Center since they beat the Inferno in dramatic fashion on Oct. 23.

It took most of an overtime period for anyone to score in that game. Augusta could have used the extra period Friday, but the Lynx dug themselves too deep a hole.

The Inferno scored the first four goals of the game, then held on as time became the Lynx's enemy, to win, 4-2.

Augusta (3-3-2) scored two third-period goals - Nicolas Corbeil's third of the season and Joe Pereira's second - but lost for the first time at home.

"At home, you want to be able to establish the tempo of the game, and I think we allowed Columbia to establish that tonight, right from the start," Lynx coach Bob Ferguson said.

That tempo was a slower game filled with penalties in the first period. The referees called 13 penalties in the first 20 minutes, seven going against the Lynx and three putting Augusta on the penalty kill.

The Inferno (6-2-1) took advantage on Lynx penalty No. 5, getting a power-play goal from Dave Bonk for a 1-0 lead with 4:27 left in the period.

Columbia added two more goals in the second - one on a power-play by Justin Aikins and the other by Leon Haywarda on a breakaway.

"We're a team right now that is struggling to kill penalties a little, so we just can't take the penalties we're taking," Ferguson said.

All the penalties, and more than a couple breakdowns, made for a tough return for goaltender Jason Wolfe, who was activated from injured reserve earlier in the day. Rookie Cam Ellsworth was placed on waivers.

Playing for the first time since suffering a groin injury in the first 21 minutes of Oct. 21's season-opener, Wolfe stopped 18 shots. He also assisted on Corbeil's goal.

"I couldn't fault Jason tonight," Ferguson said. "For his first game back, I thought he played well. We just had a lot of breakdowns in front of him."

Added Wolfe: "When we spend that much time in the box and, in turn, when we have that many odd-man rushes, a good team like that is going to finish."

The Lynx have struggled with finishing this season. On Friday, they outshot the Inferno, 35-22.

"That's where we have to do a better job, getting to the net, causing traffic in front of the goaltender," Ferguson said.

Reach Kristy Shonka at (706) 823-3216 or kristy.shonka@augustachronicle.com.