Abstract: An ice machine, comprising a pressure source configured to provide a gas above ambient pressure. The ice machine comprises an evaporator grid comprising a evaporator back board and an elastic substrate disposed over the evaporator back board, configured to elastically contract in thickness towards the evaporator back board. The evaporator grid comprises a gas valve in fluid communication with the pressure source. The ice machine comprises one or more controllers configured to initiate separation between the elastic substrate and an ice block that is formed in the evaporator grid. The gas valve is configured to inject the gas into a space formed by the separation, where the gas has a pressure above ambient pressure.