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Florida Everblades

Blades Shine in Preseason Opener with 4-1 Win over Solar Bears

October 9, 2017 - ECHL (ECHL)
Florida Everblades News Release


ESTERO, FL - Matt Finn scored twice, while Martin Ouellette stopped 23 of 24 shots faced to lift the Everblades to a 4-1 victory over the Orlando Solar Bears in the preseason opener Saturday night at Germain Arena.

Florida raced out to an early 2-0 lead in the first six minutes of the contest, scoring a pair of power tallies. Matt Finn delivered a one-timed shot from the point that clipped past Orlando goaltender Matt Hackett for the game's opening goal.

Just under two minutes later, Kyle Neuber flipped a backhand shot off the pads of Hackett, but the rebound bounced right to rookie forward Paul Russell. The speedster raced to the puck and beat Hackett with a shot from the top of the crease to extend the Florida lead to 2-0.

On the ensuing faceoff, Neuber engaged in a spirited battle with Michael Turner that sent both players to the penalty box for five-minute fighting majors each.

Orlando got on the board just 49 seconds into the second period when Mike Vaskivuo wristed a shot from the top of the left circle that beat Florida netminder Martin Ouellette high in the top shelf of the net.

The Everblades reclaimed a two-goal advantage just five minutes later, when Mitchell Heard picked up the puck at his own blueline and streaked across the ice on a breakaway opportunity. Heard made two deke moves, and flipped the puck past Hackett's blocker to put the 'Blades on top 3-1.

Later in the period, Finn recorded his second power play marker of the night on another one-timer that ripped past Hackett for Florida's fourth goal.

In the third, Ouellette turned aside all five shots faced in the third period to preserve the 4-1 victory in the preseason opener.

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