ECHL Florida Everblades

Blades downed by Wings in Game 3, 4-3

Published on April 8, 2011 under ECHL (ECHL)
Florida Everblades News Release


ESTERO, FL - The Florida Everblades battled back from down two goals, but in the end the Kalamazoo Wings took a 2-1 series lead with a 4-3 victory on Friday night at Wings Stadium. The win put the K-Wings within a game of advancing to the second round of the playoffs.

A high-paced first 20 minutes saw each team get on the board and each team fire 11 shots on goal. The Everblades opened the game with the better of the pressure, out-shooting the K-Wings 4-1 in the first couple minutes, but the Wings slowly took control of the period and got on the board first when Andrew Fournier lifted a shot over a sprawling Everblade net-minder Mike Zacharias at 4:34.

Although the K-Wings kept bringing heavy pressure as the period moved along, the Everblades kept them from getting on the board to extend their lead, then got on the board themselves with their second short-handed goal of the post-season.

Late in the frame the Everblades saw Drew Larman and Bobby Raymond race ahead on the right side. Larman threw a shot from the right circle on net that Raymond deflected, but saw it kicked to the left circle. From there Mathieu Roy raced onto it and fired home his first playoff goal to tie the score at 16:45.

Kalamazoo off to a great start in the second period scoring twice in the first 90 seconds of the frame. With power play time to work with at the start of the middle stanza, it took just 27 seconds for the K-Wings to grab the lead back when Trent Daavattila converted a rush up ice into his second goal of the playoffs.

Before the building could settle down Justin Taylor cashed in his first goal of the post-season one-timing home a shot from the bottom of the right circle at 1:27 off a pass from Brandon Svendsen.

The Everblades settled in as the period progressed and eventually drew to with a goal when Bobby Raymond was able to take advantage of being left along at the front of the Kalamazoo net. The with Wings scrambling in their own end, the puck found Raymond at the front, where at first the rookie d-man bobbled the chance. Raymond recovered and lifted a back-hand shot over Wings net-minder Ryan Nie at 10:59.

Florida completed the come-back effort early in the third period, coming out strong and eventually notching their first power play goal of the series. After Kalamazoo cleared the puck from their zone, Zacharias stepped out behind his net and led the puck up the right side for Brad Snetsinger. Snetsinger gained the zone with speed and from the bottom of the right circle lifted a back-hand shot over the glove of Nie at 4:08.

Shortly after that goal, the Everblades had a couple chances to take the lead, but Nie and the defense kept the Blades off the board. Then just prior to midway through the frame, the K-Wings collected the eventual game-winner from Brady Leisenring at 8:39 when his shot from the right circle found its way between the pads of Zacharias.

Zacharias took the and fell to 0-1 in the playoffs after allowing four goals on 34 shots, while Nie improved to 2-1 after turning away 27 shots.

On the power play, the Everblades closed out the game 1-of-4, while Kalamazoo closed out the night 1-of-5 on the man-advantage.

The Everblades return to action on Saturday, April 9 when they take on the Kalamazoo Wings in Game 4 of the first round of the Kelly Cup Playoffs at 7:30 p.m. from Wings Stadium. Visit www.floridaeverblades.com and www.germainarena.com for more information on ticket packages, pricing and upcoming Germain Arena events.

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ECHL Stories from April 8, 2011


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