ECHL Florida Everblades

Blades Drop OT Decision to South Carolina

October 31, 2008 - ECHL (ECHL)
Florida Everblades News Release


CHARLESTON, SC - The Florida Everblades (2-2-1) gained a point in the standings, but saw the South Carolina Stingrays (3-1-0) come away with two points after the ‘Rays picked up a 3-2 overtime victory on Friday night at the North Charleston Coliseum.

Travis Morin tallied the overtime game-winner for the Stingrays with 59 seconds remaining in the extra period. The goal, which came with South Carolina on their eighth power play of the night, saw Morin take a quick pass in the right circle from Sasha Pokulok before sliding the puck into the open Everblades net, sending the crowd of 3,985 leaping to their feet in celebration.

The Everblades got off to a strong start in the first period of the game, collecting several chances in the South Carolina zone, and at one point out-shooting the Stingrays 7-3, but the tide would shift after the midpoint of the period. The Stingrays began to throw counter punches and eventually scored the game's first goal late in the opening period.

On what looked like was going to be a broken play after big hit by Everblades defenseman Ryan McGinnis on South Carolina forward Michael Dubuc in the neutral zone, the Stingrays found pay dirt when the puck slid ahead into the offensive zone where Maxime Lacroix reached and poked the puck past Everblades goaltender David Leggio at 16:24.

In the second period it was South Carolina goaltender Josh Johnson that was the story. After the Stingrays made it a 2-0 game at 6:19 on a three-on-one rush with Paul Kelly cashing in on the second rebound, Johnson took over stopping a total of 24 shots in the middle frame.

The Everblades got themselves back within a goal midway through the period when Ernie Hartlieb notched his third goal of the year after picking up a rebound by Johnson at the right post and lifting it over the prone net-minder. Mark Lee and A.J. Thelen assisted on the tally. Johnson kept the Everblades off the board the rest of the period, including helping the Stingrays kill off a 5-on-3 power play.

In the third period, the Everblades kept chipping away and eventually a five-minute major penalty for kneeing against Stingrays defenseman Zach Tarkir led to the tying goal. Just shy of the half way mark of the period Jonathan Paiement jumped up from his defensive position to the right side of the net. Danick Bouchard fed a perfect pass from the bottom of the left circle onto the tape of Paiement who tapped the puck into the open side of the net to tie the score 2-2 at 7:54 of the third period. Thelen notched the second assist on Paiement's second goal of the season.

The Stingrays had a chance to win the game in regulation with a 5-on-3 power play in the final two minutes, but the Everblades penalty killers held strong to force the game into overtime.

In net Leggio (1-1-1) got credit for a tie after stopping 28 of 31 shots, and Johnson collected his second straight win by turning away 42 of 44 shots to improve to 2-1-0.

On the power play, the Everblades finished the night 1-of-7, while the Stingrays closed out the game the night 1-of-8.

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ECHL Stories from October 31, 2008


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