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ECHL Florida Everblades

Blades end regular season on high note , knock off Texas 5-3

April 5, 2008 - ECHL (ECHL)
Florida Everblades News Release


ESTERO, FL - The Florida Everblades (39-25-8) wrapped up their regular season with another strong effort, as the home town club battled their way to a 5-3 win against the Texas Wildcatters (52-9-11) on Saturday night in front of a crowd of 6,419 enthusiastic fans. The win allowed the Everblades to close out the season on a three-game winning streak and a first round playoff date with the Columbia Inferno.

Texas profited from two of three power plays in the first period, which proved to be tormenting to Florida as their penalty percentage was at 86.7 going into this game, putting them at a pace to break their previous record on the year of 84.2%. The Wildcatters took advantage to open the scoring at 7:10 when Toby LaFrance scored his first professional goal by wristing a shot past Florida goaltender Kevin Nastiuk from the left circle. The second Texas tally came just under two minutes later, when forward Dan Welch chipped a shot past Nastiuk to put the Wildcatters up 2-0.

Florida managed to kill the third penalty, then settled in and with less than three minutes remaining in the period got on the scoreboard. The Everblades' first goal of the night came from Jarret Lukin when he slithered the puck past extended Wildcatter goalie Kris Tebbs in a mad goal-mouth scramble to notch his 10th goal of the season. Assists were credited to Ryan Van Buskirk and Brad Zancanaro as the Everblades hit the first intermission trailing by just a goal.

Heading into the second period, the Everblades quickly tied up the score when Preston Callander scored his 25th goal of the year at 1:54 with assists by Ernie Hartlieb and Adam Taylor. The play was set up by Hartlieb who fed the puck ahead to Taylor who broke into the zone on a 2-on-1 rush with Callander. Taylor then fed a pass to Callander who one-timed a shot from the left circle into the net.

The Everblades thought minutes later that they had taken a 3-2 lead with a power play goal, but the referee's whistled had blown before the puck crossed the goal line. That misfortune for the Everblades turned to fortune for Texas as they then broke the tie less than three minutes later when LaFrance scored his second goal of the night by collecting the loose puck in the slot and tapping it between the pads of Nastiuk.

Florida however once again didn't backdown. The Everblades ultimately did take advantage of a power play when at 8:55 when Peter Aston scored his first goal of the year with the team since being assigned to the Everblades from Rochester on March 25. The rookie defenseman fired a slap shot from just below the top of the right circle, that found it's way through traffic and into the net. Callander and Derek Damon collected the helpers.

With the teams tied 3-3 going into the third period, the Everblades pounced on a couple opportunities in the third period to solidify the contest. After having negative effects from power plays in the first period, the Everblades more than made up for it when they succeeded in three penalty kills - including a 5-on-3 in the third period.

Florida broke the tie and grabbed their first lead of the night at 3:16 when J.B. Bittner took a pass from Jarret Lukin in stride across the blue line and into the right circle where he hammered the puck into the net, putting the Everblades up 4-3. The goal was Bittner's 6th of the season and an assist by Lukin.

Minutes after the Everblades took the lead, Texas had a solid chance to tie the game at four when Troy Riddle raced into the Everblades zone on a breakaway. Before he could get a shot away he was tripped up by Everblades defenseman David Cornacchia, thus resulting in a penalty shot for Riddle. Nastiuk however came up big once again and stopped Riddle's chance keeping Florida on top by a goal.

The Wildcatters had another good opportunity to tie the game when they held a 5-on-3 power play for a minute and twenty three seconds. It was the Everblades however that would cash in at 12:43, when fresh out of the penalty box, Brad Herauf stole the puck and raced in on a breakaway before chipping the puck over the stick side of Tebbs to put the Blades up by two. Lukin tallied his second assist on the night on Herauf's 13th goal.

Texas, desperate for a win or tie to claim the Brabham Cup for the best record during the regular season, pulled goaltender Tebbs will a little over three minutes remaining in the contest, but the Everblades held the Wildcatters scoreless over the final minutes to claim the victory, and allow the Cincinnati Cyclones to collect the Brabham Cup.

Nastiuk stopped 30 of 33 shots, improving his record to 6-5-4, while Tebbs took his second loss in a row and dropped his record to 13-5-3 after allowing the five goals on 24 shots.

On the power play, the Everblades closed out night 1-for-5 while Texas went 2-for-7.

Experience the excitement of the Everblades 10th Anniversary season! The Everblades begin the Kelly Cup Playoffs on Wednesday, April 9 when they take on the Columbia Inferno at 7:30 p.m. from Germain Arena. Individual tickets to all Everblades home games are on sale now! Stop by the Germain Arena box office to reserve your seat for all the exciting action! Visit www.floridaeverblades.com and www.germainarena.com for more information on ticket packages, pricing and upcoming Germain Arena events.

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