Blades end trip with 4-3 come-from-behind win
December 6, 2008 - ECHL (ECHL)
Florida Everblades News Release
READING, PA - The Florida Everblades (15-3-2) finished off their season-high nine-game road trip with an improbably 4-3 come-from-behind win over the host Reading Royals (5-17-1) Saturday night at the Sovereign Center in front of a crowd of 5,002.
The Everblades erased a three-goal Reading lead with four goals in the final 11 minutes of the second period to end their trek with an impressive 7-1-1 mark and to improve overall to 9-1-2 on the road this season.
Despite being the 16th straight day on the road for the Everblades, both teams featured a lot of jump in a fast moving first period. The Everblades came with the early pressure, at one point opening an 8-1 shot advantage, but the Royals battled back with strong pressure of their own before eventually notching the game's first goal.
Chris Stevens tallied his first goal of the season with just 13.7 seconds remaining in the opening period sending stuffed bears sailing onto the ice from the fans during their annual holiday Teddy Bear Toss. The play began with the puck being dug loose by Brock Hooton on the right boards before sending a pass to the front of the net where Stevens slipped the puck inside the left post past Anton Khudobin.
The wild second period saw both teams score goals in quick succession as the period moved along. The Royals were first to score their quick goals opening a 3-0 lead by the 5:29 mark of the frame. Tyler Doig gave Reading a 2-0 lead at 4:47 with his fourth goal of the year after taking a pass from Peder Skinner before wristing a shot from slot past Khudobin.
Just 39 seconds later Stevens tallied his second goal of the night after scooping up a rebound at the side of the Everblades net and chipping it past a sprawling Khudobin for the three-goal lead.
The Everblades however fought their way back and began to get some momentum with their first goal of the game at 9:09. With Florida flurrying in the offensive zone, Aaron Brocklehurst fired a shot from the left point that was deflected home by Yannick Tifu to cut the Reading lead to 3-1. Ernie Hartlieb collected the second assist on Tifu's fifth goal of the season.
A mere 27 seconds later the Everblades cut the Royal lead to one when Kevin Baker launched a laser beam of a shot from the left circle that rattled the water bottle off the top of the net. Baker's team-leading 16th goal of the year came off a pass from Ryan McGinnis before bringing the puck into the zone and firing the shot just under the cross bar in the left corner of the net at 10:36.
Florida completed the comeback at 15:04 when Hartlieb tallied a power play marker. After Peter Metcalf's shot from the high slot was stopped by Reimer the puck kicked into the left circle where Hartlieb raced onto it and deposited it into the net for his eighth goal of the season. Danick Bouchard picked up the second assist on the goal.
It took the Everblades only 18 seconds after Hartlieb's goal to take the lead. Brad Herauf scored the eventual game-winning goal by chasing down a dump-in on the left side then swinging behind the Royals net before stepping out at the right post and rolling a shot up the arm of Reimer and over his shoulder where it dropped across the line to giving Florida a 4-3 lead. Brocklehurst and Brad Zanon recorded the assists on Herauf's second goal of the year.
The teams played a scoreless third period, although Reading twice came close to tying the game up early in the frame, but a big save by Khudobin against the left post and a shot from the left circle that trickled just wide of the right post left the Royals still searching for the tying goal.
Reading kept the pressure on as the period rolled along, but the Everblades held tough and came up big in the closing minute with the Royals attacking six on five with the goaltender pulled to keep Reading from evening the score.
Khudobin improved to 10-1-1 on the season after stopping 25 of 28 shots he faced, while Reimer dropped to 2-2-0 after allowing the four goals on 51 shots.
On the power play, the Everblades finished out the night 1-of-4 while Reading closed out the game 0-of-6.
BEWARE OF THE BITE! Action You Can Sink Your Teeth Into! Individual tickets to all Everblades home games are on sale now! Visit the Germain Arena Box Office M-F from 10-6 to purchase tickets, or order online at www.ticketmaster.com. Visit www.floridaeverblades.com and www.germainarena.com or call 239-948-PUCK for more information on group ticket packages, pricing and upcoming Germain Arena events.
The Everblades return to action on Friday, December 12 when they host the South Carolina Stingrays at 7:30 p.m. from Germain Arena.
3 Stars:
1 - Aaron Brocklejurst - FLA
2 - Chris Stevens - REA
3 - Kevin Baker - FLA
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