Blades Grab 2-1 Series Lead With 5-2 Win Over Texas
April 27, 2007 - ECHL (ECHL)
Florida Everblades News Release
BEAUMONT, TX - The Florida Everblades regained the series lead in their best-of-seven set with the Texas Wildcatters after an impressive 5-2 victory at Ford Arena in front of a crowd of 1,813. Goaltender Craig Kowalski led the way for the Everblades with a 33 save performance, and Vince Bellissimo chipped in two more goals as Florida grabbed a 2-1 series lead in the South Division Finals.
The Everblades came out flying in game three, scoring three times in the opening period to set the tone. Dustin Johner got things started quickly by tallying his third playoff goal just 2:46 into the game when his wrist shot from the slot rocketed into the upper right corner of the net for the early 1-0 lead. The scored remained that way until late in the opening period when the Everblades would grab a firm hold on the contest.
Just after the Everblades killed off a David Brine penalty, the rookie raced out of the penalty box and took a pass from Jon Lehun up the left wing where he cut to the front of the net and jammed the puck past Texas net minder Matt Yeats at 18:49 of the frame. Ryan Brindley collected the second assist on the goal. The Everblades weren't done, as they would cash in on a power play, when Bellissimo deflected a Brindley point shot past Yeats with 35 seconds remaining in the period. Brad Parsons added the second assist.
At the start of the second period the Wildcatters replaced Yeats with Danny Taylor in goal, and began the frame with a four-minute power play following a high sticking penalty by Brindley. It was the Everblaes however that would score with Texas on the man advantage. Brad Zancanaro would score his first playoff goal and the Everblades' first short-handed goal of the post-season when he broke in on a clean breakaway and tucked the puck past Taylor at 2:54 opening a 4-0 lead. Florida extended their lead to five late in the second period on Bellissimo's second goal of the night which came with the Everblades on the power play. Bellissimo scooped up a loose puck in the slot and fired a wrist shot over the glove of Taylor at 16:45. Brindley notched his third assist of the game and Parsons picked up his second on the goal.
The Wildcatter finally found the back of the net just 22 seconds after Bellissimo's goal when Ben Thomson notched his third playoff goal at 17:07. Texas tallied the game's last goal as well as Daniel Sparre controlled a bouncing puck and chipped it past Kowalski for his fifth playoff goal at 15:11 of the third period.
The Everblades dominated in shots as well, out-shooting Texas 48-35. Kowalski picked up the win for the âBlades improving his record to 5-1, while Yeats suffered the loss in net for Texas allowing three goals on 20 first period shots, dropping his record to 1-2. Taylor finished out the game stopping 26 of 28 shots over the final two periods.
On the power play, the Everblades finished the game 2-for-7, while the Wildcatters closed out the night 0-for-7.
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