ECHL Florida Everblades

Blades lock up home ice through conference finals with 3-2 shootout win

Published on March 22, 2009 under ECHL (ECHL)
Florida Everblades News Release


CHARLOTTE, NC - The Florida Everblades (44-17-5) assured themselves of home-ice advantage through the first three rounds of the Kelly Cup Playoffs after pulling out a 3-2 shootout victory over the Charlotte Checkers (32-25-8) on Sunday afternoon. The win also allowed the Everblades to close out their road schedule with a 21-10-4 record.

The opening 20 minutes saw each club find the back of the net sending the teams to the locker rooms 1-1 after the first period. The scoring opened with the Checkers notching a power play goal just 3:16 into the frame when Matt Schepke took a pass in the neutral zone before streaking down the right side around the defense and slipping a shot between the pads of David Leggio from the top of the crease.

Less than a minute later the Everblades tied the score off a face-off win. Milan Gajic won the left circle draw to his right where Andrew Sweetland slung a quick wrist shot over the glove of Jeff Jakaitis at 4:11. The goal was Sweetland's seventh of the year.

In the second period the Everblades came out flying out-shooting the Checkers 12-9, but Jakaitis kept them off the board making several big saves and keeping the game tied 1-1 heading into the third period.

Although the third period got off to a sluggish start, the teams again scored a pair of quick goals in the first five minutes of the frame. This time the Everblades scored the first goal of the period when Kevin Baker fired a laser beam of a shot from the left circle for a power play goal that gave Florida a 2-1 lead at 4:19 of the frame. Baker's 53rd goal of the season came off assists by Peter Metcalf and Mark Lee.

The lead was short-lived however as Brad Ralph tied the game back up just 22 seconds later by deflecting home a point shot on the door step at 4:41 to even the score at two.

Just as Friday's game did, tonight's contest moved into overtime where neither team was able to score, although Charlotte had a good chance to win it with a 5-on-3 power play in the final minute. The only shot Leggio faced in the overtime came in the closing seconds when he robbed Ralph from the slot to force the game into a shootout.

In the shootout the Everblades saw Charlotte score on their first shot, but goals by Mark Lee and Kevin Baker in the fourth and fifth rounds set the Everblades up for the win, which came after Marty Guerin's fifth round attempt slid wide of the right post.

Leggio gained the win by stopping 20 of 22 shots in regulation and overtime to improve his record to 23-7-3. For the second straight night Jakaitis (21-14-7) got credit for a tie as he stopping 35 of 37 shots in regulation and overtime.

On the power play, the Everblades finished the night 1-of-4, while Checkers closed out the game 1-of-5.

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 Saturday, March 28 when they host the Charlotte Checkers at 7:30 p.m. from Germain Arena.

3 Stars:

1 - Kevin Baker - FLA

2 - Andrew Sweetland - FLA

3 - Matt Schepke - CHR

Check out the Florida Everblades Statistics

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ECHL Stories from March 22, 2009


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