Blades' streak ends in wild 7-6 loss at Trenton
November 29, 2008 - ECHL (ECHL)
Florida Everblades News Release
TRENTON, NJ - The Florida Everblades (12-3-1) saw their 10-game winning streak come to a halt in a crazy 7-6 loss to the Trenton Devils (5-11-2) Satuday night at Sovereign Bank Arena in front of a crowd of 2,669. The Devils, who won for just the second time on home ice battled back from a three-goal deficit to pull off the improbable win.
The Everblades opened the game by pulling no punches in the first period blitzing the Devils with five first period goals. The scoring started early for the Everblades scoring just 1:19 into the contest when Danick Bouchard tallied his seventh goal of the year by collecting a loose puck at the right post before slamming it across the line for the 1-0 lead.
After the Devils answered back at 2:21 on a wrist shot by Chris Poli from the left circle that beat Everblades goalie Anton Khudobin on the stick side, Florida responded with the game's next two goals, both on the power play. The first of those two goals came off the stick of Mathieu Roy who collected a bouncing rebound off Trenton net-minder Charlie Effinger and swatted the puck into the net at 12:01. Michael Grenzy and Brad Herauf assisted on Roy's third goal of the year.
The Everblades extended their lead to 3-1 just 18 seconds later when Jacob Micflikier extended his point scoring streak to four with his sixth goal of the season in similar fashion to Roy's goal. After a shot from the point came from the point, the puck ricocheted off Effinger and to his left where Micflikier buried the puck for the two goals lead.
Trenton again answered back cutting the Everblades lead to 3-2 when Tyler Burton chased down a lead pass, splitting past the Florida defenders before beating Khudobin with a quick wrist shot low on the stick side at 14:33. The goal led to Everblades head coach Malcolm Cameron pulling Khudobin in favor of David Leggio, who remained in goal for the duration of the contest.
The Everblades responded by finishing the first 20 minutes with two more quick goals as Lang and Micflikier paired up for goals separated by a minute and six seconds in the final three minutes of the period. Lang gave the Everblades a 4-2 lead at 17:27 on a nice passing play that began with Tifu dishing a pass to Bouchard at the left side of the net. Bouchard's quick shot was kicked away by Effinger, but Lang was in perfect position to collect the rebound and snap it into the right side of the cage.
Micflikier then added his second goal of the night with hard wrist shot from the right circle that Effinger got a piece of with his glove as he slid across to this right, but couldn't control the puck and it popped up in the air and dropped across the goal line at 18:33 to open a 5-2 lead. Metcalf and Hartlieb assisted on Micflikier's seventh goal of the season.
The second period brought on a whole different look to the game as the Devils stormed back to tie the game with three second period markers. The first came quickly into the period as David Leaderer let a slap shot go from the left point that beat Leggio low along the ice just 49 seconds into the frame.
Trenton got back to within a goal at 5:51 after former Everblade Jeff Prough's shot from the top of the left circle clanked off the mask of Leggio and dropped to the ice where Poli swept the loose puck across the line for his second goal of the night.
The Devils completed the comeback to even the score at five with a power play goal by Prough at 11:51 when his strong wrist shot from the top of the right circle sailed over the glove of Leggio and under the cross bar.
With the game tied entering the third period, the Everblades quickly regained the lead cashing in on another power play as Micflikier completed the hat-trick by digging the puck loose in a goal mouth scramble just 32 seconds into the third period. Tifu and Doug O'Brien assisted on the tally.
The Devils once again scrapped their way back into the game at 5:39 converting on a 5-on-3 power play when Burton collected a rebound off Leggio at the right post and tapped it into the open side of the net for his second of the game.
The eventual game-winning goal came once again off the stick of Burton at 14:14 after the Devils worked the puck off the left side boards. Burton then carried the puck through the left circle to the net where he slid it into the net after cutting across the front of the crease.
The Everblades did their best to get the game tied back up, but Effinger, who was shaky at times in goal, stood strong in the final minutes, including in the final minute when the Everblades pulled Leggio for the extra attacker.
Leggio (5-2-1) ends up the goalie of record for the Everblades allowing the final five goals on 21 shots in the 43:43 of the contest. Khudobin ended up with no decision after allowing the first two goals on five shots in the opening 15:21.
Effinger picked up the win stopping 28 of 34 shots to improve to 2-5-1.
On the power play, the Everblades finished out the night 3-of-8 while Trenton closed out the game 2-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 Sunday, November 30 when they travel to Johnstown to take on the Chiefs from the Cambria County War Memorial Arena at 7:00 p.m.! The Everblades' next home game is Friday, December 12 when they host the South Carolina Stingrays at 7:30 p.m.
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