ECHL Florida Everblades

Blades suffer 3-2 loss to Cincinnati

Published on February 13, 2009 under ECHL (ECHL)
Florida Everblades News Release


ESTERO, FL - The Florida Everblades (34-13-2) saw their four-game home winning streak come an end after suffering a 3-2 loss to the Cincinnati Cyclones (28-18-5) on Friday night at Germain Arena.

The Cyclones jumped out to a quick 1-0 lead scoring a short-handed goal just 1:42 into the game. Cincinnati knocked the puck loose from Everblades defenseman Peter Metcalf allowing Mark VanGuilder and Matt Syroczynski to race into the Everblades zone on a 2-on-1 rush.

VanGuilder's shot from the top of the right circle was stopped by Everblades goaltender Anton Khudobin, but the rebound off his right leg pad kicked onto the stick of Syroczynski who fired it into the open net for his 13th goal of the year. The short-handed tally was the ninth for Cincinnati on the year and the sixth allowed by the Everblades.

Florida responded however midway through the period with the first of their two power play goals when Mathieu Roy tipped home a Kevin Baker shot at the top of the crease. The goal was Roy's 18th of the season and was also assisted on by Ernie Hartlieb at 8:44.

With the score even at one entering the second period, the Cyclones took the lead for good at 13:54 on Ben Gordon's 12th goal of the season when his slap shot from the left circle snuck past Khudobin and into the net.

Although the Everblades out shot the Cyclones 18-7 in the third period, they couldn't find a way to get the game tied at two over the first 13 minutes of the frame, thanks in large part to the goaltending of Ryan Nie.

Cincinnati then notched the eventual game-winning goal at 13:40 of the third period when Justin Johnson's wrist shot from the top of the right circle on a 2-on-1 rush sailed over the blocker of Khudobin to open a 3-1 lead.

The Everblades did manage to get one of the goals back late in the period with their second power play marker. This time Mark Lee took fired a one-time shot from the high slot that found its way over the glove of Nie and into the net with 2:38 remaining in regulation. Danick Bouchard and Yannick Tifu assisted on Lee's ninth goal of the season.

Unfortunately that was as close as the Everblades would get. Late in the contest with just under a minute to go, the Everblades were whistled for a penalty that dashed their hopes of a comeback.

Nie bounced back after being pulled in Wednesday's 5-0 loss to the Everblades to notch his 16th win of the season after stopping 34 of 36 shots. Khudobin suffered the loss allowing the three goals on 24 shots to see his record fall to 18-8-1.

On the power play, the Everblades finished the night 2-of-7, while Cincinnati closed out the game 0-of-8.

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, February 14 when they host the Cincinnati Cyclones at 7:30 p.m. from Germain Arena.

3 Stars: 1 - Ryan Nie - CIN 2 - Mark Van Guilder - CIN 3 - Mark Lee - FLA

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ECHL Stories from February 13, 2009


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