Blades Sweep Stingrays With 8-2 Win, Advance to Eastern Conference Finals
Published on April 22, 2004 under ECHL (ECHL)
Florida Everblades News Release
CHARLESTON, SC - The Florida Everblades (6-1) defeated the South Carolina Stingrays (3-4) 8-2 in front of 2,415 at the North Charleston Coliseum in Game #3 of the Southern Division Finals on Thursday night. Florida swept the Stingrays 3 games to 0 in the best of five Southern Division final series and will move on to the Eastern Conference Finals to meet the Reading Royals in the first two games of the series beginning next week at TECO Arena. Everblades forwards Damian Surma and Tom Buckley each collected two goals in the Blades third road win of the post season.
In the first period, the Stingrays grabbed a 1-0 lead early on when defenseman Trevor Johnson received a pass from forward Boris Protsenko out of the corner and fired it past Blades netminder Rob Zepp just :28 seconds into the first period. Florida stormed back however, and tied the game at 1-1 when forward Brent McDonald skated past three South Carolina defenders and found linemate Brian McCullough in the slot and McCullough lifted the puck into the net at the 4:35 mark. Florida then took a 2-1 lead when Jared Newman's shot from below the goal line bounced off of the back of Stingrays netminder Kirk Daubenspeck at the 6:51 mark. The Blades then made it 3-1 on the power play when the ECHL post season leading scorer Tom Buckley snapped a wrist shot into the short side at the 12:43 mark. Forwards Reggie Berg and John McNabb registered the assists on Buckley's ECHL leading 7th goal of the playoffs.
In the second period Florida took a commanding 4-1 lead after Damian Surma skated down the left side and wrested a shot that was misplayed by goaltender Kirk Daubenspeck and it trickled across the goal line at the 1:38 mark of the period. The Blades then poured it on and it was 5-1 when John McNabb took a pass from Damian Surma in front of the net and backhanded it by Stingrays netminder David Brumby who came on in relief of Daubenspeck. South Carolina then got back on the board on the power play when rokkie forward Dustin Johner one timed a pass into the net at the 13:32 mark. Florida grabbed a four goal lead back and made it 6-2 after two periods when forward Keith Anderson deposited a Brian McCullough rebound into the net at the 15:37 mark.
In the third period, the Blades poured it on and made it 7-2 when Tom Buckley one timed a Reggie Berg pass into the net at the 14:14 mark of the period. Florida then closed out the scoring and made it 8-2 on a goal off the stick of forward Damian Surma.
Florida goaltender Rob Zepp (4-0) stopped 31 of 33 shots he faced while South Carolina netminder Kirk Daubenspeck (3-4) stopped 17 of 21 shots and was relieved in the second period by David Brumby who stopped 17. The Everblades were 0 for 5 on the power play while the Stingrays were 1 for 7.
The Everblades take on the Blades games can be heard on 770 AM and via the Internet on www.floridaeverblades.com, www.nbc-2.com and www.abc-7.com and inside TECO Arena in 96.5 FM. For single game tickets call Ticketmaster at (239) 334-3309 or group and season tickets please call 239-948-7825. For more information on upcoming TECO Arena events log on to www.tecoarena.com.
3 Stars:
1 - Buckley - FLA
2 - Surma - FLA
3 - Zepp - FLA
ECHL Stories from April 22, 2004
- Rivermen Ousted from the Playoffs 3-1 in Game Four of the Northern Division Finals - Peoria Rivermen
- Blades Sweep Stingrays With 8-2 Win, Advance to Eastern Conference Finals - Florida Everblades
- ECHL Alum Ryder Is Finalist For NHL Rookie Award - ECHL
- Ice Dogs Name Malcolm Cameron 4th Head Coach In Team History - Long Beach Ice Dogs
- Ryder Is Finalist For NHL's Calder Trophy - Mississippi Sea Wolves
- Today In The ECHL - ECHL
- Steelheads win Pacific Division title - Idaho Steelheads
- Aces suffer bitter 3-2 defeat - Alaska Aces
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