'Blades thump Checkers 7-1
Published on November 24, 2006 under ECHL (ECHL)
Florida Everblades News Release
CHARLOTTE, NC - The Florida Everblades (11-4-0) used a season-high seven goals and 29 saves by goaltender David Shantz to collect a 7-1 victory over the Charlotte Checkers (9-6-0) on Friday night at Charlotte Bobcats Arena in front of a crowd of 7,133.
In a dominating first period, the Everblades tallied the lone goal of the frame with a 5-on-3 power play goal at 14:56. Jon Lehun collected his team-leading eighth goal of the season by banging home a rebound at the right post after Dustin Johner's shot was stopped by Checkers net-minder Chris Holt. Chris Lee picked up the second assist on the goal.
The Everblades blew the game open in the second period scoring three times to open a 4-0 lead heading into the third period. Vince Bellissimo gave the Everblades a 2-0 advantage by wristing a shot past Holt from the right circle a 2:01 of the frame. Reggie Berg picked up the lone assist on Bellissimo's fourth goal of the season. Just over five minutes later Brad Zancanaro tallied his first goal of the season with a quick wrist shot from the top of the left circle that snuck just under the cross bar for the 3-0 Everblades lead at 8:13. The Everblades closed out the scoring in the period with their second 5-on-3 power play goal of the night when Johner ripped a shot from the high slot off the glove of Holt for the four goal lead. Chris Lee and Shantz were given the assists on the tally.
The Checkers finally broke through in the third period when Blake Bellefeuille jammed a rebound past Shantz for a power play goal at 1:35 into the period, but Brent McDonald erased any hope of a Charlotte come back with his third short-handed goal of the season at 10:30 to reopen the four-goal Florida lead. The goal was the fourth of the season for McDonald and Florida's fifth short-handed tally of the season.
The Everblades closed out the scoring with a pair of even strength goals in the final four and a half minutes. Berg notched his fourth goal of the year at 15:31 on an assist from Zancanaro and Johner tallied his second of the night with 1:50 remaining in the contest with assists by Ernie Hartlieb and Berg.
Shantz raised his record to 6-2-0 on the season with his effort on the night and Holt suffered the loss allowing the seven goals on 38 Florida shots to fall to 6-4-0 on the season.
On the power play, the Everblades closed out night 2-for-8, while the Checkers finished the night 1-for-6.
The win improved Florida's record to 5-1-0 on the road and the Everblades are now 2-1-0 vs. Charlotte this season.
The Florida Everblades, proud affiliate of the Carolina Hurricanes and the Florida Panthers, return to action on Friday, November 24 when they take on the Columbia Inferno from the Carolina Coliseum in Columbia, SC at 5:00 p.m. Florida Everblades group and individual game tickets & mini-plans are now available! Reserve your seat for all the exciting action today by calling (239) 948-7825. Visit www.floridaeverblades.com and www.germainarena.com for more information on group ticket packages, pricing and upcoming Germain Arena events.
ECHL Stories from November 24, 2006
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