ECHL Florida Everblades

Blades unleash improbable come-back; knock off Stingrays 6-5

February 3, 2009 - ECHL (ECHL)
Florida Everblades News Release


ESTERO, FL - The Florida Everblades (32-9-2) kept their winning streak going thanks to a five-goal third period assault that erased a 4-1 deficit and launched them to a 6-5 victory over the South Carolina Stingrays (22-17-5) on Tuesday night at Germain Arena.

In head-spinning fashion the Everblades scored five goals in a span of 4:50 between the 13 and 18 minute mark of the final period. The goal-scoring barrage was helped by three power play goals on a five-minute spearing major against Stingrays captain Brad Farynuk.

Prior to the wild finish, the Everblades and Stingrays played to a 1-1 first period. South Carolina opened the scoring at 5:30 with a power play goal by Keith Johnson when his shot from the top of the right circle beat Everblades goalie David Leggio.

The Everblades battled back late in the period to tie the game on Ryan Lang's 16th goal of the season. The play developed along the right side boards when Patrick Bordeleau gave the puck to Lang, who dropped it back to Peter Metcalf at the right point. Metcalf then found Lang alone in the slot where his wrist shot slipped between the pads of Stingrays net-minder Jeremy Duchesne at 16:25.

In the second period the Stingrays jumped on the Everblades for three goals to take a 4-1 lead into the second intermission. Michael Dubuc began the scoring spree with his team-leading 23rd goal of the year just 57 seconds into the frame on a quick wrist shot from the left circle off a face-off win.

Pierre-Luc O'Brien extended the Stingrays lead to 3-1 at 5:03 with a power play goal after tapping in a pass at the right post from Farynuk. Rookie defenseman Josh Godfrey extended the lead to three late in the period with a short-handed goal at 16:23 for his first professional goal.

The short-handed tally also chased Leggio in favor of Anton Khudobin, who finished out the game in goal for Florida.

As the third period progressed, the Everblades didn't seem any closer to coming from behind, managing only one shot over the first 10 minutes of the period. The tide began to shift at 13:17 when Mathieu Roy tallied his 12th goal of the year. The play began with Ernie Hartlieb chipping the puck out of the Everblades zone to Kevin Baker. Baker then skated into the offensive zone and while trying to dance around a South Carolina defender, had the puck roll off his stick into the slot where Roy raced onto it and fired a quick shot to beat Duchesne and cut the lead to 4-2.

The come-back continued at 15:46 when the Everblades responded with a short-handed goal of their own off a right circle face-off. Roy won the puck to Baker who threw the puck on net and somehow squeezed it through traffic and in the net short-side to bring the Everblades back to within one. The short-handed tally was Baker's league leading 37th goal of the year and the 11th short-handed marker by the Everblades this season.

With 3:42 remaining in the contest, the turning point of the game took place. With the Everblades short-handed, defenseman Brad Zanon covered and fell on the puck just inside the Everblades blue-line. While on the ice Zanon, who was assessed a two-minute delay of game penalty, was speared by Farynuk who was sent off the ice with a spearing major and a game misconduct.

On the ensuing major power play the Everblades scored three goals in a span of 1:09 to take a 6-4 lead. Hartlieb tallied the first of the power play goals at 16:58 when he redirected Roy's shot past Duchesne at the right post to even the score at four with his 12th goal of the season.

Noah Babin recorded his first goal as an Everblade and second of his career at 17:21 when his wrist shot from the high-slot found the back of the net. Danick Bouchard and Matt Auffrey tallied the assists on the goal that gave the Everblades the lead.

Off the ensuing face-off, the Everblades rushed back into the zone and scored what proved to be the game-winning goal when Roy deflected Metcalf's shot from the blue-line over the left shoulder of Duchesne at 18:07. Baker picked up the second assist on Roy's 13th goal of the year.

The wildness didn't end there as the Everblades were whistled for a penalty late in the period setting up a four-on-four situation with time still on the major penalty. With Duchesne pulled for an extra attacker the Stingrays climbed back to within a goal when Scott Romfo's shot from outside the blue-line fooled Khudobin and dropped into the net at 19:08.

Despite a last-ditch effort by South Carolina in the final minute with the goalie pulled and on the power play, Khudobin and the Everblades turned away the last chances by the Stingrays to preserve their craziest win of the season.

Khudobin (16-6-1) ended up the winning goaltender stopping 18 of 19 shots faced in the final 23:27 of the contest. Leggio did not factor in the decision after allowing four goals on 23 shots in the 36:23 he played. Duchesne fell to 0-3-0 vs. Florida this season after allowing six goals on 37 shots.

On the power play, the Everblades finished the night 3-of-9, while Stingrays closed out the game 2-of-7.

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 Wednesday, February 4 when they host the South Carolina Stingrays at 7:30 from Germain Arena.

3 Stars: 1 - Mathieu Roy - FLA 2 - Ernie Hartlieb - FLA 3 - Matt Auffrey - FLA

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ECHL Stories from February 3, 2009


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