ECHL Florida Everblades

'Blades upended by Inferno 3-2

Published on December 21, 2007 under ECHL (ECHL)
Florida Everblades News Release


ESTERO, FL - The Florida Everblades (14-10-2) saw the visiting Columbia Inferno (11-11-6) use two power play goals and 25 saves by goaltender Todd Ford en-route to a 3-2 win on Friday night at Germain Arena. The loss pushed the Everblades home winless streak to four, while the Inferno registered their second straight win on road.

A quick moving first period saw Columbia out-shoot the Everblades 11-8, but also saw neither team find the back of the net. It wasn't until early in the second period that the first goal was scored. The Everblades opened the scoring while short-handed. Kirk MacDonald chipped the puck out of the zone on the left side of the ice and Mike McLean raced ahead with it. Once in the zone McLean held up, then dropped it to MacDonald who fired a wrist shot low on the ice and past Ford for a 1-0 Florida lead at 6:19 of the period. The goal was the first of the season for MacDonald, and was Florida's third short-handed marker of the season.

The lead however was short-lived as Columbia, while on the same power play, the evened the score. A bouncing puck in front of the Everblades net, was eventually swatted home by former Everblade Anthony Battaglia when his shot rolled up the arm of Everblades goaltender Kevin Nastiuk and into the net at 6:49. Columbia then took the lead for good at 14:46 when Patrick Wellar let a shot go from the slot with the Inferno on another power play. Wellar's sixth goal of the season clanked off the left post and into the net opening a 2-1 lead that Columbia carried into the third period.

The Everblades held power play time at the start of the third period, but they couldn't convert, and shortly after the conclusion of the power play the Inferno notched the eventual game-winning goal. Daniel Sparre notched his 14th goal of the season with a wrist shot from the top of the right circle at 1:39 of the frame giving Columbia a 3-1 lead.

The Everblades brought the crowd of 4,988 back to life when Mathieu Melanson cashed in on a goal-mouth scramble to cut the Inferno lead to one. After see Ford make three save, Melanson corralled the loose puck at the left post and lifted over the fallen Columbia goaltender at 10:07. J.B. Bittner and Brett Peterson each assisted on Melanson's team-leading 19th goal of the year.

Despite their best efforts, which included pulling the goaltender for the extra attacker, the Everblades failed to find the equalizer allowing Columbia to collect the win. With the loss, the Everblades fell to 3-2-0 vs. Columbia this season.

In goal, Nastiuk (0-1-0) had his return to Germain Arena for the first time since 2005-06 spoiled by allowing the three goals on 30 shots. Ford collected his second straight win and improved to 9-5-4.

On the power play, the Everblades closed out night 0-for-2, while the Inferno finished 2-for-4.

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ECHL Stories from December 21, 2007


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