ECHL Florida Everblades

Blades Win 3rd Straight After 5-2 Win Over Mississippi

December 19, 2008 - ECHL (ECHL)
Florida Everblades News Release


ESTERO, FL - The Florida Everblades (18-5-2) won their third consecutive game over the Mississippi Sea Wolves, 5-2, thanks to Kevin Baker's five-point night and Anton Khudobin's 20 save night on Friday night at Germain Arena.

The Everblades bounced back on home ice in the winning effort as well by taking control of the game early and keeping the pressure on. Florida peppered the Mississippi net all night out-shooting the Sea Wolves 45-22, and controlled the action by limiting their turnovers.

The Everblades opened the scoring with a mid-first period by Brad Herauf to get the ball rolling. With Baker carrying the puck into the zone on the left side, he slid a pass to Herauf in the slot where he snapped home a quick wrist shot at 9:06. Andrew Sweetland recorded the second assist on Herauf's third goal of the year.

Leading 1-0 entering the second period Baker's sent the crowd of 5,999 leaping to their feet with his 20th goal of the season just 24 seconds into the frame. After dumping the puck to the right corner Ernie Hartlieb found Baker all alone in the left circle before feeding a perfect pass across the goal-mouth. With Sea Wolves net-minder Ryan Munce sliding across his crease, Baker showed patience by letting him slid out of position before firing the puck into the open net. Mathieu Roy added the second assist.

At 8:16 of the second period Ryan Lang increased the Everblades lead to 3-0. With Florida on the power play and Baker with the puck on the left boards, the Everblade captain threw the puck on net where it deflected off the skate of Lang and into the net. Along with Baker, Hartlieb registered his second assist of the night.

The Sea Wolves did their best to battle back scoring a pair of power play goals by Kyle McAllister to cut the Florida lead to one. The first of the two man-advantage goals came at 13:37 of the second period when McAllister took the puck at the right post and slipped it under the pads of Khudobin. McAllister's second marker came 2:22 into the third period after he took a pass from the right corner by Jason Tejchma and banged it home at the left post.

Following the goal, the Everblades withstood a couple minutes of Mississippi pressure before once again regaining a two-goal advantage. Just under four minutes after the Sea Wolves made it a 3-2 game, Roy got in on the scoring after having a pass by Baker from the right corner deflect off his skate and past a sliding Munce at 6:16.

The Everblades then sealed the win with an empty-net goal by Roy, for his sixth goal of the year, with 40 seconds remaining in regulation. Baker and Peter Metcalf chipped in the assists. The helper for Baker was his career-high fourth assist in one game.

Khudobin improved to 11-3-1 with his performance while Munce saw his record tumble to 9-7-0 after allowing four goals on 44 shots.

On the power play, the Everblades finished the night 1-of-4, while Mississippi closed out the game 2-of-7.

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ECHL Stories from December 19, 2008


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