'Blades win 4th straight with 6-5 shootout win over Columbia
November 14, 2006 - ECHL (ECHL)
Florida Everblades News Release
ESTERO, FL - The Florida Everblades (8-3-0) won their fourth straight game with a 6-5 shootout victory over the Columbia Inferno (3-5-4) on Tuesday night at Germain Arena in front of a crowd of 5,007.
The Everblades picked up a big night from the line of Jon Lehun, Dustin Johner and Derek Damon as they chipped in for three of the five regulation goals and a total of nine points. That line got things started quick with Lehun setting an Everblades team record by scoring 13 seconds into the start of the game by chipping a shot past Columbia net minder Robert Gherson. Each of his line mates earned assists on the tally.
The lead was short-lived as the Inferno responded with a power play goal two minutes later by Mac Faulkner, but 34 seconds after that, Chris Dyment notched his first goal as an Everblade on the power play by burying a quick shot from the left circle on a pass from Reggie Berg. Damon picked up the other assist on the goal. For the second time on the night, the Inferno answered that goal with one of their own to tie the game at two. Luke Fulgham notched his fifth goal of the season with a bad angle shot from the left boards that snuck past Everblades goalie David Shantz at 8:37 of the first period. Just 45 seconds later, Columbia grabbed the lead at 3-2 with an even strength goal by Lucas Drake.
Trailing by one entering the second period, the Everblades tied the game at three on Lehun's second goal of the night by collecting a rebound after both Damon and Johner's shots were stopped by Gherson at 7:04 of the frame. The big moment of the game came midway through the second period when Florida's Jeremy Swanson was whistled for a five-minute major kneeing penalty at 11:50. It was the Everblades however that cashed in. Columbia managed only four shots over the first 4:30 of the power play, and then with nine seconds remaining in the penalty Johner completed a short-handed breakaway at 16:42 to give Florida a 4-3 lead that they would carry to the locker room. Brett Peterson and Lehun assisted on the goal.
Entering the third period, the Everblades had 55 seconds remaining on their fourth power play of the game, and they hit pay dirt with one second remaining on the man advantage when Peterson's point shot off a face off win by David Brine threaded through traffic and into the back of the net for the 5-3 lead.
The Inferno however battled back to tie the game with a pair of goals in the final five minutes of regulation. Faulkner notched his second of the night at 15:07 and when the goaltender pulled for the extra attacker, Fulgham tallied his second goal of the evening with just 1:21 remaining in the game, sending the contest into overtime.
After a scoreless overtime period that included the Everblades having a power play for the final 1:12, the game moved to a shootout. In the shootout Vince Bellissimo scored on Florida first attempt and Brad Zancanaro tallied on the third attempt for the Everblades. Meanwhile, Shantz stopped all four shooters he faced to allow the Everblades to pick up the extra point in the standings.
Shantz raised his record to 5-1-0 by stopping 26 of 31 shots in regulation and overtime while Gherson earned a tie in the standings by turning away 30 shots in regulation and overtime, which brought his record to 1-3-2.
On the power play, the Everblades finished the night 2-for-5, while the Inferno finished off the game 1-for-4.
The win improved Florida's home record to 5-2-0, and improved the Everblades' all-time record vs. Columbia to 21-11-6.
The Florida Everblades, proud affiliate of the Carolina Hurricanes and the Florida Panthers, return to the ice on Friday, November 17 when they host the Pensacola Ice Pilots at 7:30 p.m. at Germain Arena. Florida Everblades full season 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.
3 Stars:
1 - Jon Lehun - FLA
2 - Luke Fulgham - CBA
3 - Dustin Johner - FLA
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