ECHL Florida Everblades

Blades win streak ends after 3-2 loss at Gwinnett

Published on December 27, 2008 under ECHL (ECHL)
Florida Everblades News Release


DULUTH, GA - The Florida Everblades (19-6-2) suffered just their second regulation road loss after the Gwinnett Gladiators (12-13-4) battled from behind to earn a 3-2 win in front of a crowd of 5,162 on Saturday night at the Arena at Gwinnett Center. The win for the Gladiators was their first against the Everblades in five tries this season and snapped their four-game losing skid, while also bringing an end to Florida's four-game winning streak.

Power plays eventually turned out to be the difference maker in the contest as Gwinnett broke through a rock-solid penalty killing effort with their lone power play goal of the night midway through the third period that tied the game at two.

With Gwinnett trailing 2-1 entering the third period, Chris Cava connected on Gwinnett's ninth power play chance of the game at 12:49. After Bruce Graham's shot from the right circle deflected off Everblades goaltender Anton Khudobin's body, Cava, waiting at the left post, swept the loose puck into the net to even the score 2-2.

Just 28 seconds later a 2-on-1 rush for the Gladiators netted the eventual game-winning goal. After digging the puck loose at center ice Jordan Fox skated the puck into offensive right circle before feed pass across to Travis Fuller in the slot who one-timed the puck past a sprawling Khudobin at 13:17.

Early in the game the Everblades penalty killing came through big in the opening period killing off three Gwinnett chances, but more importantly also giving the Florida the 1-0 lead.

With the Everblades short-handed for the first time in the night, Colin Nicholson sent a perfect lead pass from the Everblades' zone to Ryan Lang at center ice. Lang then sped into the zone on a breakaway before slipping the puck past Gladiators net-minder Josh Johnson at 2:55 of the period. Peter Metcalf added an assist as well, extending his point scoring streak to five.

The middle 20 minutes saw the game amp up in the physical play and scoring wise, both teams found the back of the net. The Everblades tallied first in the second period to extend their lead to 2-0 on Kevin Baker's team-leading 23rd goal of the season at 9:19.

The play began with Nicholson bringing the puck into the offensive zone before dropping it back to Baker at the top of the right circle. Baker paused a moment before unleashing a wicked wrist shot into the upper left corner of the net.

Just over two minutes later however the Gladiators found the back of the net when Dan Sullivan launched a slap shot from the top of the right circle that sailed under the blocker of Khudobin at 11:36.

Khudobin suffered the loss allowing the three goals on 39 shots to fall to 11-4-1. Johnson meanwhile improved his record to 9-6-1 by stopping 22 of 24 shots.

On the power play, the Everblades finished the night 0-of-8, while Gwinnett closed out the game 1-of-12.

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ECHL Stories from December 27, 2008


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