ECHL Florida Everblades

Checkers come from behind, hand Blades 6-5 shootout loss

February 19, 2009 - ECHL (ECHL)
Florida Everblades News Release


CHARLOTTE, NC - The Florida Everblades (35-14-3) unfortunately saw their road woes continue as the Charlotte Checkers (27-20-4) stormed back from a three goal third period deficit to hand Florida a 6-5 shootout loss on Thursday night at Time Warner Cable Arena. The win was Charlotte's third straight over the Everblades and pushed the Everblades' road winless streak to five.

The Everblades got off to a fast start, scoring twice in the first half of the opening period to be able to carry a 2-0 lead into the first intermission. Doug O'Brien opened the scoring just 2:46 into the game with his fifth goal of the year. The play came off a left wing face-off and was set up by Andrew Fournier.

At 9:31 of the period the Everblades extended the lead to two after Colin Nicholson scooped up a rebound at the front of the Charlotte net and chipped it past Checkers net-minder Maxime Daigneault. The play started with Mike Grenzy flipping the puck on net from the left point that bounced and caused Daigneault trouble allowing Nicholson to notch his ninth goal of the season.

The Everblades dominated the first 14 minutes of the first period out-shooting the Checkers 15-1, but Charlotte came on strong at the tail end of the frame peppering Everblades goaltender Chris Beckford-Tseu, who had just joined the team earlier in the day from Rochester.

Charlotte picked up where they left off early in the second period with pressure in the offensive zone and eventually it paid off as the Checkers scored twice midway through the frame to tie the score 2-2.

Julian Brouillette cut the Everblades lead to one with a power play goal at 9:33 after finishing off a nice passing play that ended with him one-timing a pass from the left circle past Beckford-Tseu. Shortly after the Checkers tied the game when Peter James Corsi's shot from the slot just slipped between the pads of Beckford-Tseu at 11:21.

Before the period closed however, the Everblades regained the lead as newcomer Milan Gajic tallied his first goal of the season with a great individual effort at 17:13. Gajic took a lead pass from Tim Cook down the left side boards before cutting to the middle of the ice and sliding a shot past Daigneault along the ice.

Leading 3-2 entering the third period the Everblades quickly extended that lead to 5-2 with a pair of goals in the first six minutes of the frame. Mathieu Roy notched the first of the two goals just 1:29 into the period after collecting a rebound from Kevin Baker's shot from the right circle. Roy was on the doorstep where he settled the loose puck before lifting it past a sprawling Daigneault for his 19th goal of the season.

At 5:31 Ross Carlson extended the lead to a three-goal margin with his 12th goal of the year after making a nifty move on Daigneault from the left circle before skating around the Charlotte net-minder and tucking the puck inside the left post. Matt Auffrey picked up the assist on the goal.

From there however the Checkers stormed back with three goals in the final 14 minutes. Ethan Graham trimmed the Everblades lead to two with a power play goal at 8:44 after his slap shot from the blue line blasted past Beckford-Tseu.

Michael Busto then cut the lead down to one after carrying the puck into the left circle then wristing a shot on net that found its way through the pads of Beckford-Tseu at 9:53.

Clinging to a one-goal lead late, the Everblades looked like they'd come out on top after the Checkers took a penalty with just over two minutes remaining in regulation. The game changed however with 1:18 remaining when the Everblades were deemed to have knocked their own net off intentionally, thus giving the Checkers a penalty shot. On the penalty shot Chris Capararo beat Beckford-Tseu with a quick shot over his glove to tie the game and send it into overtime.

After neither team scored in the five-minute overtime, which included a Charlotte power play, the game moved to a shootout. The teams were even at one goal a piece after the first five scheduled rounds with Ryan Hillier scoring in the second round for Charlotte and Mark Lee scoring in the fifith round for the Everblades. The next four round passed without a goal and the Checkers finally found the winning goal in the 10th round when Ryan Murphy flipped a shot over Beckford-Tseu and inside the left post.

In his first start with the Everblades, Beckford-Tseu got credit for a tie after allowing the five goals on 36 shots in regulation and overtime. Daigneault notched his first win against the Everblades this season and improved to 10-8-1 after making 39 saves in regulation and overtime and stopping 9 of 10 shooters in the shootout.

On the power play, the Everblades finished the night 1-of-4, while Checkers 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 Saturday, February 21 when they take on the Charlotte Checkers at 7:00 p.m. from Time Warner Cable Arena in Charlotte, NC. The Everblades' next home game is Wednesday, February 25 when they host the Johnstown Chiefs at 7:30 p.m.

3 Stars:

1 - Jeff Jakaitis - CHR

2 - Chris Capraro - CHR

3 - Jeff Miles - CHR

Check out the Florida Everblades Statistics



ECHL Stories from February 19, 2009


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