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ECHL Florida Everblades

Preview: Everblades Battle Norfolk in Middle Game of Three-Game Set

March 29, 2019 - ECHL (ECHL)
Florida Everblades News Release


ESTERO, Fla. - With a chance to clinch the Eastern Conference regular-season title, the Florida Everblades (46-16-5-1, 98 pts.) continue a three-game set against the Norfolk Admirals (26-33-5-3, 60 pts.) with the middle game of the series on Friday at Hertz Arena.

VITALS:

Game 69: Everblades vs. Norfolk

When: 7:30 p.m. ET

Where: Hertz Arena

Tickets: Ticketmaster

Watch: ECHL.tv

Listen: WJBX - News, Talk & More

Social: Twitter | #NORvsFLA

Last Time Out

Tommy Thompson netted his first career hat trick and Blake Winiecki and Matt Finn added goals for Florida in a 5-2 win over Norfolk on Wednesday at Hertz Arena. The Everblades set a new season-high by scoring four times in the first period and coasted from there to extend their home point streak to five games. After Callum Booth left the game due to injury in the second period, Jeremy Helvig came on in relief and made 17 saves for the 'Blades.

Players to Watch

Tommy Thompson (FLA) - After going nine games without a point, the third-year pro has now registered goals in consecutive games. Thompson's hat trick on Wednesday was his second career multi-goal game and first of this season. The St. Lawrence University product has four multi-point games this year. He is now only one point shy of his career high, a 33-point (16g-17a) campaign with the Greenville Swamp Rabbits in 2016-17.

Matt McMorrow (NOR) - The rookie forward leads all Norfolk players with three goals in head-to-head meetings against the Everblades. He registered one of the Admirals' two goals on Wednesday and now has 12 tallies and 31 points for the season. The Pearl River, New York, native has recorded multiple points on four occasions this season.

Series history

Friday marks the seventh matchup between Florida and Norfolk this season. Florida holds a 14-2-3 all-time against the Admirals, which includes a 4-1-1 mark this season. The eight matchups this year between the two teams are the most in one season since Norfolk started play in the ECHL in 2014. After being shut out in the first meeting with Norfolk this year, Florida has racked up 26 goals over the last five meetings, an average of 5.20 goals per game.

Promising Penalty Kill

Since yielding power-play goals in three straight games from Feb. 27-March 2, including a season-high three power-play goals on March 1 against Orlando, Florida's penalty kill has been on lock-down mode. The 'Blades have allowed just four power-play strikes over their last 10 games. Florida has converted on 90 percent (36-of-40) of its penalty kills in that 10-game span and now ranks eighth in the ECHL on the penalty kill at 83.7 percent.

Home Ice Advantage

The Everblades have been a tough team to beat at home in the three-year tenure of head coach Brad Ralph and are tied for second in the ECHL with 23 home victories this year. With Ralph at the helm, Florida has 75 home wins, which is tied for the most in the league since the start of the 2016-17 campaign.

First Five

Thompson's goal two minutes, 25 seconds into the first period on Wednesday was the ninth time this season Florida has found the back of the net in the first five minutes of a home game. The Everblades are undefeated when they have scored in the first five minutes of a home game and are 18-2-1-0 overall when they score in the first five minutes. Thompson leads Florida with five goals in the first five minutes of regulation.

Next Up

Florida finishes off the three-game series with Norfolk with the final regular-season meeting between the two teams on Saturday at 7 p.m. at Hertz Arena.

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Join the FUN and 'Blades FAMILY by SAVING with Season Tickets or a Flexible Package that fit into your schedule and budget, plus receive FREE gifts and benefits!

SPECIAL OFFER! Purchase a new Season Ticket or Flexible Package for the 2019-20 season and receive a $20 gift card to Ford's Garage and an Everblades tote bag!

Private tours of Hertz Arena are available to select your season seats! Call the Florida Everblades Front Office at 239-948-7825 to schedule your tour today!

Check out the Florida Everblades Statistics



ECHL Stories from March 29, 2019


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