Blades conquer Checkers
What started off as a blowout turned into a nailbiter for the Florida Everblades Friday night at Germain Arena. In the end, the Blades began the new year the way they wanted with a 6-3 victory over the Charlotte Checkers.
The win is the 20th of the season and ended the Blades’ season-high three-game losing streak. They now are 9-4 on home ice.
“It was important tonight,” said Everblades coach Malcolm Cameron. “We got some good goaltending and did a good job on the penalty kill.”
After losing two straight games earlier in the week to the Checkers, the Blades (20-8-2) were determined to get off to a fast start. That’s exactly what they did, ringing up three quick goals in the first period.
Colin Nicholson was the first to score. Just eight minutes into the game Noah Babin, the team’s newest member, fed Nicholson a nice pass from the right circle. Nicholson scored his sixth goal of the year for the 1-0 lead.
Babin, 24, joined the team after starting the year by playing 22 games with the Albany River Rats of the American Hockey League. The native of Palm Beach Gardens on Florida’s east coast is in his third professional season. He’s the first Florida-born player to skate with the Everblades in their 11-year history. The 6-foot, 185-pound blue liner toiled at Notre Dame from 2003-07.
Seven minutes later, Kevin Baker added his 24th goal of the year on a power play. Just 18 seconds after that, Ross Carlson posted his eighth goal of the year, also on a power play. Carlson beat Charlotte goalie Jeff Jakaitis (38 saves) to put the Blades up 3-0 heading into the first intermission, leaving the Checkers (16-13-2) and Jakaitis reeling from a barrage of 17 shots.
Jakaitis suffered his first loss against the Everblades this season after allowing the six goals on 44 shots.
“We knew there was a lot of game left,” said Blades forward Ryan Lang, who chipped in with a goal and an assist. “We know they have a lot of firepower and if you do make mistakes they can find ways to get back into it.”
Thanks to a two-man advantages on three occasions, the Checkers managed to crawl back into it in the second period. They scored twice to remind the Everblades of the two losses they sustained earlier in the week.
“Coach told us to stay focused,” Lang said of Cameron’s advice during the second intermission. “He said to never mind the refs and just play our game; get pucks deep, don’t turn the puck over and play solid defense at our end of the ice.”
The Blades responded and Charlotte got no closer. Unlike their last two meetings, the Blades’ defense, led by goalie David Leggio (31 saves in 34 chances), clamped down on the Checkers in the final period only giving up 10 shots. The Everblades stayed in overdrive, notching three more goals to ice the victory and halt the Checkers’ five-game winning streak.
The Everblades finished 4-of-9 on power plays, while Charlotte closed out the game 1-of-13.
With frustrations mounting, tempers boiled over as the teams engaged in a line brawl with 11 seconds remaining. Peter Metcalf and Brad Zanon each got fighting majors, as did Peter-James Corsi for Charlotte in a brawl that included both goaltenders joining the fray.
The Everblades go for two in a row over Charlotte Saturday night when the teams meet again at Germain Arena.