Blades begin thinking playoffs
With just 22 games left in the regular season and a comfortable 17-point lead in the ECHL’s American Conference South Division over second-place South Carolina, it’s not too early for the Florida Everblades to start thinking about the playoffs.
For some it may seem a bit premature, but not when you consider the stats.
Through Saturday’s 3-1 victory over the Cincinnati Cyclones at Germain Arena, the Everblades lead the league in points (72) and wins (35); are tops in the league is goals for (3.9) and second in goals against (2.52).
The Blades’ power play is tops in the league, with a 26.2 percent conversion rate, and their penalty kill is third overall, stopping opponents 88.8 percent of the time.
Individually they are just as impressive.
Team captain Kevin Baker leads the league in goals (42), total points (76), game-winning goals (8) and power-play goals (20).
Defenseman Peter Metcalf leads all defensemen in total points (46) and assists (40) and both David Leggio and Anton Khudobin rank among the top 10 goaltenders in the league at second and seventh, respectively.
Throw in the fact the Blades made the playoffs last year with just 86 points and it’s very easy to see why they consider themselves starting a playoff run in mid-February instead of the usual mid-March.
“These games have been playoff like intensity,” Blades coach Malcolm Cameron said after Friday’s game with the Cyclones.
“If there is anything we have to nip in the bud it’s our penalties,” Cameron said.
The Blades are second in the league in total penalty minutes with 1,122.
“The aggressive ones I can live with,” said Cameron, “but it’s the hooking, the holding, the punches and the slashes Retaliations are the biggest thing and opposing teams know (when they play us) that if you get under our skin, we will retaliate and give our opponents chances on the power play.”
The Blades are on the road all this week for three games against the Charlotte Checkers, followed by a game at Gwinnett Sunday before returning to Germain Arena on Feb. 25 to open a three-game stretch against the Johnstown Chiefs.
The Everblades will host their first “Pink in the Rink” night to benefit breast cancer research on March 6 when they host the Mississippi Sea Wolves.
The Blades will wear special “Pink in the Rink” themed jerseys that will be auctioned off following the game with proceeds to be split between the Cancer Alliance of Naples, Cape Coral Relay for Life and the Deb Kelsey Foundation.
In addition, Blades forward Ernie Hartlieb will donate his hair to Locks of Love, which provides donated hair to financially disadvantaged children battling cancer in the US and Canada under the age of 18. Hartlieb will have his hair cut by his mother, Randa, who owns a hair salon in Michigan.
Fans interested in donating their hair are invited to participate after the game as well. Fans must make sure their hair meets the specific guildlines set by Locks of Love (see www.locksoflove.org).