Royals trump Blades 5-3
It was a tough 5-3 loss – literally and figuratively – for the Florida Everblades at the hands of the Reading Royals Wednesday night at Germain Arena.
“We had a great opening shift,” said Everblades coach Malcolm Cameron. “We dressed our big guys, we went out and set the tone early in the period and then we just had some passengers.”
Reading was first to get on the scoreboard, but the Blades carried a 2-1 lead into the first intermission after an entertaining back-and-forth opening period. First Ryan Lang and then Jacob Micflikier scored for the Blades less than three minutes apart over the final five minutes of play.
At the start of the second period, Reading answered quickly, tying it 2-2 when Ben Gordon beat Blades starting goalie Barry Brust (27 saves) just 12 seconds in as Florida came unglued.
The Blades (7-6-2) retook the lead when Ross Carlson, returning to Germain Arena for the first time this year after suffering an injury in the first week of the season, notched his first goal of the year on a power play to put Florida in front a minute later.
It took some time, but the Royals (8-4-2) got back into it 12 minutes into the period, beating Brust twice in a three-minute span before the game turned physical with a trio of center-ice fights that turned momentum back to the Everblades.
They were unable to capitalize, however, wasting the energy thanks to that undisciplined play and turnovers in the neutral zone. It allowed the Royals to take control in the third period, scoring twice to seal the victory.
“That third period was completely undisciplined,” said Cameron. “As undisciplined a game as I’ve ever coached. I’ve never seen a team who is down a goal take six or seven straight penalties like we did “
The Blades face the Royals again Friday and Saturday nights.