Blades dealt worst home defeat 7-2
It was a bad night for the Florida Everblades, who suffered their worst defeat on home ice this season to the Gwinnett Gladiators 7-2 Saturday night at Germain Arena.
Gwinnett scored early and often on the Blades, beating netminder Andy Isles three times on seven chances over a nine-minute span of the first period.
Blades coach Greg Poss had an explanation for each of those goals.
“The first period wasn’t that bad,” he said. “We gave up four scoring chances and three were in the back of our net because (on the first) we don’t touch the puck on an offsides. On the second goal, we had the puck on our stick twice, in front of the net. We tried clearing it twice, right to them, and they end up shooting it in. The last goal was a 1-on-2, where we backed in and screened our own goalie.”
Down 3-0 heading into the second period, the Blades looked to get into a grove, but bad defensive play and turnovers led to two more goals in the opening 3:22 of the period. It sent Isles to the bench in favor of Allen York.
Despite the team responding to the move with a goal by Mike Little 4:18 into the second, Gwinnett beat York twice before the intermission, carrying a dominating 7-1 lead into the final period.
“It was just one of those nights where we weren’t executing,” said Poss. “Every mistake we made, they scored on.”
Chris Kushneriuk tallied the Blades’ second goal, in the third period, to continue his hot streak over the last two weeks.
The loss is the worst of the season for the Everblades, who rode a five-point streak into Saturday’s loss.
The Blades (25-9) have their midseason break this week before hitting the road for three games next weekend against division rivals. They return to Germain Arena on Jan. 28 when they face the South Carolina Stingrays.