Blades clinch playoffs with 9th straight win
EVANSVILLE, Ind. – Matt Marquardt recorded a hat trick to lead the Florida Everblades to a 3-1 victory over the Evansville IceMen Friday night. With the win, the Everblades (42-19) clinch a berth in the ECHL Kelly Cup Playoffs. The win also is the ninth straight for Florida.
The Everblades received an early power play opportunity in the game’s first minute of play, but it was the IceMen that took advantage.
Florida’s Cameron Burt cradled the puck at the blue line, but slipped and lost an edge that led to Jarret Lukin skating the puck back the other direction. Lukin drew the Everblades defenders in close and then saucered a pass across to Justin MacDonald at the slot. MacDonald angled a backhanded shot high into the past goaltender Daniel Altshuller for the shorthanded goal.
Florida tied the game at 8:25 of the second period on the power play. Steven Whitney rifled a shot from the high slot that was tipped and redirected by Matt Marquardt high into the net past Evansville goaltender Branden Komm.
Florida grabbed the lead at 4:45 of the third period, when Jesse Graham fired a shot from the right wing that was tipped wide of the net. However, the puck bounced off the end boards and bounced directly to Marquardt at the opposite wing. Marquardt flexed the puck into the open net behind Komm to put the ‘Blades on top 2-1.
Florida held off the IceMen for the remainder of the third, and Marquardt completed the hat trick when he scored an empty-net tally with 23 seconds remaining to seal the 3-1 victory.
The win marks the 16th time in the team’s 17-year history that the Everblades have reached the ECHL postseason.
Altshuller earned the win stopping 23 of 24 shots faced,.
The teams will meet again on Saturday.