Everblades rip Gladiators 8-2, return home to host Idaho
Despite a misstep or two along the way the Florida Everblades have managed to maintain their place at the top of the ECHL’s South Division standings.
Including a two-game sweep of the Solar Bears last weekend in Orlando, the Blades (9-4) sit five points ahead of the Atlanta Gladiators (6-4) and South Carolina Stingrays (6-6).
The Blades, who went 4-1 on their current road trip, whipped the Gladiators 8-2 Tuesday night to end the road trip and now return to Germain Arena for a five-game homestead with Idaho and Wheeling that starts Friday night.
Mike Aviani scored twice and added an assist to help lead the Blades past the Gladiators.
Florida assumed a 3-0 lead in the first period. The Blades grabbed their first goal of the game on the power play. Brant Harris picked up a rebound at the top of the crease and backhanded the puck into the net past former Everblades goaltender Matt Ginn.
Ethan Werek extended the lead to 2-0 when he caught the puck in front and dangled around the goaltender Ginn, and then lifted a shot high into the net for the tally.
Florida scored once more before the end of the period when Aviani tipped and redirected Corey Syvret’s shot.
Just 57 second into the middle frame, Justin Agosta hurled a shot that clipped underneath the cross bar and in to put the score at 4-0.
After Atlanta got on the board when Justin Buzzeo tapped one in from the top of the crease, the Everblades quelled the momentum change when Matt Willows called his own number on a 2-on-1 rush and wristed a shot that put Florida on top 5-1.
Following the goal, Ginn exited the game allowing five goals on 20 shots faced. Another former Everblade manned the pipes for Atlanta, as Andy Iles entered the game in relief of Ginn.
The night belonged tothe Everblades, who tacked on three more goals in the final stanza.
Daneil Altshuller earned the win in goal stopping 22 of 24 shots.
In Orlando, Florida goaltender Anthony Peters made 41 saves to spur the Everblades to a 3-1 victory over the Solar Bears Sunday. The win gave the Everblades a 4-0 lead in the in-state season series for the “Wawa Sunshine Cup.”
The Blades handed the Bears their first home loss of the season Saturday 3-2 in front of 7,511 fans. Altshuller preserved Saturday’s win for the Blades.
Defenseman Logan Roe, a Fort Myers native and second-ever Southwest Florida native to play for the Everblades, collected his first professional point by assisting on the first goal Sunday night.