Blades open lead on Stingrays with sweep
NORTH CHARLESTON, S.C. – Corey Cowick, Evan Bloodoff, Ethan Werek and Ryan Martindale all scored as the ECHL’s South Division-leading Florida Everblades (21-9) took two games from the second place South Carolina Stingrays (15-13) with a 4-1 victory Saturday night.
The Blades now lead the Stingrays by nine points in the South standings.
The Everblades once again opened strong. With less than 30 seconds remaining in the first period, the ‘Blades won a faceoff in the attacking zone. Picking up a rebound at the left wing circle, Cowick circled around the back of the net. Emerging on the right wing side, Cowick wristed a shot past the screened Stingrays’ goaltender Mark Dekanich to give the Everblades a 1-0 lead.
Though the second period began opening offensive end for both the Blades and the Stingrays, quality saves by both keepers Mark Dekanich and Rasmus Tirronen kept the middle frame scoreless.
Following a similar script as Friday night’s contest, the Blades entered the third period up 1-0. Unlike the previous night’s game, it was the Blades going on the offensive.
Thanks to two quick penalties on the Stingrays, the Blades went on a 5-on-3 power play. At the 1:58 mark of the period, Werek fired a shot on goal. Initially saved by Dekanich, the rebound bounced right to the front door where Bloodoff was waiting to bury the puck in the back of the net.
Down but not out, the Stingrays scored a power play tally of their own. An initial shot by Brendan Ellis was saved by Tirronen. The rebound popped out in front of the net where it was shuffled to the right wing circle by David Pacan. Waiting for a diving defender to move past, Pacan unleashed a low shot that managed to find its way between the defender and Tirronen and into the net.
The momentum did not last long for the Stingrays. Less than two minutes after Pacan’s goal, the Blades regained a two-goal lead. Streaking into the zone, Werek found Matt Willows on a give-and-go at the right wing circle. Receiving the puck back in the slot, Werek went top shelf on a wrist shot to put the ‘Blades back up by two.
South Carolina was unable to answer. Even with the goaltender pulled in favor of the extra attacker late in the game, the Stingrays never found a way to get the puck past Tirronen. In the end, it was the Everblades who took advantage of the empty net situation when Martindale bagged a late goal to seal the 4-1 win.
Tirronen earned his second win is as many games for the Blades, stopping 19 of 20 shots.
The Everblades return to the ice Dec. 27 when they visit the Orlando Solar Bears in the fourth game of the Wawa Sunshine Cup and the final game of 2015.