Everblades brace for Solar Bears
When the Florida Everblades skate onto the ice at Germain Arena Friday night to face the Orlando Solar Bears, they will be missing defenseman Tyler Ganly, who was recalled to the Charlotte Checkers of the American Hockey League (AHL).
The Everblades (28-12) and Solar Bears (17-20) renew their Wawa Sunshine Cup series which the Blades lead 5-2. The in-state rivals face each other seven more times this season.
The first 100 kids in attendance on Friday receive a free ticket to Disney’s Frozen On Ice performance at Germain Arena in March. Special Frozen-themed jerseys worn by the Everblades will be auctioned off after the game.
Atlanta chopped two points off the Blades’ lead in the ECHL’s South Division standings with a win earlier this week, but the Blades still enjoy a five-point cushion.
Goaltender Anthony Peters has started 10 consecutive games, posting seven wins and is 2-2 against the Solar Bears during that stretch.
The Bears have won seven of their last 10 games, including their only two wins this season against the Blades on Jan. 1-2. The Bears’ recent surge is due in part to goaltender Ryan Massa, who is 5-0 in January.
The Bears leave town after just one game and don’t return until Feb.10. The Blades, who haven’t played since last Saturday, are idle for another seven days before Greenville visits Germain Arena for two games to finish off the current six-game homestand.
Ganly, 22, was acquired on Dec. 9 when the NHL?Carolina Hurricanes reassigned their 2013 sixth-round draft choice to the Blades. The 6-foot-2 rookie appeared in 15 games for the Blades with one assist during his stay.