O’Donnell powers Blades’ win
DULUTH, Ga. Brendan O’Donnell scored twice while Kevin Lynch added a goal and an assist to lead the Florida Everblades (37-19-0-2, 76 pts) to a 4-1 victory Thursday night at Atlanta.
The Everglades (37-21) maintained their one-point advantage in the ECHL’s South Division standings
The Everblades opened the scoring by taking advantage of traffic in front of the Atlanta goal midway through the opening period. Rob Florentino fired a slap shot through that traffic toward the net. Getting his stick on the puck, Jon DiSalvatore deflected Florentino’s shot past Atlanta goaltender Matt Ginn and into the net.
Atlanta (29-30) wasted no time tying the game, needing just under four minutes. A big hit from Joe Stejskal forced a turnover in the Gladiators’ zone. Patrick D’Amico took the puck down the ice and bat a defender one-on-one before wristing a shot past ‘Blades goaltender Rasmus Tirronen.
The ‘Blades took advantage of the fast pace in the second period, taking a 2-1 lead midway through. O’Donnell deked across the crease, waited for Ginn to make the first move and stuffed the puck around him for the score.
In the third period, the Everblades took advantage to extend their lead to 3-1. Fighting for the puck at the top of the crease, O’Donnell got his stick on it and shoved it through the five hole.
The Blades lead grew to 4-1 midway through the final period. Again it was O’Donnell sliding a centering feed to a charging Kevin Lynch, who snapped a quick wrist shot into the top corner of the net.
Tirronen earned the win, stopping 23 of the 24 shots he faced. Ginn, a former Blades tender, took the loss allowing four goals on 30 shots.
The Blades are back in action Friday at South Division foe Greenville Swamp Rabbits.