Blades Take On Mask of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde

ESTERO, FL – In a recent issue of the The Hockey News, the hockey magazine has predicted the Florida Everblades will win the ECHL’s coveted Kelly Cup.   After the pre-season games, we were almost a true believer.
 
Since that weekend, the Blades have taken on a persona of their own, that of the infamous Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.   It would be harder to determine who they were emulating each night, except that the pattern has been: Friday night wins, Saturday night loses.
 
This pendulum swing is not what new Head Coach Malcolm Cameron is

looking for. In fact, Cameron has had closed door meetings to enforce the issue of work ethic and dedication.   There has also been at least one non-scheduled Sunday practice to try and drive the point home.
 
Cameron has been very vocal in his displeasure with the team and has made it very clear both physically and verbally just how disappointed he is.   You can bet Cameron won’t accept this level of play and poor effort.
 
So far Cameron has tried changing lines in order to mix up the team and has replaced veterans with rookies.   His team is fundamentally good – very good in fact, but, they are looking very much like a work in progress; a team that is seeking to find its true identity.  
 
This is definitely not the same Blades team as last year.   Only two original Blades are on the roster: crowd favorite Ernie (“Big Ern”) Hartlieb and “Bad Boy” Brad Herauf.  
 
Season Opener
(Friday October 17^th – win 5-2)
In the first weekend of the 2008-09 season, the Everblades played on home ice in Germain Arena.   The Blades gave a solid performance and placed good continuous pressure on their opponents, the Charlotte Checkers.
 
(Saturday October 18^th – loss 3-1) 
Saturday’s game was completely different.   The Checkers rebounded with strong defensive play and kept the Blades off-balanced the entire game.
 
(Friday October 24^th – win 5-3)
Once again, the Blades looked very good by getting off to a quick start against the South Carolina Stingrays and took the lead within the first 5 minutes of the first period.
 
(Saturday October 25^th – loss 4-1)
Want to guess which way the pendulum swung today? The Blades were sluggish and got outworked to the point of embarrassment.   A natural hat trick by Stingrays rookie Michael Dubuc sealed the fate for the Blades.
 
(Friday October 31^st – OT loss 3-2)
Friday night brings out the best of the Blades. They came out strong, but the tide shifted after the midway point of the first period.   The Stingrays got much more aggressive and finally scored first.   The game was tied at the end of regulation, but the Stingrays scored in overtime.
 
 
(Saturday November 1^st – win 5-2)
Easily the Blades best effort of the season, especially with their special teams.   Four power play goals and one short handed goal gave the Blades their first road win of the season.
 
COMMENTS:   Although the Blades have looked much better of late, they still have a ways to go.   Areas to consider improvement: power play, penalty kill, taking too many penalties, learning to work together, working harder with a more dynamic work ethic and most important of all, improving the consistency of their play.
 
Coach Cameron has his work cut out for him.   However, he has a solidgroup of players that have demonstrated in the past that they possess the talent.   They just need to learn to work together as a team and improve their communication with each other out on the ice.
 
STATISTICS:  
Points Leader – Jonathan Paiement – 7 points
Goals Leader – Danick Bouchard – 3 goals
Assists Leader – Mark Lee – 6 assists
 
GOALIES:
Anton Khudobin (3^rd Year Pro) – 3 games (2.68 GAA, 0.899 S%)   Currently: 2/1/0
David Leggio (Rookie) – 3 games (2.95 GAA, 0.914 S%) Currently: 1/1/1
 
NHL PROSPECT: ( Florida Panthers)
James DeLory (RW) Rookie
Big player (6 foot 5 inch, 225 pounds), strong and punishing, former defenseman now learning to play forward.   Drafted by San Jose Sharks, 4^th round, 98^th, in 2006.   Acquired as a free agent in 2008.   Played his first weekend with the Blades this past weekend.
 
Contact the author at: sharon.weatherhead@prohockeynews.com