LAS VEGAS, Nev – Thanks to seven unanswered goals in the second and third periods, including a four goal third period, the Florida Everblades humbled the Las Vegas Wranglers Tuesday night to even the ECHL Finals series at 1.
Ryan Weston and Matt Marquardt tangle in game two – Photo by Glenn Harvey
After getting out to an impressive 2-0 lead at the end of the opening frame, Las Vegas fell flat for the rest of the game and let seven different Florida skaters score. The seven goals against represented the most goals allowed by the Las Vegas defense all season.
Starting the game on a good note, before everything went bad, Wrangler Chris Francis backhanded the rubber past Florida goalie John Muse. The score, at 10:20 of the period, from Scott Campbell and Michael Busto, started the home club off exactly where they wanted to be. Francis, a Las Vegas-native, did not even suit up for the previous night’s game and replaced Adam Huxley on the roster.
To add to the Wranglers false sense of security during the opening frame, Wrangler Judd Blackwater, from Adam Miller and Eric Lampe, lifted the puck past Mason to add to the Wranglers lead. The score, just 5:16 after the opening score, would prove to be the last Wranglers goal.
It wasn’t until 2:22 into the middle period when Florida, on a Mathieu Roy score, opened the Everblades offensive floodgates that didn’t stop until the final buzzer.
Brandon MacLean scores for Florida – Photo by Glenn Harvey
At 14:10 of the period, Justin Shugg would even the game on a wrister past Wranglers keeper Joe Fallon. Fallon, the hero of Game One, would not live up to his illustrious reputation Tuesday, letting in seven goals on 28 shots.
The eventual game winning goal was scored at 16:42 of the second period by Matt Marquardt. The goal, from Bobby Raymond and Brayden Irwin, would seal the Wranglers hopes for the night. The goal, on the power play, was tallied just seconds after a Miller slashing minor.
Four different Everblades would get two assists on the ensuing four goals with three players earning one goal and two assists.
While the Wranglers came out after the first intermission and played extremely uninspired hockey, with Floridas offensive juggernaut running circles around the home club, their cause was not helped at all by the amazingly inept calling by game referee Nick Kresbach.
Displaying some of the worst officiating seen, on both sides of the ice, Kresbach did not lose the game for the home club but did nothing to help their cause, effectively taking the game out of the players’ hands.
Trevor Bruess and Ash Goldie fight for position – Photo by Glenn Harvey
Throughout the game, Kresbach, in all his wisdom, gave Las Vegas a total of nine penalties, totaling 54 minutes. To Florida, Kresbach gave out a total of five penalty calls, totaling 36 minutes. This, however, does not include the five 10:00 misconducts given out by the referee.
Of those penalties to both teams, only Florida was able to capitalize on the man-advantage, scoring their first and game winning third goals on the advantage.
The shots, throughout the game, actually favoured Las Vegas, with the Wranglers outshooting the Everblades by a combined total of 29-28, including 12-9 in the final frame.
The series now heads to Estero, Florida and the Germain Arena for a three-game series. Game Three, being played on Friday, May 18th, will be a very deciding game in the series. Las Vegas will be looking to rebound from the embarrassing loss suffered in Game Two while Florida will be looking to carry their tons of momentum back home into a home sweep and a Kelly Cup Championship.
Contact Joel.Hoopaugh@prohockeynews.com
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