ESTERO, Fl – The Florida Everblades started their end-of-year road trip on a positive note, winning three of four possible points in their first two games. SATURDAY – December 26, 2009 at Charlotte – Time Warner Cable Arena Florida 3 – Charlotte 0 The Charlotte Checkers ruined the fun for Florida fans a few weeks ago by not allowing the Blades to score. Florida returned the favor as they shut-out the Checkers on Saturday evening. Tonight’s game promotion was the annual Teddy Bear Toss. This annual event is when the crowd throws Teddy Bears onto the ice after the first home team goal. The Teddy Bears are gathered and later distributed to needy children during the holidays. In the first period, Florida newcomer Matthew Pistilli perfectly placed a rebound off a shot by Mathieu Roy. The goal put Florida on the board, ultimately the game-winning-goal, with a power play tally at 15:11. The second period started with Ross Carlson scoring a goal that was disallowed. It seemed as if this pushed him to repeat the feat and was successful with his power play goal at 14:03. The rest of the period was literally loaded with penalties. Fighting, cross-checking, unsportsmanlike conduct, game misconduct – you name it. The Blades led 2-0 going into the second break. The only scoring during the third was again by the Blades, at the very end of the period. Numerous penalties, much like the second, dominated the play. Another newcomer, Paul Healy, a very experienced player (with NHL time), closed out the period with an empty net goal at 18:33. Florida wins game one of their road trip: 3-0.
Everblades – Mike Morrison
Mike Morrison is the game winning goalie, stopping 15 of 15 shots, and his first shutout for the season. The loss goes to Ryan Munce, who stopped 44 of 46 shots.
Florida ’s power play was two for fifteen, while
Charlotte was zero for seven. SUNDAY – December 27, 2009 at Gwinnett – The Arena at
Gwinnett Center Gwinnett 3 –
Florida 2 in Overtime Game two of the
Florida road trip was against fierce rivals, the Gwinnett Gladiators. Gwinnett opened the scoring with a quirky goal by Tim Miller. A deflected puck came off a players skate and found the back of the net at 10:56.
Florida’s Ryan Lang had an opportunity to skate alone, unchallenged, and fired the puck into the back of David Brown’s net at 15:37. The teams were tied 1-1 at the end of the first. The second period looked at lot like last night’s game; multiple fighting penalties, mostly five-minute majors. After the scuffling calmed down, the scoring began.
Florida’s Shea Guthrie scored a power play goal at 7:58, giving
Florida their first lead of the game. Guthrie handled a rebound that came flying out of midair. A little over six minutes later, Aaron Brocklehurst scored at 14:08 to tie the game. The second break left the teams tied at 2-2. Period three was rather calm with only one minor penalty and no scoring. The teams had a short break and prepared for overtime. Gwinnett’s Matt Siddall ended the game at 1:48 of the overtime period. His goal scored on a rebound shot from Brocklehurst.
Florida loses game two of their road trip 3-2, in overtime. Gwinnett’s goaltender David Brown stopped 47 of 49 shots on goal for the win, whil Mike Morrison got the loss, stopping 34 of 37 shots.
Mike Morrison
was one for three in the power play, while Gwinnet was zero for two. MOVES: Ernie Hartlieb – returns to
Florida from AHL Matthew Pistilli – RW – from Albany River Rats AHL to
Florida Everblades Ian Vigier- G – Emergency Back-up – from Columbia Cottonmouths SPHL to Florida Everblades Bryan Leitch – LW – from
Milwaukee Admirals AHL to
Florida Everblades NEXT GAMES: Road trip game three: Tuesday 12/29 against the Gwinnett Gladiators; Road trip game four: Thursday 12/31 against the South Carolina Stingrays. Contact the writer at:
sharon.weatherhead@prohockynews.com Contact the Photographer at
rob.huelsman@prohockeynews.comRelated
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