ESTERO, FL – The Everblades have left the warmth of the Florida sun for a cold northern road trip. They also left the warmth of a family Thanksgiving dinner behind. Their first stop on a seven game road trip was Wednesday night in Wheeling, against the Nailers. WEDNESDAY – 11/25/09 – ( FLORIDA:4 – WHEELING:1) Florida opened the first period with strength and focus, a positive change for the team that was expected to dominate the league this season. Ross Carlson opened the scoring with an even strength goal at 9:09. Ryan Lange added to the score with a short-handed goal, putting the Blades up 2-0 at the end of the first period. Former Nailer, now Everblade, Jordan Morrison, scored the only goal of the second period, extending Florida’s lead to 3-0 at the break. Wheeling started the third with multiple penalties giving Florida a good power-play opportunity. It was taken advantage of by new-comer Harrison Reed at 5:14. A five-on-three power play for the Nailers allowed them to score their only goal at 9:16 by Thomas Beauregard. The game ended with Florida out on top, winning 4-1 at WesBanco Arena in Wheeling, West Virginia on Thanksgiving Eve. Goal tender Chris Beckford-Tseu ( Florida) took the win stopping 19 of 20 shots, while Wheeling’s Jordan Parise made 23 of 27 saves. FRIDAY – 11/27/09 – ( FLORIDA:6 – TOLEDO:3) This was the seventh meeting of the season between the Everblades and the Walleye. Florida’s second road game of this trip was played at Lucas County Arena in Toledo, Ohio. Florida scored first with a power-play goal by Ryan Lang at 8:43. Toledo’s Jean-Claude Sawyer tied the game at 18:03 at the end of the first period. Florida fought back and quickly took a two goal lead. The first, at 5:47, was by captain (and last season’s ECHL leader) Kevin Baker. The second was by new-comer Dylan Stanley at 6:52. Toledo fought back again, adding two goals of their own. The first goal was by Adam Hobson at 7:36 and the second at 16:13 by Evan Rankin. Not satisfied with going to the break tied, Florida’s Harrison Reed added a power-play tally at 19:36 to end the period once again in the lead at 4-3. The Walleye were done scoring for the night, but Florida was not. Two more goals in the third gave the Blades plenty of breathing room. Goals by Jordan Morrison at 6:28 and Ernie Hartlieb at 14:14 gave Florida another win, ending the game 6-3. Florida ’s net-minder Barry Brust had stopped 26 of 29 shots on goal, while Toledo’s Billy Sauer made 32 of 38 saves. Rob Hennigar of the Florida Everblades was promoted to the Albany River Rats (AHL) and Harrison Reed was assigned to the Florida Everblades. Additionally Dylan Stanley, who played last season in Germany was signed. Contact the writer at: sharon.weatherhead@prohockeynews .com
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