ESTERO, Fla. – Kyle Penney’s multi-point performance powered the Florida Everblades to a 3–1 win over the South Carolina Stingrays in front of a Hertz Arena home crowd of 4,787.
The Blades struck first just 6:46 into the first frame when Kyle Penney delivered a quick pass from behind Stingrays Goaltender Mitchell Gibson’s net to Oliver Cooper for an early lead. South Carolina managed to beat Blades goaltender Cam Johnson, but officials waved the tally off after a review showed a Stingrays high stick, leaving them still trailing by one. The home squad wasted no time extending the goal gap when a blue line shot on goal from Kyle Betts bounced off Gibson’s right pad, giving Carson Gicewicz enough time and space to pick up the rebound. Florida ended the first period leading in shots 19-2.
The Stingrays flipped the script 5:46 into the second period after a quick release from Patrick Guzzo snuck past Johnson to split the Blades’ lead in half. The rival’s goal was the lone marker of the period, pulling them within one, while the Blades maintained a 29-12 edge in shots.
Florida regained control early in the final frame when Penney collected his own rebound off the boards and fired a wrist shot for his second point of the night, his first multi-point performance in an Everblades sweater.
After 60 minutes, the Blades closed out a 3–1 win with Johnson turning aside 21 of 22 Stingrays shots. Florida generated 39 attempts of their own, with Gibson stopping 36 and sealing the Blades’ victory.
The two teams will face off again this Friday, November 19, for a 7:30 p.m. puck drop as part of their two-game series at Hertz Arena.
BLADES BITS
- Penney had the first multi-point game of his career.
- Quinton Burns and Anthony Beauchamp both played their first home game with Florida.
- Burns had the first fight of his career in the first period.
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