ESTERO, Fla. – The Florida Everblades rang in 2026 in winning fashion, skating to a 3–2 victory in front of 6,417 fans at Hertz Arena on Friday night.
There was no scoring in the first period of 2026 at Hertz Arena despite a multitude of chances, including a pair of power-play opportunities for each side. Will Cranley was as advertised to open the contest, turning aside all 11 shots he faced in the opening 20 minutes and helping backstop Florida through a successful 4-on-3 penalty kill. At the other end, Jon Gillies was sharp for Orlando, stopping all eight Everblades shots. The Everblades generated their best chance while shorthanded but were unable to connect on a centering feed to Logan Will, keeping the game deadlocked heading into the first intermission.
Jordan Sambrook delivered the game’s first goal inside the opening three minutes of the second period, snapping home his first of the season on a feed from Hudson Elynuik to give Florida a 1–0 lead. The Blades’ advantage lasted just 2:38, as Tyler Bird buried a power-play goal for Orlando to even the score. Both sides continued to trade goals early in the middle frame, as Oliver Cooper pounded home an available rebound off a Gianfranco Cassaro shot just 1:43 after Bird’s tying goal to restore Florida’s lead.
The hosts continued to dictate play throughout the second stanza, extending their advantage when Craig Needham redirected a shot from captain Oliver Chau for his eighth of the season. Tensions boiled over late in the frame when Oliver Cooper and former Everblade Reece Newkirk dropped the gloves.
Florida capped a dominant middle period firing nine of the final 13 shots and nearly doubling Orlando in shots 14-9 in the frame, carrying a 3–1 lead into the final period.
The Everblades continued to push the pace to open the third period, firing six of the first seven shots of the final frame. Orlando pushed back late, cutting Florida’s lead to one on a goal from Jack Adams with under four minutes remaining in regulation. Moments later, the Solar Bears pulled their goaltender for the extra skater, but the Blades survived a frantic finish as Will Cranley turned aside the final four shots he faced to preserve the victory.
These two teams will battle once more Saturday night with a 7 p.m. ET faceoff to conclude the weekend series for Marvel Super Hero Night, presented by NCH.
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