ESTERO, Fla. – The Florida Everblades scored three second-period goals to take a 3-2 lead, but the Orlando Solar Bears scored early in the third period and went on to claim a 4-3 shootout victory Wednesday night at Hertz Arena. The Blades settled for one point in the league standings and closed out a 3-0-0-1 homestand.
The South Division rivals spent the better part of the opening period looking to establish momentum, and business picked up eventually just over 15 minutes into the frame. Unfortunately, Orlando claimed that momentum, potting a pair of goals to take a 2-0 lead into the first intermission. Alex Frye got the Solar Bears on the board with a successful breakaway goal at the 15:03 mark, while Darik Angeli added to the visitors’ lead just over three minutes later.
Florida returned the favor – and did one better – with a trio of second-period goals to take a 3-2 lead. Two of the squad’s top producers teamed up for the first goal, as Bobo Carpenter (3:20) got the Blades on the board with his team-high 21st goal of the season on a blast from the slot, with Joe Pendenza’s notching his club-leading 22nd assist.
Will Reilly (15:07) picked up the equalizer with a beautiful unassisted tally as he weaved through traffic and claimed his fifth goal of the year.
Oliver Chau scored for the fourth-straight game, collecting his 15th goal of the campaign. With 49.9 seconds on the clock, a streaking Chau took a cross-ice feed from Carpenter right in front of the Orlando goal to give the Everblades the team’s first lead of the night heading into the second intermission. Pendenza also picked up his second helper of the game.
Orlando would respond early in the third frame, as Jimmy Mazza scored just 1:30 into the period to even the score at 3-3. Florida’s best opportunity came on the only power-play enjoyed by either team, as the Blades had a man-advantage in the final five minutes of regulation, but could not score as the game went into overtime.
In overtime, both teams controlled the tempo for different portions of the seven-minute extra frame. Orlando would go on the power play with 2:23 left due to the Everblades being whistled for too many men on the ice but could not score, sending the contest to a shootout.
Orlando would get shootout goals from Frye in the first round and Jesse Jacques in the third round, while Sean Josling converted for the Everblades in round two, as the Solar Bears claimed the extra point in the standings.
The Everblades outshot Orlando 31-24 in regulation – and 34-30 through overtime – winning the shot battle in each of the three periods.
Cam Johnson (15-9-3-2) stopped 26 shots for the Everblades, while Brandon Halverson (11-8-3-1) earned the win for Orlando with 31 saves.
With a 3-0-0-1 homestand in the books, the Everblades now head north for three games in three days, with the road trip getting started in Jacksonville. The Blades will lock horns with the Icemen at 7:00 p.m. on Friday, February 16. Following the pitstop in North Florida, the Blades will head up the coast for a pair against the South Carolina Stingrays on Saturday, February 17 at 6:05 p.m. and Sunday, February 18 at 3:05 p.m.
The Everblades will return to Hertz Arena to close out February with a three-game set against the Worcester Railers on Wednesday February 21, Friday, February 23 and Saturday, February 24. Puck drop for the first two games will be 7:30 p.m., while Saturday’s matchup will begin at 7:00 p.m.