NORTH CHARLESTON, SC – Five separate players scored goals for the Florida Everblades (24-6-1-2, 51 points) to help lead the team to a 5-2 victory over the rival South Carolina Stingrays (20-8-3-1, 44 points) Saturday afternoon at the North Charleston Coliseum.
The Everblades needed just 48-seconds to take a 1-0 lead in the contest. Michael Kirkpatrick skated into the attacking zone, and was knocked down, but still managed to send a pass from his knees to an onrushing Joe Cox. Wasting no time, Cox ripped his wrist shot past the glove of Parker Milner.
Just over three minutes into the first period, the Everblades special teams went to work, converting a power play strike to make the score 2-0. Cycling the puck around inside the Stingrays zone, Cox managed to find Zack Kamrass all alone at the right side crease. Kamrass blasted the puck past a diving Milner and into the net.
Florida took a 3-0 lead just over a minute later, as Nelson Armstrong buried a rocket shot past the glove of Milner. Keegan Kanzig got the puck over to Armstrong along the left wing boards. Armstrong rifled a shot over Milner’s shoulder and sent it into the back of the net.
Just 26-seconds later, Tyler Ganly scored on the breakaway to give the Everblades a 4-0 lead. Intercepting a pass, Ganly moved quickly as he broke all alone into the attacking zone. Ganly deked to the backhand and flipped his shot over Parker Milner and into the net. Following the goal, South Carolina replaced Milner in goal with Adam Carlson. Milner exited the game allowing four goals on five shots.
South Carolina finally stunted the Everblades momentum and made the score 4-1 midway through the opening frame. Kelly Zajac managed to find Steven Whitney alone near the face of goal, and Whitney buried his point blank chance past Everblades goaltender Callum Booth.
The Stingrays cut the Everblades lead to just two as Tommy Hughes made the score 4-2. Tim McGauley grabbed the puck behind the Everblades net and found Hughes all alone in the slot. With Booth caught out of position, Hughes had no issue firing his shot into the open net.
Nolan LaPorte gave the Everblades a commanding 5-2 lead after he forced a turnover inside the attacking zone, LaPorte moved towards the left wing circle and banged his shot off the post and past Stingrays goaltender Adam Carlson.
While the Stingrays would add a late goal, South Carolina could do no more, allowing the Everblades to coast home and earn the 5-3 win.
Booth played extremely well and earns the win in goal for the Everblades, stopping 20 of the 22 shots he faced. Milner had a night to forget in goal for the Stingrays, allowing four goals on four first period shots. Carlson was stellar in relief for South Carolina, allowing only one goal on 28 shots.
The Everblades now head to the Infinite Energy Arena Sunday afternoon to take on the rival Atlanta Gladiators. Puck drop is scheduled for 2:05 p.m. Eastern Time.
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