DULUTH, GA – Mike Aviani scored twice and added an assist to help lead the Florida Everblades to an 8-2 victory over the Atlanta Gladiators at the Infinite Energy Center Tuesday evening. Florida closes out the five-game road swing with a 4-1 mark.
Florida got off to a flying start, assuming a 3-0 lead after the first 20 minutes of play. The Everblades grabbed their first goal of the game on the power play. Brant Harris picked up a rebound at the top of the crease and backhanded the puck into the net past former Everblades goaltender Matt Ginn.
Ethan Werek extended the lead to 2-0 when he caught the puck in front and dangled around the goaltender Ginn, and then lifted a shot high into the net for the tally.
Florida grabbed one more tally before the end of the first break when Mike Aviani tipped and redirected a Corey Syvret shot low into the net to put Florida’s third goal on the board.
Just 57 second into the middle frame, Justin Agosta hurled a shot that clipped underneath the cross bar and in to put the score at 4-0.
Atlanta got on the board just two minutes later when Justin Buzzeo tapped one in from the top of the crease, but the Everblades quickly quelled the Gladiators momentum, when Matt Willows called his own number on a 2-on-1 rush into the zone and wristing a shot past Ginn to put Florida on top 5-1.
Following the goal, Ginn exited the game allowing five goals on 20 shots faced. Another former Everblade manned the pipes for Atlanta, as Andy Iles entered the game in relief of Ginn.
Thomas Frazee kept the Gladiators in it with an even-strength marker at 6:57 of the third, but it would not be enough as the Everblades tacked on three more goals in the final stanza.
Evan Bloodoff and Gabriel Desjardins both added goals, while Aviani added his second of the game to seal the 8-2 win.
Daneil Altshuller earns the win in goal stopping 22 of 24 shots. Ginn takes the loss allowing five goals on 20 shots, while Iles stopped six of nine shots faced in a relief effort.
After a five-game road swing the Everblades return home to open up a five-game homestand which starts this Friday and Saturday against the Idaho Steelheads.
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