ESTERO, FLA — Florida Everblades goaltender Ken Appleby made 24 saves, but Taylor Cammarata scored 1:33 into overtime to lift the Orlando Solar Bears to a 1-0 win on Wednesday at Hertz Arena.
In the first meeting with Orlando (21-18-5-1, 48 points) since November 14th, Florida (30-11-3-2, 65 points) outshot the Solar Bears by 10 (35-25), but Zachary Fucale made 35 saves to halt the Everblades’ eight-game winning streak.
There were a number of new faces for each team to adjust to since the most recent meeting in mid-November, and the two teams played an even tilt game into the first intermission with a 0-0 score.
Through 40 minutes, it was much of the same in terms of strong defensive play. Appleby turned out seven shots in the second, and Fucale made nine saves. The ‘Blades took a slight 22-18 shot advantage into the third period of play, but the score was still deadlocked at zero, as the two teams both entered the third period scoreless for the second time in the season series.
The Everblades had a strong advantage in possession in the third and outshout the Solar Bears by six (12-6). But Florida was unable to solve Fucale, which forced overtime.
Cammarata scored the lone goal of the game 1:33 into the overtime period to give the Solar Bears the win. With Patrick McCarron trying to play the puck back into the Everblades defensive zone, Cammarata managed to steal it and push it toward the slot. Appleby attempted to poke check the puck by coming out of his crease, but he was unable to get all of it. Cammarata then had an open cage to seal the game.
Blades Bites: The Everblades have not taken part in a game that has gone to overtime scoreless since the 2008-09 season, a stretch of 11 seasons without such a contest. After a scoreless regulation against the Augusta Lynx on November 14, 2008, Florida went on to win, 1-0, in a shootout on home ice… The Everblades are now 23-1-1-0 in games where they allow less than three goals… The Everblades extended their point streak to nine games (8-0-1-0), which is tied for the third-longest point streak in the ECHL this season… Florida was shut out for the third time this season and the first time since December 7th. All three opposing shutouts have come on home ice.
Up Next: Following an off-day on Thursday, Florida begins a stretch of three games in three days with a Friday night matchup against the Greenville Swamp Rabbits.
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