JACKSONVILLE, FLA — John McCarron scored a power-play goal with less than eight minutes left in the third period and Jamie Phillips turned away 21 shots to lead the Florida Everblades to a 4-2 win over the Jacksonville Icemen on Friday night at Veterans Memorial Arena.
Florida (3-3-1-0, 7 points) scored twice in the first period and twice in the third to hand the Icemen (5-1-0-0, 10 points) their first loss of the season.
With the game knotted at two, McCarron propelled the Everblades ahead with his second goal in as many games. Zach Nastasiuk set up the goal with his second point of the night, finding McCarron in the low slow with a centering pass from behind the goal line. McCarron hammered it past Jacksonville goaltender Tanner Jaillet to make it 3-2 with 7:55 to play in the game.
McCarron then helped seal the deal on Joe Cox’s empty-net goal with less than 30 seconds to play. Working the puck off the wall in his own zone, McCarron sprung Cox free on a breakaway. Cox deposited the puck into the empty net with just 21 seconds left.
Florida started the scoring less than 10 minutes into the opening period to set the tone. After a faceoff win by Tommy Thompson, Jordon Southorn fired a shot from the high slot that tipped off a Jacksonville player and rolled in behind Jaillet. Perched at the side of the net, Nastasiuk stashed the loose puck home for a 1-0 Everblades lead.
The Everblades doubled the advantage to two with defenseman Josh Wesley’s goal off a zone rush, assisted by Steven Lorentz and Kyle Platzer only 3:48 after the game’s initial goal. The tally was the first of the season for Wesley.
Jacksonville scored each of the next two goals to tie the game at two, though the tallies came two periods apart. With the Icemen on the power play, Wacey Rabbit deflected Dajon Mingo’s initial point shot to trim the deficit to one with 21 seconds left in the first.
Kayle Doetzel then slid a rebound past Phillips at the 6:40 mark of period three to draw the game even at two.
Phillips allowed two goals or fewer for the fourth straight start to begin the season and improved to 3-1-0-0. Jaillet made 25 saves in his first loss of the season.
Florida aims for its first series sweep of the season on Saturday night, facing the Icemen at 7 p.m. at Veterans Memorial Arena.
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