DULUTH, GA – Brendan O’Donnell and Mitchell Heard each scored two goals and added an assist to help lead the Florida Everblades (40-15-2-3, 85 points) to a 7-4 victory over the rival Atlanta Gladiators (23-28-6-2, 54 points) Tuesday night at the Infinite Energy Arena. The win extends the Everblades lead in the South Division to ten points. Florida closes the four-game road trip with a 2-2-0 mark.
Getting on the board less than four minutes into the contest, the Everblades took advantage of an offensive zone faceoff to jump out to a 1-0 lead. After a faceoff win, the Everblades’ Heard sent the puck right over to O’Donnell. Setup in the slot, O’Donnell spun around and backhanded his shot right past the leg pad of Atlanta goaltender Matt Ginn.
Atlanta took advantage of a turnover inside the Florida zone midway through the first period and tied the game up at 1-1. Battling down in the corner, Florida sent the puck across towards the middle of the ice. A.J. White picked up the loose puck and fired a shot that was initially stopped by Florida goaltender Anthony Peters. However, Mark Naclerio picked up the rebound and chipped his shot right behind Peters for the goal.
Less than two minutes after Naclerio’s goal, Florida would bounce back and re-take the lead on a great effort from Logan Roe inside the attacking zone. After skating the puck into the zone, Roe showed some patience with his shot. With Ginn screened behind his own defenseman, Roe flipped his shot over the goaltenders glove and into the net.
The Everblades extended their lead to 3-1 on a great solo effort from O’Donnell. O’Donnell muscled his way through some Gladiator defensemen on his way towards the net and a snapped his shot through the five-hole of Ginn and into the back of the net.
The Everblades extended their lead to 4-1 less than two minutes into the middle frame. Working the puck behind the Atlanta net, O’Donnell got the puck to Michael Kirkpatrick. Following a nice spin move to bring the play back to the right wing side, Kirkpatrick sent the puck towards the front of the net. With Ginn having no idea where the puck was, Heard buried his chance for a goal.
Late in the second, Atlanta scored right at the end of their power play chance, making it a 4-2 score heading into the intermission. A scramble ensued out in front of the goal to try and collect the loose puck, Tyler Murovich gained possession and quickly shoveled it over the sprawled out body of Peters.
The Everblades responded and stunted any momentum the Gladiators may have had as Steven MacAulay scored in his fourth straight game to put Florida up 5-2. Working a give-and-go with Dalton Smith in the neutral zone, MacAulay was sprung on a breakaway attempt. Roofing his wrist shot, MacAulay blasted the puck high into the top corner of the net.
Still refusing to go away, the Gladiators continued to try and mount a comeback attempt, by converting on their second power play of the game. Atlanta’s Derek Nesbitt led a pure team effort inside the Florida zone to cut the Everblades lead to just two. Josh Atkinson setup Nesbitt for a one-time chance. Ripping a hard shot, Nesbitt sent the puck right between Peters and the post.
Later in the third, John McCarron was in the right place at the right time as he scored the sixth goal of the game for the Everblades. Matt Berry skated from circle to circle and chipped the puck towards goal. Bouncing off of McCarron’s stick, the puck curled right between the standing legs of Ginn and into the net.
Adding a seventh goal less than 40-seconds later, Mitchell Heard netted his second tally of the game, giving Florida a commanding lead midway through the final frame. From the right wing side, Heard used some pin point accuracy as he snapped a shot top shelf past the glove of Ginn.
Atlanta did add a fourth tally with less than six minutes remaining in the game, but still came up short in their attempt to come from behind in the third period. With the clock hitting all zeros, the Everblades took a hard earned 7-4 victory in the final game of their current South Division road trip.
Peters played extremely well in goal for the Everblades, earning the win after stopping 40 of the 44 shots he faced. Ginn made some solid saves but had an overall tough night in goal for the Gladiators, suffering the loss after allowing seven goals on 36 shots.
The Everblades return home on Friday night to kickoff Guns and Hoses Weekend with the first in a pair of games against the Wawa Sunshine Cup rival Orlando Solar Bears. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Eastern time.
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