ESTERO, FL – Mitchell Heard and Michael Kirkpatrick each posted three-point performances to lead the Florida Everblades to a 4-1 victory over the Atlanta Gladiators in Game One of the South Division Semifinals at Germain Arena Monday evening. Florida takes a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven playoff series.
After one period of play, the two teams remained scoreless. However, Brett Bulmer broke the scoreless tie for the Everblades at 7:35 of the second period just moments after their power play ended. Heard corralled a rebound in the right circle before sending the puck to the slot for Bulmer who whipped a shot past Vladar to give the Everblades a 1-0 lead.
The Gladiators tied the game on the power play with just 1:27 to play in the second period. A scramble in front of the net for a loose puck found its way through Ouellette’s five hole off a shot from Alex Rauter. With two periods of play in the books, the Everblades and Gladiators remained tied at 1-1.
Heard regained the lead for the Everblades at 8:24 of the third period, to his team a 2-1 edge. On a seemingly harmless play, Heard crossed the blue line and stayed put above the circle with the puck. Two Florida trailers rushed into the zone causing the Gladiators defenders to drop down low. Heard then took the opportunity to wrist a shot from the point through traffic that beat Vladar low on his glove side.
Everblades forward Kirkpatrick took a penalty with just six minutes to play, but it was the Everblades who capitalized with a shorthanded goal from birthday boy John McCarron. From the left circle, Spencer Smallman got Vladar to bite on a fake shot attempt before he sent it across the middle of the ice to McCarron waiting for the one-timer that Vladar was unable to save. The goal gave the Everblades a 3-1 lead with 5:21 to play.
The Everblades found themselves on another penalty kill with just under four minutes to play after Justin Kea received a goaltender interference call after accidentally running into Vladar during a scoring chance on a partial breakaway. Trailing by two goals, the Gladiators pulled Vladar to set up an extra attacker while on the power play to take a 6-on-4 advantage.
On the ensuing power play, the Gladiators registered their first shot of the third period with 3:45 to play in the game. However, with 28 seconds remaining, Heard passed the puck to Kirkpatrick who sunk the empty-netter to cap off theEverblades 4-1 win.
Ouellette earned the win stopping 20 of 21 shots faced, while Vladar was stellar in the loss, turning aside 45 of the 48 shots faced in the contest.
The two teams will meet again on Tuesday, April 17th for Game 2 beginning at 7:30 p.m. at Germain Arena.
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