ESTERO, FL – The Florida Everblades hosted the Toledo Walleye for a three game set this weekend. Although the won the first game handily (6-1) they were strongly dominated and outplayed by the Walleye for the next two games of the series. Somehow, the Blades pulled a sweep out of the series with a “hat trick” of sorts: Regulation win, overtime win, shootout win.
Prior to the game, Florida’s leading scorer, Jacob MicFlikier said, “When we play in front of our fans maybe there will be more emotion on our side, a little emotional boost will help”. It looks like they got what they asked for.
WEDNESDAY – NOVEMBER 11, 2009 – Florida Everblades = 6 / Toledo Walleyes = 1 This is the second meeting between the two teams this season. The Blades scored first due to a good bounce off the end boards capitalized on by Rob Hennigar at 13:38 if the first period. Ernie Hartlieb extended the lead to 2-1 at the end of the period.
The Blades started the second with a 5-on-3 advantage and added a power-play goal by Rob Hennigar at 7:46. About seven minutes later Elgin Reid scored on a well played two-on-one extending the lead to 4-0. The Blades were in a commanding position going into the locker room for the break.
The third period saw some serious scuffling and Mathieu Roy was assessed a double minor and a game misconduct. Benjamin Breault stretched the lead to 5-0 at 9:32 of the third. Mike Morrison’s chance at a shutout was extinguished as Toledo finally got their one and only goal of the game at 9:53. The spoiler was Walleye, Justin Hodgman. The final goal of the game was scored by Florida’s Jacob MicFlikier.
The Blades felt they played well tonight. “We were moving it quickly (the puck). We weren’t holding on, not taking a split second,” said forward Rob Hennigar (who scored two of the six goals).
FRIDAY – NOVEMBER 13, 2009 – Florida Everblades = 4 / Toledo Walleyes = 3 – SHOOT OUT Tonight the Walleye opened the scoring with about a minute left if the first period. The scoreless tie was broken by Toledo’s Adam Hobson. In addition, he snapped Toledo’s 0-for-10 power-play streak against the Blades. Florida’s Ryan Lang scored less than a minute later with only eight seconds left on the clock. The teams went to the break tied at 1-1.
Toledo once again had a 5-on-3 advantage and allowing Evan Rankin to put them up 2-1. The Walleye dominated the play but were unable to score again in the second. The period ended with Toledo ahead 2-1.
Florida evened the score at 7:13 with a goal by A.J Thelen on the power play. Less than a minute later the Blades finally took the lead as Rob Hennigar scored, making the score 3-2. Toledo was not to be outdone and once again pulled even at 17:23 with a tally by Adam Hobson.
The game went to overtime with a rather unusual start: 3-on3 hockey. Matching minors by Florida’s Lang and Toledo’s Stokes created the situation. The game remained tied and to the delight of the crowd, went to a shoot out.
Florida’s Jacob MicFlikier and Ahren Spylo scored; Toledo’s Bryan Ewing scored – Florida wins 4-3.
SATURDAY – NOVEMBER 14, 2009 – Florida Everblades = 5 / Toledo Walleye = 4 – OVERTIME Toledo tried to open the scoring early, but had a goal disallowed at 14:11 after a Walleye slid into Florida’s goaltender – Morrison. Although once again Toldeo dominated the Blades and outshot them 19-6 in the first period, the score was tied at zero at the break.
Toledo did open the scoring at 3:28 of the second as Jamie Milam scored a short-handed goal by taking advantage of a Blades error. Less than two minutes later Blades newcomer, Ahren Spylo, scored his first Everblade goal, tying the game at one each. At 7:01 the Walleye took the lead courtesy of Adam Hobson. Florida answered as Jordan Morrison tied the game at 2-2. The teams exchanged goals once more before the end of the second with goals by Florida’s Scott Hotham and Toledo’s Tommy Lange. The period ended tied 3-3.
The Blades went ahead in the third with a goal by A.J Thelen. But, once again, Toledo matched it with a tally by Tommy Lange at 12:37. The game ended in regulation with the teams tied at 4-4.
The Blades were victorious at Scott Hotham scored a power play goal to seal the win at 5-4.
The series was definitely not their best; however Florida’s Scott Hotham (who scored two goals and the game winner) said it best. “We may not have played our best hockey, but we found a way (to win).”
NOTES:
JACOB MICFLIKIER (Florida-LW/Forward) was named the ECHL Sherwood Hockey Player-of-the-Week for 11/2 – 11/8. He had 4 goals and 9 points in 3 games with a +9 rating. He leads the Everblades with 6 goals and 14 points in 7 games.
BARRY BRUST (Florida- Goal) has been loaded to the Everblades from the Minnesota Wild (NHL) by way of the Houston Aeros (AHL). He was a third-round draft pick of the Wild in 2002. He has played in 11 HLD games back in 2006-07 with the Los Angeles Kings. (He is paired with Mike Morrison, Florida Everblades goalie. Morrison also has NHL experience with several teams).
AHREN SPYLO (Florida-LW/Forward) was recently signed by the Florida Everblades. A 2002, third-round draft pick of the New Jersey Devils, Spylo played in Russia last season. He was involved with the Russian Kontinental League (KHL), playing for the Moscow Chekov Vityaz.
FLORIDA’S NEXT GAME: Wednesday, November 18th, in Estero, FL against the Reading Royals.
Contact the author at: sharon.weatherhead@prohockeynews
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