NORFOLK, VA – Joe Pendenza scored the game-tying goal and the game-winning goal, as the Florida Everblades rallied from a 2-0 lead to earn a 4-2 victory over the Norfolk Admirals Wednesday night at Scope Arena to lift the lid on a three-game series between the ECHL South Division rivals. 
The hosts weren’t overly hospitable in the early going. Norfolk opened the scoring just 5:18 into the game, as Chase Lang collected his team-leading eighth goal of the year off assists from Alex Tonge and Cody Milan for the game’s only tally in the first period.
In the second period, the Admirals wasted no time doubling their lead, with Kyle Rhodes collecting a power-play tally just 1:24 into the middle stanza. Darien Craighead and Anthony Gagnon picked up the helpers as Norfolk went ahead 2-0.
Florida’s offense soon clicked after that early goal, as Bobo Carpenter tipped in a shot by Chris McKay at the 4:37 mark of the second frame after a pass from Alex Aleardi up top put the Everblades into position to strike. Carpenter’s goal was his fourth of the season.
Pendenza made it a brand-new game, taking a pass from a streaking Zack Solow in the Naples’ native’s first appearance for the Everblades in 2021-22, and banging it home at 8:03 of the middle period to tie the score at 2-2.
The Pendenza show would continue into the third period, as the Wilmington, Mass. native picked up his second goal of the night at the end of a scramble in front of the Norfolk net at the 8:05 mark for a power-play goal. Aleardi earned his second assist of the game, to give Florida its first lead of the game, 3-2.
Aleardi added an empty-net goal to end the scoring at 4-2 in favor of the Everblades. Cam Johnson’s return to the crease for the Everblades was a successful one, as he made 21 saves and earned his fourth win of the year. The visiting Everblades outshot Norfolk 34-23. With the victory, the Everblades improved to 7-0-2-1 on the road in 2021-22 and 9-6-2-3 overall this season.
The Everblades and Admirals will take a night off before they meet up again Friday night for the second game of their three-game series that wraps up Saturday. Both remaining contests will get underway at 7:30 p.m.
The next home game for the Blades will take place on Wednesday, December 15th as the Atlanta Gladiators skate into Hertz Arena for a 7:30 p.m. tilt.
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