If you can’t beat them, beat on them

ESTERO , FL – This weekend saw the third and fourth consecutive games between fierce division rivals the Florida Everblades and the Augusta Lynx.   Florida previously won the last two meetings at Germain Arena.
 
Friday’s game was tame and boring compared to Saturday’s destructive frenzy at James Brown Arena in Augusta.   The Blades easily beat the Lynx twice more and paid for it physically thanks to the home team.
 
FRIDAY 11/21/08 – ( FLORIDA – 2   /   AUGUSTA – 1 )
Tonight’s win by the Blades was their seventh in a row.   The first period was scoreless even though the Blades out shot the Lynx 15-8.   Mike Brodeur was instrumental in keeping the relentless Blades out of his net and kept his team in the game.
 
The second period also saw the Lynx out shot 15-9, but a pair of goals kept the game even.   Augusta scored first on a power play at 0820.   The Lynx did not stay ahead for long as the Blades notched their own power play goal at 1150.   The goal was disputed as the net was rushed, but the goal was deemed legal and it counted.
 
Florida sealed the game up with one more goal in the third.   They also held Augusta to only four SOG’s in the final period.
 
Power Play:   Florida 1/10; Augusta 1/6.
 
In goal: (Win – David Leggio – 4-1-1 – third win in a row) / (Loss – Mike Brodeur 1-2-1)
 
Three Stars: (1-Kevin Baker – FLA) , (2-Ross Carlson – FLA), (3-Mike Brodeur – AUG)
 
SATURDAY 11/22/08 – ( FLORIDA – 12 / AUGUSTA – 0 )
If you are reading this score for the first time and had to look twice in disbelief, be comforted that you were not the only one.
 
As mentioned in the Augusta Chronicle, the Lynx were unable to beat the Blades so they decided to beat on them.   Their mantra became, “drop the puck, jump the Blades”. It only took one and one-half periods before the Lynx were losing to the Blades by a score of 8-0.
 
The August Chronicle says that Coach John Marks described his response to his team’s reaction as “embarrassing and idiotic dumb hockey”.
 
The Blades established absolute and total domination in this record breaking game.   Everblades new team records: most goals in a game (12), largest margin of victory (12), most power play goals (6), (tied) most goals in a single period (6).
 
The scoring was quick and furious with 14 of 16 skaters scoring at least one point.   Multiple point players during this game were: Kevin Baker 3 goals and 2 assists; Jacob MicFlikier 1 goal and 4 assists; Yannick Tifu 1 goal and 3 assists; Peter Metcalf 1 goal and 1 assist, plus several others with multiple assists.
 
Kevin Baker posted his fourth career hat trick to the disgust of the Augusta crowd just adding more fuel to the fire brewing on the ice.
 
The first period, notoriously the worst scoring period for the Blades, immediately changed the flow as Florida scored three goals.   Two of those were scored 38 seconds apart.
 
The second period turned mean, ugly and vicious.   Six Everblades goals caused frustration to rise and boil over into the “we just can’t take any more” mode for the Lynx.   After two goals scored again in quick succession 12 seconds apart and eight total the Lynx said “let the beatings begin”.
 
Augusta initiated two separate line brawls causing ten players to be ejected for game misconduct.   A total of 223 penalty minutes were assessed with 142 belonging to the Lynx.   One additional game misconduct was later awarded brings the total number of players ejected to eleven.
 
This blow-out win for the Blades will certainly ensure a happy bus ride to the next stop on their 17 day / 9 game road trip.   The Blades will be stopping at Augusta, Gwinnett, Reading, Trenton, Johnstown and Elmira.   They return to Germain Arena on 12/12/08.
 
Power Play:   Florida 6 / 9;   Augusta 0 / 4.
 
In goal: (Win – Anton Khudobin – 6-1-1 – sixth win in a row – second shutout of the season)    /    (Loss – Riku Helenius – left after 8^th goal scored on 22 shots.   Relieved by Mike Brodeur who stopped 16 of 20 shots allowing the Blades to score 4 more goals).                       
 
Three Stars: (1-Anton Khudobin – FLA) , (2-Kevin Baker – FLA), (3-Jacob MicFlikier – FLA)
 
CURRENT STANDINGS :  
Florida (10 – 2 – 1 ) 21 points, 1^st Southern Division
Augusta (5 – 7 – 2 ) 12 points, 6^th Southern Division
 
EVERBLADES PLAYER STATUS :
 
RETURN – Jacob MicFlikier returns from the Rochester Americans (AHL).   He played in 13 games (1 goal, 5 assists).
 
RETURN – Anton Khudobin returns from the Houston Aeros (AHL).   This was a brief call up but Khudobin saw no play action.   He played 12 games with the Aeros in 2007-2008.
 
TRADED – Kyle Petro was traded to the Mississippi Seas Wolves (ECHL) for financial considerations.   He played in 6 games (1 goal, 2 assists).
 
TRADED – Jeff Dunne was traded to the Gwinnett Gladiators (ECHL) for financial considerations.   Dunne did not play in any regular season games. 
 
Contact the author at: sharon.weatherhead@prohockeynews.com