McCarron OT goal gives Everblades win over Greenville

ESTERO, FL – John McCarron scored the game-winning goal just 38 second into overtime to lead the Florida Everblades to a 3-2 comeback victory over the Greenville Swamp Rabbits Friday night at Germain Arena.

Greenville controlled much of the first period as they spent the majority of their time in the Everblades end. The Swamp Rabbits broke the tie at 13:36 after a 2-on-1 rush gained the Everblades zone. A shot from behind the goal line off the stick of Fort Myers local and FGCU alum Daniel Echeverri bounced off the backside of Callum Booth and a battle for the loose puck ensued in the crease. Shane Walsh was able to chip it the back of the net to give the Swamp Rabbits a 1-0 lead.

The Everblades started out the second period with a roll over 5-on-3 power play. However, the Everblades were unable to score on either power play despite the good look down low from Mitchell Heard, as Heard was robbed by the glove of Greenville netminder Brad Barone.

The Swamp Rabbits carried the momentum off the penalty kill and translated it into a goal with a shot-pass from the left point from Wade Murphy that found Guillaume Naud outside the crease. Naud battled against Matt McKenzie before chopping at the puck to beat Booth and extend the Greenville lead to 2-0.

The Everblades gained some momentum of their own as they got on the board right after killing off a penalty to Clark Seymour. Heard battled hard on the puck in the offensive zone down low before shouldering off of a Swamp Rabbit player below the circle and making his way to the slot. Heard then sent the puck right back to where he skated from to Zack Kamrass who blasted a one-timer through the wickets of Barone to bring the Everblades within one midway through the second.

Brett Bulmer tied the game with just 10.8 seconds remaining in the second period with a shot right following a faceoff win by McCarron that quickly relayed to Bulmer for a quick wrister that knuckled past the glove of Barone to tie the game at two at the second break.

The Everblades were all over the Swamp Rabbits in the third period, outshooting the Swamp Rabbits 14-0. It marked the second time in club history the Everblades did not surrender a single shot on net in a period. The first time took place on January 7, 2005 in the third period of a game at South Carolina.

Despite the Everblades dominate performance in the third period, Barone bailed out the Swamp Rabbits to force overtime with regulation ending tied 2-2.

McCarron continued his personal dominance (6 goals, 3 assists in 4 games played) of the Swamp Rabbits by scoring the game-winner just 38 seconds into overtime off a ripper of a shot from the right circle that beat Barone through his five-hole to put an end to the goaltender’s strong play and complete the 3-2 comeback victory.

Booth earned the win stopping 13 of 15 shots, while Barone took the loss allowing three goals on 43 shots to finish with 40 saves.

The two teams will meet again on Saturday at Germain Arena at 7 p.m.