ESTERO, Fla. – The Florida Everblades surrendered the first three goals of the contest before Joe Pendenza answered with two goals of his own, but the Blades fell to the Orlando Solar Bears 4-2 in the rubber game of a three-game series before 6,255 fans Saturday night at Hertz Arena.
Orlando jumped out to a 2-0 first-period lead, netting a pair of goals less than two minutes apart. Ryan Cox’s first goal of the season came midway through the Solar Bears’ first power-play opportunity of the night at 5:28, followed by a Bennett MacArthur even-strength tally at 7:10. Both players’ goals were their first of the season.
Cox registered his second goal of the game just shy of the four-minute mark of the middle period, extending the visitors’ lead to 3-0. The Everblades were finally able to solve Orlando netminder Brandon Halverson with 3:57 to play in the period, as Pendenza fired home his second tally of the year with Sean Josling and Nathan Staios picking up the assists. Florida turned the tables on Orlando, outshooting the Solar Bears 17-6 in the middle 20 minutes, after trailing in the shot department 13-7 after the first period.
With the Everblades’ goal empty late in the third period, Pendenza collected his second goal of the game at the 17:39 mark to trim Orlando’s lead to 3-2. Josling added his second helper of the contest, while Bobo Carpenter also picked up an assist.
Orlando tacked on an empty net goal from Luke Boka at 18:50 of the final frame.
The Everblades outshot Orlando 16-5 in the third period to claim a 40-24 edge in shots on goal on the night.
Everblades netminder Evan Cormier (2-1-0-0) made 20 saves and suffered his first setback in three games this season, while Halverson (3-2-0-0) made 38 saves for Orlando and earned a second-straight victory.
With the four-game homestand complete, the Everblades will hit the road for four South Division matchups, including the team’s first trip outside the Sunshine State. The Blades will visit the Greenville Swamp Rabbits for three games in three days starting on Friday, November 10 at 7:05 p.m. Following the three-game set in the Palmetto State and a pitstop in Orlando on Wednesday, November 15, the Everblades will return to Hertz Arena for a two-game set with the Atlanta Gladiators on Friday, November 17 at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, November 18 at 7:00 p.m. Visit floridaeverblades.com for more information and to purchase tickets.
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