JACKSONVILLE, FLA – The Florida Everblades scored four goal in the third period to defeat the Jacksonville Icemen 5-1 in Game 5 of the South Division Semifinals at Vystar Veterans Memorial Arena on Saturday, April 20th.
After taking some time to settle into the game, both teams exchanged scoring opportunities in the final half of the first period, but goaltenders Ken Appleby and Callum Booth made the necessary saves.
Before the close of the opening frame, Jacksonville grabbed the game’s first goal. Cam Maclise raced to the puck in the corner and fed a perfect pass to Jake Randolph at the top of the crease. Randolph batted the puck at point blank range past Booth to give the Icemen a 1-0 lead heading into the second period.
Florida countered late in the second period when Ben Masella accepted a drop pass just above the right circle and hammered the puck on a hard slapshot past Appleby to even the game at 1-1 at the second break.
The Everblades found their stride just 1:15 into the third period when Justin Auger delivered a cross-crease pass to Blake Winiecki who finished off the play by tapping the puck into the net.
Nearly a minute later, Florida extended its lead to 3-1 following an Icemen turnover in their own end. Matt Finn grabbed the loose puck and led a 2-on-1 rush down the slot before setting up Grant Arnold on the back door for the tally.
Winiecki potted his second goal of the period at 8:33, while Masella record his second goal of the game when he cleared the puck down the ice for the empty-netter to seal the 5-1 win. 
Text courtesy of Jacksonville Icemen
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