JACKSONVILLE, FLA – The Jacksonville Icemen scored twice in the third period to tie the game, but a Hunter Garlent tally lifted the Florida Everblades to the 3-2 victory at Veterans Memorial Arena on Wednesday, December 11th. The Icemen’s point streak ended at five games.
The Everblades got on the board first during a Jacksonville power play opportunity. Florida’s Patrick McCarron gained possession of the puck in his own and noticed Joe Pendenza had slipped behind the Icemen defenders. McCarron delivered a long pass to springboard Pendenza on the breakaway. Pendenza slipped a backhand shot over the shoulder of Icemen goaltender Adam Carlson.
Early in the second period, the Everblades extended their lead to 2-0 when John McCarron cruised uncontested to the top of the crease as flipped backhand shot past Carlson for the tally. Florida took the two-goal edge into the second intermission.
The Icemen gained momentum at 3:50 of the third period with a power play marker from Brendan Warren. Garret Ross hammered a slap shot from the right wing circle that squeezed through the five-hole of Florida goaltender Ken Appleby and stopped on the goal line. Warren raced to the crease and swiped the puck across the line for the goal to pull Jacksonville within one.
Three minutes later, the Icemen netted the tying goal. Jacob Cederholm raced into the zone with the and feathered a pass across to Pierre-Luc Mercier in the slot. Mercier curled a shot high into the corner of the net to even the score at two.
The Everblades quickly countered 90 seconds later as Hunter Garlent picked up a loose puck just below the left wing circle and snapped a point blank shot into the Jacksonville net for the go-ahead goal.
The Icemen set up several quality scoring chances in the final minutes of the contest, but Florida would fend off the attack and hold on for the 3-2 win. 
Text courtesy of Jacksonville Icemen
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