Second period barrage gets Everblades back into win column

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ESTERO, FLA – The Florida Everblades (33-14-0-2) turned in a 4-1 victory over the Greenville Swamp Rabbits (21-15-9-3) on Wednesday night at Hertz Arena. The Blades scored three goals in the second period to take control of the game, and Joe Pendenza netted his 12th and 13th tallies of the season.

FIRST STAR: Joe Pendenza (FLA) – two goals, two shots, PLUS-2

SECOND STAR: Myles Powell (FLA) – one goal, two shots, PLUS-1

THIRD STAR:Alex Kile (FLA) – one goal, two shots, PLUS-1

The Everblades pulled out to a 1-0 lead in the first period when Pendenza buried a Cole Sanford rebound at the 13:27 mark. Florida won possession after a hard forecheck, and Pedenza swatted Sanford’s rebound into the net from middair.

Five and a half minutes into the second period, Myles Powell rifled a shot past Greenville goaltender John Lethemon to give Florida a 2-0 lead at 5:33 of the period.

Florida built an even larger lead with just over two minutes left in the second. Alex Kile exploded up the middle on a breakaway and yanked the puck to his backhand to lift it past Lethemon at 17:4. Kile’s 16th goal of the season gave the Blades a 3-0 lead and tied the forward’s career high.

The goals kept coming late in the second, and the Everblades took a 4-0 hold of the game on a shorthanded goal from Pendenza at 18:48. With Greenville on a power play, Lethemon wandered out of the crease to play the puck in the Swamp Rabbits zone. Hugo Roy got to the disc first and fed Pendenza in front of the net for Florida’s fourth goal of the night. Pendenza now leads the ECHL with four shorthanded goals on the season, and the Everblades pace the league with 13 shorthanded tallies as a team.

Greenville’s Liam Pecararo broke the shutout for Florida goaltender Jake Hildebrand with a wrist shot late in the third period at the 15:14 mark. Hildebrand earned his 17th win of the season with 25 saves on 26 shots.

The Everblades square off against the Swamp Rabbits again at Hertz Arena on Friday, April 16 at 7:30 p.m.

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