'Blades earn point in overtime loss to Stingrays

ESTERO, Fla. — The Florida Everblades fell to the South Carolina Stingrays in overtime by a score of 3-2 on Friday night at Hertz Arena.

BOX SCORE

Patrick Gaul scored on a breakaway with just six seconds remaining in the extra session to lift the Stingrays (11-9-0-0, 22 pts.) to the victory over Florida (10-5-4-0, 24 pts.).

Despite the overtime loss to South Carolina, the ‘Blades extended their unbeaten streak to seven games (5-0-2-0) and earned a standings point to secure sole possession of second place in the South Division.  

Florida started the scoring as Blake Winiecki stripped a Stingrays player of the puck along the boards. He crashed the net with Zach Nastasiuk, and Nastasiuk banged home the rebound to give the ‘Blades a 1-0 lead with 4:45 to play in the first period.

The Stingrays tied the game two minutes, 57 seconds into the second period on a delayed penalty. Moments after the Stingrays drew a penalty in Florida’s end, they caused a defensive breakdown in front of the net. Shane Eiserman snuck in behind the 'Blades defense outside the right side of the crease, and Christian Horn sent a pass across the crease to him for the tap-in behind Florida goaltender Jeremy Helvig.

The Stingrays took their first lead of the game just 48 seconds into the third period. Tad Kozun found Jonathon Charbonneau alone at the edge of the left circle, and he ripped a one-timer past Helvig to give South Carolina a 2-1 lead.

Florida captain John McCarron pulled his team even with just more than 10 minutes left in regulation on his sixth goal of the season. McCarron crossed the blue line, fought off a Stingrays player and whipped a shot on net that squeezed its way through South Carolina goaltender Parker Milner and rolled over the goal line to tie the game once again.

Milner stole the game for the Stingrays, coming up with 38 saves on 40 shots, to improve to 6-4-0 on the season.

Helvig received the overtime loss, allowing three goals on 22 shots.

Florida will seek to earn five of six possible points in the series when it hosts the Stingrays for the finale of the three-game set on Saturday at Hertz Arena at 7 p.m.

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The Everblades are the proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes