Dominant Special Teams Key Blades’ 6-2 Rout

Bakersfield, CA – The Florida Everblades rode a 3-for-6 night on the power play and a perfect penalty kill to a 6-2 clobbering of the Bakersfield Condors Saturday at Rabobank Arena to extend their season-opening win streak to four games.

A.J. Jenks got the offensive party started for the Blades on a 4-on-4, grabbing a Mike Little rebound and wiring it past Condors goalie Paul Karpowich for his first goal of the year and a 1-0 Everblades lead 8:01 into the game.

Danick Gauthier followed up on the power play for the visitors, finishing a picture-perfect back door pass from Mike Cornell inside the short post 2:56 after Jenks’ opening tally to double the edge to 2-0.

Blades netminder Jesse Deckert helped his own cause in the final two minutes of the first, placing a long clearout to neutral ice that sprung Brandon MacLean on a shorthanded breakaway that the assistant captain cashed in for a 3-0 Florida advantage heading into the first intermission.

Matthew Pistilli tacked on the visitors’ second power play goal 3:12 into the second, bombing a Little rebound home, padding the lead to 4-0 and chasing Karpowich from the Bakersfield net in favor of backup goalie Tyler Bunz.

Red-hot rookie Kyle Bonis victimized Bunz with 7:18 to go in the middle frame, popping in a Carl Nielsen rebound to make it 5-0 Everblades.

Gauthier put an exclamation point on the six-goal outburst, making it 6-0 with his second power play goal of the night with 1:37 left in the second.

Louke Oakley and Ryan Garlock each scored for the Condors in the third, but it wasn’t nearly enough as the Everblades cruised to a 6-2 victory Saturday to improve to 4-0-0-0 on the young season.

Deckert added 26 saves to his first-period assist to secure his second win; Karpovich registered just 7 saves in defeat.

The Blades’ four-game West Coast swing continues Sunday with a return trip to Citizens Business Bank Arena for a 6:00pm EST rematch with the Pacific Division-leading Ontario Reign.

Sunday’s grudge match will be broadcast locally on FOX Sports Radio 1350 AM and worldwide online on America ONE, the internet television provider for the ECHL, at www.americaonesports.com. Pregame coverage will get under way at 6:45pm.

2013-14 Season Ticket Package Information

Ticket packages for the 2013-14 season are currently on sale—and going fast!  Full season packages begin at $380, while 10 and 20 game packages start as low as $160. Sign-up for a new season ticket package today, and receive a $20 gift card per seat to Outback Steakhouse!

For more information call 239-948-7825, or stop by the Everblades main office located at Germain Arena.

Office hours are Monday – Friday 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

The Everblades are the proud ECHL affiliate of the Carolina Hurricanes and Tampa Bay Lightning.

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