Blades Blanketed at Home in 4-1 Defeat

Estero, FL – The Florida Everblades couldn’t find enough offense at home Friday, falling at Germain Arena to the visiting Colorado Eagles by a score of 4-1.

Colorado got started quickly Friday, getting on the board 6:50 into the game as Eagles forward Trent Daavettila collected a Florida turnover and walked to the front of the net before flicking a backhander in over the blocker of Blades goalie Trevor Cann for a 1-0 lead for the visitors.

Winger Kyle Ostrow stretched the Eagles’ advantage to 2-0 with 4:34, deflecting a point shot from Jonathan Parker in traffic through Cann’s five-hole.

Cann and his Colorado counterpart, Marc Cheverie, stood tall in the second, combining for 16 stops to keep the score 2-0 through two periods.

Early in the third, the Eagles pushed the lead out to 3-0 on the power play as defenseman Daniel Johnston grabbed a Riley Nelson faceoff win and fired it through traffic and in.

Florida finally got on the board with 4:04 left in the game as John Henrion redirected an Olivier Dame-Malka shot over Cheverie’s right leg pad and in, cutting the lead to 3-1.

When the Everblades pulled Cann for an extra attacker, Colorado’s Kevin Ulanski capitalized on the vacated cage, lofting a 60-footer into the empty net with 1:36 to go to give the game its final score of 4-1.

Cann, making just his second start for the Blades, made 17 stops in defeat. Cheverie turned aside 33 of 34 Florida shots to secure his 11th win of the season.

The two sides will reconvene Saturday for a 7:00pm rematch—their final meeting of the 2013-14 regular season. It will be IBERIABANK Teddy Bear Toss Night, as fans are encouraged to bring stuffed animals and throw them on the ice following the Blades’ first goal of the game; all stuffed toys thrown onto the ice will be donated to children in need across Southwest Florida.

Saturday’s rematch will be broadcast live online at FloridaEverblades.com and on the Everblades’ app for iPhone, iPad and iPod Touch, with a video webcast available through America ONE, the official broadband and mobile broadcaster of the ECHL, at www.americaonesports.com. Pregame coverage will get under way at 6:45pm.

Beat the Box Office!

Don’t want to pay the box office rate for Everblades tickets? You don’t have to! Save up to $7.00 per ticket with great 10 and 20-game flex plans and group rates for the remainder of the 2013-14 campaign. Lock in your flex plan or group seats now for the IBERIABANK Teddy Bear Toss on Saturday.

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.###