Jenks and Pistilli Return to Blades from AHL Charlotte

Estero, FL – The Florida Everblades announced Friday that winger Matthew Pistilli and center A.J. Jenks were returned to the club from their respective loans to the Charlotte Checkers—an American Hockey League affiliate of the Blades.

Pistilli, 25, signed a tryout offer with the Checkers on December 27. At the time of his move to the AHL, he was the ECHL’s leading scorer with 36 points (16g, 20a), which remains the top scoring mark for the Everblades on the season.

While in Charlotte, the Montreal, Quebec, native recorded four goals and four assists, giving him 205 career professional points. He sits 13 tallies shy of 100 professional goals.

Jenks, 23, was the Blades’ top-line center when he was loaned to Charlotte on December 5. With 16 points (7g, 9a) in 18 appearances, Jenks is fourth on the Everblades in points per game at 0.89.

Hailing from Wolverine Lake, Mich., Jenks played his amateur hockey for the Plymouth Whalers of the OHL, racking up 79 goals and 114 assists over a four-year career. He also won a gold medal with Team USA at the 2010 World Junior Championships.

In order to clear roster space for the return of the two forwards, the Carolina Hurricanes recalled winger Kellan Tochkin from the Everblades on Friday.

On the ice, Blades continue their six-game home stand Friday when they host the fifth-place Gwinnett Gladiators at 7:30pm.

It will be Paint the Ice Night as the Blades host the Glads: kids—and the young at heart—are invited to stick around after the game and head down to ice level, where they will be able to paint their own designs onto the ice, resulting in a special canvas that the Everblades will play the Gladiators on the following night.

The event is the first time fans will be able to personally design a portion of the playing surface for a game at Germain Arena.

Also during the weekend the Everblades will be wearing special Olympic-themed jerseys to celebrate the opening of the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi, Russia. The uniforms were designed by kids at the Golisano Children’s Hospital; they will be auctioned live after Saturday’s game with the proceeds going to the Lee Memorial Health System Foundation.

Tickets are now on sale at the Capital Bank Box Office, open Monday through Friday, 10:00am until 6:00pm.

Friday’s divisional dustup 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 7:15pm.

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 Blades’ next home game on February 7 for Paint the Ice Night.

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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