Greenville Edges 'Blades in Wild Third Period

GREENVILLE, SC – The Greenville Road Warriors scored two goals in a one minute span late in third period to defeat the Florida Everblades 5-4 at Bon Secours Wellness Arena Thursday evening.  Greenville snapped a three-game winning streak for Florida.

It took just 25 seconds for the Everblades to score on Thursday, as Stefan Della Rovere steered the puck to the top of the crease to Evan Bloodoff who wristed the puck past goaltender Jason Missiaen for goal.

Just moments later, the Road Warriors evened the game at one on a goal by Sean Berkstresser, who found the puck in the crease during a scramble and tapped it into the net past Florida netminder Mac Carruth.

Greenville added one more before the end of the opening period, when Andrew Rowe tipped and redirected an Andrew Yogan shot to give the Road Warriors a 2-1 lead after the first period.

Things remained relatively quiet f\or the majority of the second period, until Rowe recorded his second tally of the game at 18:06 of the period.  Rowe took the puck on a turnover in the Everblades end and flipped a shot past Carruth on the shortside to put Greenville on top by two after 40 minutes of play.

Florida stormed out of the gates in the third, and scored three unanswered tallies.  The first came on the power play as Kyle Bonis crashed the net and shoved a loose puck in the crease past Missiaen for the goal to pull the ‘ Blades within one.

Another wild scramble in front, led to a goal by Philip-Michael Devos.  The ‘Blades crashed the net once again, and Devos poked at the puck under the leg pad of Missiaen, and steered it across the goaline to tie the game at three.

Florida capped off the rally at 15:25 of the period when Kyle Bonis delivered a pass to a wide open Brandon MacLean at the top of the crease.  MacLean angled the puck sharply over the shoulder of Missaen to give the Everblades the 4-3 advantage,

The Road Warriors then orchestrated a rally of their own, and evened the game at four on a tipped shot.  Andrew Rowe’s shot from the point was tipped in the low slot by Josh Nichols.  The puck redirected from high to flat on the ice, slid between the legs of Carruth at the 17:44 mark of the period.

Just 59 seconds later, Greenville grabbed the lead back.  A shot toward the Everblades net appeared to be controlled under the pad of Carruth, but the Road Warriors continued to crash the net, and Mike Marcou knocked the puck across the goaline for the eventual game-winning marker.

Missiaen earns the win making 27 saves on 31 shots, while Carruth takes the loss allowing  five goals on 33 shots faced,

The two teams will meet again on Saturday at the Bons Secours Wellness Arena at 7:00 p.m. The game 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.

The ‘Blades return home on Wednesday, March 26 against Evansville. Game time is 7:30 p.m. Fans can enjoy $2 hot dogs, $2 Bud Light drafts, and $2 Barefoot Wines for the game.

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

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