ESTERO, FL – The Florida Everblades received third period tallies from Michael Ferrantino and Brant Harris to slip past the Manchester Monarchs by a score of 3-2 Saturday night at Germain Arena. The Everblades (23-7-1-2, 49 pts) take all three games on the week against Manchester (21-10-1-2, 45 pts).
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The Monarchs opened the game with a physical presence and struck first at 11:37 of the first period when Teddy Doherty delivered a shot from the left wing circle that deflected off teammate Joe Diamond and clipped into the net past Florida goaltender Anthony Peters. The Monarchs took the 1-0 lead into the first intermission.
Florida netted the equalizer at 8:12 of the middle frame when Evan Bloodoff skated into the zone on the right wing and cut to the slot. Bloodoff hurled a wrist shot that ripped past the glove of Manchester goaltender Jonah Imoo to even the game at 1-1.
The Everblades grabbed the lead at the 8:30 mark of the third when rookie forward Michael Ferrantino executed a highlight reel goal. Ferrantino buzzed into the zone on the left wing side and slid around the defender with a deke move at the circle. Ferrantino then flipped a shot from the side of the net that managed to find the top shelf for the go-ahead marker.
The ‘Blades found some breathing room in the final two minutes of play when Brant Harris won a race to the puck at center ice and fought off a check to create a breakaway chance. Harris broke in on goal, deked to the backhand at the top of the crease, and then swung the puck around the leg of Imoo to put Florida ahead 3-1.
With 30 seconds remaining in regulation, the Monarchs pulled the goaltender to allow for the extra attacker and it paid off. Kevin Morris found himself with the puck in the slot and snapped a shot from close range past Peters to pull within one. However, the Blades held off the Monarchs in the closing seconds, and earned the 3-2 victory.
Peters takes the win allowing two goals on 26 shots, while Imoo takes the loss allowing three goals on 26 shots faced. With a goal in the game, Brant Harris extended his point scoring streak to an impressive 12 games.
The Everblades continue the home stand next week when they play host to rival South Carolina on Wednesday (Jan. 11), Friday (Jan. 13) and Saturday (Jan. 14). Promotional details listed below.
Upcoming Home Games & PromotionsWednesday, January 11 vs. South Carolina, 7:30 p.m. – $2 Wednesday! Enjoy $2 draft beers, $2 wines and $2 hot dogs all night long! Wednesday's are also College Night! College students receive a $5 ticket w/ free parking when they present their college ID at Germain Arena.
Friday, January 13 vs. South Carolina, 7:30 p.m. – Kids eat FREE in the Breakaway Sports Pub with the purchase of an adult entree!
Saturday, January 14 vs. South Carolina, 7:00 p.m. – Canadian Night presented by TD Bank. Pregame tailgate from 5-7 p.m. featuring live music and bounce houses. A great night to bring the kids!
Ticket Information
Game Tickets: Everblades tickets may be purchased at the Florida Community Bank Box Office located at Germain Arena, or at any Ticketmaster outlet, or online atwww.ticketmaster.com2016-17 Season Ticket Plans Now Available! Full and flexible partial season ticket plans are currently available for the 2016-17 season. We offer several tickets packages designed to help fit your budget and schedule.
Special Offer! Purchase any new ticket package for the 2016-17 season, and receive an Everblades jersey t-shirt and a $20 gift card from Ford's Garage! Locations include Cape Coral, Downtown Fort Myers and Miromar Outlets in Estero.
Discounted Group Tickets: Bring your group of 10 or more to a game at a discounted price, and you may also receive an Everblades souvenir! Group tickets are available for all home games. For more information on group tickets, call 239-948-7825.
This release courtesy of Fort Myers Technical College & Cape Coral Technical College
The Everblades are the proud ECHL affiliateof the NHL's Carolina Hurricanes###