NORFOLK, Va. — The Florida Everblades (8-5-2-0, 18 pts.) continue a three-game series against the Norfolk Admirals (9-6-0-1, 19 pts.) on Friday night with a 7 p.m. matchup at the Norfolk Scope.
VITALS:Game 16: Everblades at NorfolkWhen: 7 p.m. ETWhere: Norfolk ScopeWatch: ECHL.tvListen: WJBX Social: Twitter | #FLAvsNOR
Last Time OutFlorida ran its season-high winning streak to three games with a 4-2 victory over Norfolk on Wednesday night. Four different players scored in the victory as Derek Sheppard, Mitch Vandergunst, Kyle Platzer and Shane Walsh found the back of the net. Jamie Phillips earned his second straight win, and second straight road victory, with an individual season-high 31 saves.
Players to WatchKyle Platzer (FLA) – Platzer has registered all three of his multi-point games over his last three contests and has nine points in his last nine games. After going nine games without a goal, Platzer has tallies in back to back games.
Matt McMorrow (NOR) - McMorrow registered his third goal of the season in the Admirals' 4-2 loss on Wednesday. Two of McMorrow's three goals this year have come against the Everblades. The second-year forward has eight points (3g, 5a) in 16 games in the 2018-19 campaign.
Key notes
- Friday night is the fourth of the eight meetings this season between Florida and Norfolk and the second of three matchups at the Norfolk Scope. The Everblades hold a 12-2-2 record against the Admirals since they joined the ECHL in the 2015-16 season and went 5-0-1 against Norfolk last season, including a 2-0-1 mark at the Norfolk Scope.
- Phillips improved his record to 6-2-0 with his victory on Wednesday night and has allowed two goals or fewer in all but one of his eight starts this season. He is tied for the league lead with a 2.01 goals-against-average and is ninth in the ECHL in save percentage (.923).
- The Everblades' first goal of the game on Wednesday came via the power play, their third power-play marker in their last two games. Florida is third in the ECHL on the power play at 22.2 percent (10-for-45) and is even better on the road, ranking first in the league at 28.6 percent (8-for-28). After a 5-for-14 stretch on the man advantage from Nov. 2-9, Florida went four games without a power-play goal before this current stretch of 3-for-7.
- Vandergunst ended a stretch of nine games without a goal with his tally in the first period on Wednesday against the Admirals, the team he started his ECHL career with a season ago. The Exeter, Ontario, native scored the Everblades' first game-winning goal of the season in a 3-2 triumph over Newfoundland on Oct. 13.
- Acquired on Monday in a trade with the Reading Royals, Walsh scored in his 'Blades debut on Wednesday, potting the fourth and final goal in the win.
- The Everblades scored the only goal in the second period on Wednesday to continue their strong play in the middle frame this year. Florida is an ECHL-best +14 in the second period this season. The next closest team is Fort Wayne at a +8 in period two.
- With an assist on Wednesday, Joe Cox is now tied for seventh in the league in scoring (19 pts.) and is second in the ECHL in plus-minus rating (+13). That point on Wednesday extended his point streak to three games, a streak that has seen him score eight points (3g, 5a). The Michigan State University product has tabbed three of the Everblades four multi-goal games this season.
- After going their first 12 games without scoring a shorthanded goal, the Everblades now have two shorthanded tallies in their last three games, including Platzer's goal on the penalty kill on Wednesday, the eventual game-winning tally.
- With two assists on Wednesday, defenseman Jordon Southorn has multi-point efforts in consecutive games and extended his point streak to three games to match his season-high. Southorn has nine points (2g, 7a) in his last six games and is now tied for fourth among ECHL defensemen in scoring.
- Florida scored first for the sixth time this season on Wednesday and remained unbeaten in regulation when doing so. The Everblades are 4-0-2 when striking for the initial goal.
- Everblades goaltender Jeremy Helvig was regularly tested in the first period on Sunday against Atlanta, finishing the frame with 18 saves on 19 shots. That save total is a single-period high for an Everblades goaltender this season. He finished with a career-high 37 saves in the game, another season-high for a Florida goaltender.
Next UpThe Everblades wrap up their season-high seven-game road trip on Saturday night with a 7 p.m. matchup against the Admirals at the Norfolk Scope.
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The Everblades are the proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes