GAME DAY: Everblades at Jacksonville - Feb. 20

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — The Florida Everblades (35-12-5-0, 75 pts.) start a three-game week with a Wednesday night road matchup against the Jacksonville Icemen (26-22-2-2, 56 pts.) at Veterans Memorial Arena. 

VITALS:Game 53: Everblades at JacksonvilleWhen: 7 p.m. ETWhere: Veterans Memorial ArenaWatch: ECHL.tvListen: WJBX - News, Talk & MoreSocial: Twitter | #FLAvsJAX

Last Time OutThe ‘Blades scored the first two goals of the game to take a 2-0 lead after the first period, but Manchester struck four times in the second period and withstood a barrage of shots from Florida in the third period to hang on for a 4-3 win on Saturday night at Hertz Arena. Florida outshot the Monarchs by 14 shots in the third period, but John McCarron's tally 3:03 into the third was the only goal the 'Blades netted in the final frame against Manchester goaltender Cole Kehler.  BOX SCORE | RECAP 

Players to WatchJohn McCarron (FLA) – McCarron leads all players in head-to-head games between Florida and Jacksonville with 15 points (5g-10a). The 'Blades captain has goals in three straight games and five points total (3g-2a) in that three-game span. A native of Macomb, Michigan, McCarron is tied for the team lead with 14 multi-point games, including three three-point outings and one four-point game. 

Wacey Rabbit (JAX) - The 13th-year pro leads all Jacksonville players in scoring with 45 points (20g-25a). He also leads all Icemen players in scoring in games against the Everblades with seven points (4g-3a) in 10 games. A native of Lethbridge, Alberta, Rabbit has played a bulk of his professional career in the American Hockey League, logging 309 career AHL games and 95 career AHL points (36g-59a). 

Series historyFlorida holds a commanding edge in the all-time series against Jacksonville with a 20-2-2 record in the 24 all-time meetings, including a 7-2-1 mark against the Icemen this year. Although the 'Blades are only 2-2-1 at Veterans Memorial Arena this season, they earned a 5-1 victory on Jan. 26 in the most recent meeting in Jacksonville. The two teams played each other three straight times over the course of one week in late January, and Florida won all three meetings.

Not-So-ShorthandedWednesday's matchup features two teams that have shown a knack for scoring shorthanded this season. Florida is tied for second in the ECHL with eight shorthanded tallies in road games, while Jacksonville leads the league with nine shorthanded goals on home ice. The Icemen are fourth overall with 12 shorthanded goals, and the 'Blades are sixth overall with nine. 

Wowing on WednesdaysThe 'Blades have had a great deal of success in mid-week games. Entering Wednesday, Florida has compiled an 8-1-0-0 record in Wednesday affairs. Excluding Fridays, the Everblades are 12-2-0-0 in weekday tilts. Coincidentally, the Everblades' only loss on a Wednesday came in a 2-1 setback to Jacksonville on Nov. 14. 

Second Period SwitchFlorida has typically dominated the second period this season but had a role reversal its last time out on Saturday. Manchester scored four times in the second period, the most goals the Everblades have surrendered in one frame this season. Florida has been outscored in the second period in just 11 of its 52 games this season. Despite that outlier, the Everblades still have a league-leading +36 goal differential in the second period. 

Next Up Florida travels to Charleston, South Carolina, to continue the three-game week, facing the South Carolina Stingrays on Friday and Saturday. Faceoff is set for 7:05 p.m. ET both nights. 

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