Everblades earn hard-fought point on Teddy Bear Toss

ESTERO, Fla. — Michael Huntebrinker scored shorthanded with 3:50 left in regulation to help the Florida Everblades force overtime and earn a point in a 5-4 overtime loss to the Kansas City Mavericks in front of a sellout crowd of 7,334 at Hertz Arena on Saturday night.

BOX SCORE

On Teddy Bear Toss presented by Synovus, Florida (15-7-2-2, 34 pts.) came back from two separate deficits, including a 4-3 deficit in the last five minutes of regulation, to earn three of four possible points in the two-game series with Kansas City (11-12-2-0, 24 pts.).

After Ryan Van Stralen gave Kansas City a 1-0 lead 30 seconds into the first period, Zach Magwood ignited the avalanche of teddy bears exactly five minutes later to tie the game. Magwood picked off an errant pass from Darian Dziurzynski and ripped a shot from the slot over the blocker of Kansas City goaltender Tyler Parsons.

The Mavericks took a two-goal lead with two goals in the first 10 minutes of the second period. David Dziurzynski tabbed a power-play goal only 1:47 into the second period, and Ryan Galt scored on a sharp-angle shot off a rush with 9:26 gone in the middle stanza.

The ‘Blades clawed back within a goal with 2:53 to play in the second period on Patrick McCarron’s second goal of the season. Off an initial shot from Levko Koper, the puck bounced off the pads of Parsons to McCarron, who had crept down from the point into the bottom of the right circle. McCarron shot the puck on net as quickly as he received it, and he went over the pad of the sprawled-out Parsons for the ‘Blades second of the night.

Then, with more than half of the third period gone, Cam Maclise evened the game at three. Parsons elected to keep the play moving after making a save, and the ‘Blades capitalized on the opportunity. Joe Pendenza eventually found Maclise wide open in the left-wing circle, and Maclise hammered a shot past Parsons with 8:05 left in regulation.  

Kansas City surged back ahead on a power-play goal by Tad Kozun with 4:43 to play in regulation, but the ‘Blades retailed with a special teams goal of their own just 53 seconds later to force overtime. With Florida killing off the second part of a double-minor to Logan Roe, Pendenza started a zone rush from the Everblades defensive end. Parsons stopped Pendenza’s shot off the rush, but Huntebrinker slid the rebound in to even the game.

Rocco Carzo scored 4:22 into overtime to give Kansas City the extra standings point.

BLADES BITES

• John McCarron played his 200th game in an Everblades uniform on Saturday.
• Making his 150th pro appearance, Ken Appleby turned away 31 shots in his fifth straight start and ninth straight appearance.
• Pendenza has recorded at least one point in every game he’s played in since being assigned by the AHL’s Milwaukee Admirals on Wednesday. He has two goals and three assists in that stretch.
• Pendenza, Huntebrinker, and Adam Smith were a +3 on the night.
• Magwood scored three goals in the two games against the Mavericks. In his last 10 games, Magwood has tallied six goals and five assists.
• Huntebrinker extended his point streak to four games by scoring the tying goal and adding an assist. He has three goals and six assists in those four games.  

Next UpFlorida continues its seven-game homestand with three games at home next week, starting with a Wednesday night matchup against the Atlanta Gladiators.  

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