Everblades Return to the Ice in Orlando

WHO: Everblades vs. Orlando Solar Bears WHERE: Amway Center (Orlando, Fla.) WHEN: Sunday, December 26 at 7:00 pm 

BROADCAST: Watch every Florida Everblades game on FloHockey.TV.  ESTERO, Fla. – Following an eight-day break, the Florida Everblades return to action Sunday night in Orlando, as they face off against the Solar Bears at 7:00 pm. Sunday’s game is part of a home-and-home affair between the two clubs that spans parts of two calendar weeks, as the Blades and Bears will square off at Hertz Arena on Wednesday, December 29 at 7:30 pm.    When the series shifts to Estero on Wednesday the 29th, be sure and mark your calendar so you can join us. As is the case for every Wednesday home game, join us for $3 Bud Light drafts and $3 John Morrell hot dogs! Also, all college students can purchase a $5 ticket to the game at the Hertz Arena box office with a valid student ID.   Read more about the Blades’ busy promotional schedule and great deals HERE. 

THE OPPONENT: The Orlando Solar Bears are currently tied for third place in the ECHL South Division with a 13-11-1-0 record.  Before the break, the Solar Bears headed west for a couple of matchups against teams in the Mountain Division of the ECHL’s Western Conference. Orlando routed the Allen Americans by a 6-2 tally on Dec. 17 and topped the Tulsa Oilers 5-2 on Dec. 19. The Solar Bears also fell to Atlanta 5-3 this past Tuesday. The Solar Bears are the ECHL affiliate of the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning and the AHL’s Syracuse Crunch.  THE SERIES:  The Everblades and Solar Bears have faced off twice at Hertz Arena this season, with both teams picking up a win. Orlando claimed a 3-2 win on November 10, while the Everblades returned the favor, winning 3-2 on November 17.  All-time, the Everblades sport an 87-34-10 (.702) advantage in meetings between the two clubs.  LAST TIME OUT: Back on Saturday, December 18, the Everblades sent a Hertz Arena crowd of 5,188 fans home happy following a 5-1 rout of the Atlanta Gladiators, as the home team won the rubber game of a three-game series. Blake Winiecki opened the scoring, Nathan Perkovich and Alex Aleardi scored two goals apiece and Jake Jaremko led the way with a pair of assists to pace the Blades’ attack. Devin Cooley registered 42 saves, tops by a Florida netminder this season.  ONE WIN AWAY FROM 1000: With last Saturday’s 5-1 victory over Atlanta, the Everblades are just ONE win away from the franchise’s 1000th victory. Dating back to the beginning in 1998, over 24 seasons, the Everblades have compiled a 999-495-54-113 all-time record (.652).  WINEICKI AND ALEARDI CLOSE TO THE TOP SPOT: With his game-winning goal in the Blades’ last game eight days ago, Blake Winiecki raised his team-best totals to 14 goals and 29 points. The Lakeville, Minn. native is tied for third in the ECHL in both goals scored and points. Alex Aleardi sports 13 goals which places the Fort Wayne, Ind. product fifth in goals scored.  SIX PACK FOR JAREMKO: With two assists his last time out, Jake Jaremko extended his point streak to six straight games, the second longest active point streak by an Everblade. Over the past six games, Jaremko has collected eight points on three goals and five assists. Among ECHL rookies, Jaremko ranks fifth with eight goals and is tied for seventh with 18 points.  SEVEN UP FOR THE CAPTAIN: Last Saturday, John McCarron made it seven straight games with at least one point, as he earned an assist on Blake Winiecki’s game-winning goal in the opening period. Captain Everblade has tallied at least one point in each of the seven games he has played this month. Over those seven games, McCarron has collected eight points on two goals and six assists.  THE CAPTAIN IS HOT: In addition to his eight-points-in-seven-games December, Captain John McCarron continues to approach several peaks in the mountain range known as the Everblades record book.  With 353 career points in an Everblades sweater, including playoffs. Captain John McCarron is now just 12 points shy of Reggie Berg’s franchise record of 365. In regular-season games, McCarron’s 307 career points ranks third, three out of second place (310, Tom Buckley) and 12 short of the franchise mark (319, Reggie Berg).  In the goals and assists category, with 131 regular-season goals and 176 regular-season assists, McCarron is two goals away from second place all-time in regular-season goals. Additionally, with 149 career goals in all games including playoffs, McCarron is one goal away from second place all-time in that category.  EYE ON THE COACH: Everblades veteran head coach Brad Ralph is three wins away from his 500th win as a head coach. In his 12th season as a head coach, Ralph sports a 497-213-69 (.682) career record. Breaking it down, Ralph sports a 449-193-65 (.681) mark in the pro ranks, a 378-159-58 (.684) ledger in the ECHL, and a 246-95-38 (.699) mark with the Blades, just four wins shy of 250 in Southwest Florida. Read more about the Blades’ busy promotional schedule and great deals HERE. 

-- 

JOIN THE FUN Become a member of the Florida Everblades family by securing a great seat location and big savings with a Blades 365 Membership! 

Purchase a new Voucher 12 package that allows you to use 12 tickets in any quantity during the 2021-22 season to earn the exclusive benefits of being a Blades 365 Member! To view the Blades 365 Membership savings, benefits and options click HERE. 

Everblades put the FUN in FUNdraising! There is no handling of money or tickets and no limit to the amount of money your group can make with the Everblades easy-to-run online Fundraiser! For more information, or to reserve a Fundraiser Night at an Everblades regular season home game, call or text (239) 948-7825. 

JOIN THE CONVERSATION 

Watch every Florida Everblades game on FloHockey.TV. Listen to the exciting game action on ESPN Southwest Florida on 770 AM, 98.1 FM, 104.3 FM and online at https://espnswfl.com.  

Stay up to date by following the Florida Everblades on Social Media with all the latest news, scores and promotions on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, Tiktok, and Twitter.   

The Florida Everblades are the proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL’s Nashville Predators and the AHL's Milwaukee Admirals. 

###