Everblades Look to Sting the Rays

WHO: Florida Everblades vs. South Carolina StingraysWHERE: Hertz Arena (Estero, Fla.)WHEN: Friday, February 18 at 7:30 pmTICKETS: Purchase tickets for Friday’s game and all future Everblades games HERE.PROMOTIONS: Friday promises to be a busy night in The Swamp! During each Friday home game of the 2021-22 season, fans can enjoy the action with a 239 ticket package, which pays tribute to Southwest Florida's area code and provides a great deal! You get two premium seat tickets, two autographed programs, and two BBQ Chicken pizza slices for just $39! Tickets can also be purchased HERE.In addition, Friday night will be Blades Backpack Giveaway Night. Join us and be one of the first 1,000 fans to receive an Everblades backpack, presented by Arthrex.Also, as a thank you to our first responder heroes, frontline workers are eligible to receive a buy one, get one ticket offer for all remaining Friday home games while supplies last. Get your tickets HERE.BROADCAST: 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 athttps://espnswfl.com.

ESTERO, Fla. – The Florida Everblades welcome the South Carolina Stingrays to Hertz Arena on Friday night for the first of two games between the ECHL South Division rivals. Friday night’s puck drop is slated for 7:30 pm. The teams will do it again Saturday night at 7:00 pm.

THE OPPONENT: South Carolina (16-24-4-0) is in seventh place in the ECHL South Division with a .409 points percentage and 36 total points. In their last 10 games, the Stingrays are 4-5-1-0, while they have posted a 6-15-2-0 road record.

THE SERIES: The Everblades have won both meetings between the clubs in 2021-22, taking an 8-3 victory on January 7 and posting a 5-2 win on January 8, with both contests taking place at Hertz Arena. In the one-sided series opener, John McCarron posted a hat trick and two assists, while Blake Winiecki added two goals and a helper. Five different Blades scored goals the following night.

LAST TIME OUT: After falling behind 2-0 less than seven minutes into the game, the Everblades fought back to tie the score at 2-2 with 3:27 to play in regulation, but had to settle for one point in the standings, ultimately dropping a 3-2 decision to the Jacksonville Icemen in a five-round shootout Wednesday night at Hertz Arena. Joe Pendenza got the Blades on the board with his 18th goal of the season in the final minute of the first period, while Nathan Perkovich’s 10th goal of the year proved to be the equalizer. Blake Winiecki connected for Florida in the first-round of the shootout, but the next four shooters for the home team came up empty. Cam Johnson was stellar, posting 25 saves in 60 shutout minutes after coming in to relieve Parker Gahagen in the game’s seventh minute. 

SHOOTING BARBS AT THE RAYS: In two contests that saw the Everblades outscore the Stingrays by a combined 13-5 margin, 12 different players tallied at least one point. John McCarron (3 G, 2A) and Alex Aleardi (1 G, 4 A) top all Blades skaters with five points, while Levko Koper (2 G, 2 A) and Blake Winiecki (2 G, 2 A) both have four points. Parker Gahagen is 2-0 with a 2.52 GAA and a .925 save percentage against the Palmetto Staters.

THE CAPTAIN IS CLOSING IN: John McCarron picked up an assist on Wednesday, so his Everblade career goal totals remain at 144 in the regular season and 162 in all games including playoffs. The Blades’ all-time point leader remains one goal shy of Reggie Berg’s career regular-season mark of 145 and within two of Berg’s overall mark of 164. With six goals in six February games – and three two-goal games and one hat trick in his arsenal this season – the franchise career goal scoring marks are squarely within the Captain’s sights.

THREE OUT OF FIVE AIN’T BAD: The Everblades trio of Blake Winiecki, John McCarron and Alex Aleardi remain in the ECHL’s top-five for goal scorers. With 22 goals each, Winiecki and McCarron are tied for the league lead, just one behind the league leader, Dylan Sadowy of Tulsa. Aleardi ranks in a tie for fourth with 21 markers. All three are in the league’s Top-10 for points, as Winiecki is second with 50 points, while McCarron ranks third with 49 points and both Aleardi and Joe Pendenza stand tied for 10th with 42. 

THE POWER OF TEN: With Nathan Perkovich picking up his 10th goal of the season on Wednesday, the Everblades now have six players with double-digit goals this season. In addition to 20-plus goal scorers Blake Winiecki, John McCarron and Alex Aleardi, Joe Pendenza has 18 tallies under his belt, while Jake Jaremko joins Perkovich with an even 10. On the horizon, Levko Koper and the injured Bobo Carpenter both have tickled the twine nine times this season.

OTHER NOTABLE NUMBERS: Blake Winiecki is tied for fourth place in the ECHL with 28 assists, while John McCarron leads the circuit with five shorthanded goals. The Captain is also fifth with a plus-23 rating. Jake Jaremko is tied for seventh among ECHL rookies with 34 points with 10 goals and 24 assists. He also is tied for second in helpers, just two off the pace. Xavier Bouchard’s plus-22 rating is second among ECHL newcomers.

--

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.

###