Everblades Look to Sweep the Rays

WHO: Florida Everblades vs. South Carolina StingraysWHERE: Hertz Arena (Estero, Fla.)WHEN: Saturday, February 19 at 7:00 pmTICKETS: Purchase tickets for Saturday’s game and all future Everblades games HERE.

PROMOTIONS: Nick, Nick, Nick, Nick, Na, Nick, Nick, Nick, NICKELODEON! The Everblades are pleased to bring back Nickelodeon Night where they will be wearing specialty Garfield jerseys that fans may bid on for purchase. Net jersey auction proceeds will be donated to the Animal Refuge Center. To bid on a jersey, visit HERE.

In addition, every Saturday home matchup this season will kick off with a free pregame tailgate party! Come out to Hertz Arena early and tailgate from 5:00 to 7:00 pm. This Saturday’s tailgate party will feature live music by TC Carter and kids’ activities! Tickets can also be purchased 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 look to close out a two-game sweep of the South Carolina Stingrays as they welcome the Rays to Hertz Arena on Saturday night for a 7:00 pm tilt.

THE OPPONENT: South Carolina (16-24-5-0) is in seventh place in the ECHL South Division with a .411 points percentage and 37 total points. In their last 10 games, the Stingrays are 4-5-1-0, while they have posted a 6-15-3-0 road record.

THE SERIES: Including Friday night’s 4-3 overtime victory, the Everblades have won all three meetings between the clubs in 2021-22. Previously, the Blades took an 8-3 victory on January 7 and posted a 5-2 win on January 8. All three games between the South Division foes have taken place at Hertz Arena.

LAST TIME OUT: Joe Pendenza scored his 19th goal of the season 2:40 into overtime to give the Florida Everblades (25-15-4-4) a 4-3 victory over the South Carolina Stingrays (16-24-5-0) Friday night at Hertz Arena. The Blades also picked up goals from Dylan Vander Esch, Chris McKay and Michael Neville, while defenseman Jordan Sambrook recorded the first two-assist game of his career. The Blades jumped out to a 1-0 lead on Vander Esch’s tally late in the first period. After South Carolina took a 2-1 lead in the second, McKay knotted the game at 2-2 heading into the second intermission. In the third, Neville regained the lead for Florida, but the Stingrays answered in short order to tie the game at 3-3. Both teams were unable to convert in the final 13:59 of regulation, but Pendenza sent 5,968 Everblades fans home happy with the game-winner in overtime.

IT’S AN OT WINNER!: Joe Pendenza’s game-winning goal in overtime on Friday provided the Everblades with the team’s first victory in bonus hockey at Hertz Arena this season. Heading into Friday, the Blades had come up short in three home contests that required more than 60 minutes to render a verdict. All three of those home setbacks went into a shootout. The overtime win was the team’s second of the season, as they previously claimed a 6-5 victory at Greenville back on January 30.

SAMMY COMES THROUGH: With a pair of assists on Friday, defenseman Jordan Sambrook turned in the first two-assist and first multipoint game of his professional career. In 53 pro games over the past two seasons, the Markham, Ont. native has registered 15 points on one goal and 14 assists, but had never factored into two goals in one game until Friday night.

HEY MIKEY! HE LIKES IT!: With a big third-period goal in Friday’s overtime win over South Carolina, Michael Neville recorded his first goal of the 2021-22 campaign. The Woodbridge, Ont. product now has 18 goals and 62 points over four seasons in an Everblades sweater and a total of 20 goals and 65 points over five professional seasons.

15 BLADES WITH POINTS AGAINST THE RAYS: In three contests that have seen the Everblades outscore the Stingrays by a combined 17-8 margin, 15 different Blades have tallied at least one point. John McCarron (3 G, 2 A), Alex Aleardi (1 G, 4 A) and Blake Winiecki (2 G, 3 A) top all Blades skaters with five points, while Joe Pendenza (3 G, 1 A), Levko Koper (2 G, 2 A) and Jake Jaremko (1 G, 3 A) each have four points. Parker Gahagen is 3-0 with a 2.64 GAA and a .915 save percentage against the rivals from the Palmetto State.

THE CAPTAIN IS CLOSING IN: John McCarron did not factor in any of the Everblades’ four goals on Friday, 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 seven 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.

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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. 

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

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