Everblades Out to Freeze the Icemen

WHO: Florida Everblades vs. Jacksonville IcemenWHERE: Hertz Arena (Estero, Fla.)WHEN: Wednesday, February 16 at 7:30 pmTICKETS: Purchase tickets for Wednesday’s game and all future Everblades games HERE.PROMOTIONS: Every Wednesday home game at The Swamp features some awesome Hump Day deals, including $3 John Morrell hot dogs and Bud Light drafts. Also, college students can show a valid student ID at the box office to purchase their student ticket for only $5. Students can also purchase tickets online 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.comand on MIxlr by visiting www.mixlr.com/florida-everblades. 

ESTERO, Fla. – The Florida Everblades open up a three-game week and a four-game home stand on Wednesday night as the Jacksonville Icemen skate into Hertz Arena for a 7:30 pm contest.  

THE OPPONENT: Jacksonville (26-14-2-1) finds itself in first place in the South with a .640 points percentage and 55 total points. Over the past 10 games, the Icemen sport a 5-5 record, while they come into Hertz Arena with a 12-8-2-1 tally away from home.

THE SERIES: In five games against the Icemen this season, the Everblades hold a 1-1-1-2 record, including a 3-1 victory in the teams’ last meeting on November 27 in Vystar Veterans Memorial Arena. In the win, Alex Aleardi scored the first two goals of the contest, while Joe Pendenza added an insurance goal to seal the decision. Parker Gahagen notched 21 saves. 

LAST TIME OUT: Blake Winiecki scored two goals and John McCarron netted the game-tying goal with 33 seconds to play in regulation, but the Florida Everblades (24-15-4-3) were unable to hold onto a 3-1 third period lead and came up a bit short, dropping a 5-4 overtime decision to the Orlando Solar Bears (24-17-3-0) Sunday afternoon at Amway Center. Nathan Perkovich also added a marker for the Everblades.

THEY LIKE ICE: Alex Aleardi has registered a team-high seven points in five games against the Icemen, as he has scored a team-best four goals to go with three assists. Joe Pendenza (2 G, 3 A) is right behind Aleardi with five points, while Jake Jaremko (2 G, 2 A) and Bobo Carpenter (1 G, 3 A) have picked up four points apiece. Kyle Neuber has been whistled for a team-high 18 penalty minutes.

THE CAPTAIN IS CLOSING IN: With his two-goal performance on Saturday, Captain Everblade John McCarron raised his Everblade career goal total to 144 in the regular season and 162 in all games including playoffs. The Blades’ all-time point leader is now within one goal of Reggie Berg’s career regular-season mark of 145 and within two of Berg’s overall mark of 164. With five goals in his last four 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.

GOALS GALORE: The Everblades trio of Blake Winiecki, John McCarron and Alex Aleardi are the only three teammates in the ECHL with more than 20 goals apiece. With 22 goals each, Winiecki and McCarron are tied for second, just one behind the league leader, Dylan Sadowy of Tulsa. Aleardi ranks 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 48 points and Aleardi stands tied for 10th with 42. For good measure, Joe Pendenza comes in 12th with 41 points.     

OTHER IMPRESSIVE NUMBERS: Blake Winiecki is tied for third place in the ECHL with 28 assists, while John McCarron leads the circuit with five shorthanded goals. The Captain is also tied for fourth with a plus-23 rating. Jake Jaremko is tied for sixth among ECHL rookies with 34 points with 10 goals and 24 assists. He also is tied for second in helpers, just one off the pace. Xavier Bouchard’s plus-22 rating is second among ECHL newcomers. In between the pipes, Parker Gahagen is tied for seventh among ECHL goaltenders with a 2.44 GAA.

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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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