GREENVILLE, S.C. – Logan Lambdin and Dennis Cesana scored third-period goals 39 seconds apart as the Florida Everblades turned a 3-2 deficit into a 4-3 lead they would not relinquish, eventually posting a 5-4 victory over the Greenville Swamp Rabbits Sunday afternoon at Bon Secours Wellness Arena.
Lambdin turned in a three-point night with two goals and an assist, while Cesana’s go-ahead goal capped off a two-point night.
Sunday’s matinee started off on the right foot as Zach Tsekos scored his third goal of the season and second in as many nights with a tip-in at 6:48 of the opening frame. The power-play tally was just the Blades’ second of the campaign and solved a Greenville penalty-kill unit that ranked near the top of the league. Cesana and Joe Pendenza earned the assists as Florida took a 1-0 lead.
That lead would vanish quickly, as Greenville’s Brett Kemp answered on a breakaway at 9:41 that tied the game at 1-1. The South Division rivals remained knotted up heading into the first intermission, despite the Everblades putting up a season-high 18 shots in a single period against just 10 for the Swamp Rabbits.
The teams exchanged two quick goals just 13 seconds apart in the opening minutes of the second period. Ethan Somoza scored for Greenville on its second breakaway tally of the game at 1:47, but Lambdin answered for the Everblades with his third goal of the season on a blast at the 2:00 mark that leveled the score at 2-2.
Both teams enjoyed opportunities throughout the middle period, but neither side would convert until Greenville’s Ben Freeman snapped the deadlock with just over four minutes to play in the frame, as the Swamp Rabbits took a 3-2 lead into the third period.
The Everblades came to life midway through the third period, as Lambdin and Cesana scored 39 seconds apart to turn a 3-2 deficit into a 4-3 lead at the 7:32 mark. Lambdin’s second goal of the night on a feed from Oliver Chau knotted the contest at 3-3, while Cesana regained the lead with a bomb from the blue line, with Blake Murray and Tommy Apap picking up the assists.
Bobo Carpenter’s team-leading fifth goal gave the Everblades some insurance, putting the Blades ahead 5-3 at the 9:42. Lambdin and Will Reilly assisted on Carpenter’s power-play tally. Greenville’s Anthony Beauchamp trimmed the Florida lead to 5-4 with just under two minutes left to play.
In goal, Cam Johnson (2-4-0-0) made 30 saves and earned the victory for the Everblades, while Jacob Ingham (4-2-0-0) registered 27 saves and suffered the loss for the Swamp Rabbits.
With a three-games-in-three-days trip to Greenville in the books, the Everblades will have a 7:00 p.m. contest in Orlando on Wednesday, November 15 before returning home for a two-game set with the Atlanta Gladiators at Hertz Arena on Friday, November 17 at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, November 18 at 7:00 p.m. On Friday, welcome the Blades back to The Swamp for a 239 Friday and pick up two tickets, two nacho bowls and a souvenir program for the special price of $39. Saturday will be an extra special day as we celebrate Swampee’s Birthday with a Kelly Cup pennant giveaway and a special tailgate party complete with live music and bounce houses. There’s something for everybody! Visit floridaeverblades.com for more information and to purchase tickets.
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BLADES BITS
- Florida scored a season-high five goals in the contest, while seven different Everblades had an assist and nine different skaters registered at least one point in the contest for the Blades.
- Logan Lambdin’s three-point game was the first by an Everblade this season, and his two-goal performance was the second multi-goal game by an Everblade this season. Lambdin matched the two-goal effort turned in by Joe Pendenza in the Blades’ 4-2 victory over Orlando at Hertz Arena on November 4.
- In addition to posting his first two-point game as an Everblade, Dennis Cesana logged an assist for the third-straight game, giving him a helper in six of the Blades’ first 10 contests. Five of Cesana’s team-high six assists have come in six November games.
- Picking up the Everblades’ second power-play goal of the season to get the scoring started, Zach Tsekos registered his third point in two games, adding to his shorthanded tally and assist in Saturday night’s contest.
- Zach Tsekos’ first-period goal snapped a string of five straight contests in which the Blades were unable to score in the first 20 minutes.
Sunday Afternoon’s Scoresheet
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