Pendenza's Winner Seals Sweep of Glads

DULUTH, Ga. – Joe Pendenza took a pass in the defensive end from Riese Zmolek, skated through all three defenders and buried the game-winning goal at 3:10 of overtime to lift the Florida Everblades to a 3-2, come-from-behind victory over the Atlanta Gladiators Friday night at Gas South Arena. 

The Blades appeared to strike first at 5:36 of the first period, but the apparent goal by Brett Davis was waved off due to goaltender interference. Visiting Florida would go on to dominate the remainder of a well-played opening period, outshooting the Gladiators by a one-sided 13-5 count, but the South Division rivals would head off the ice with a scoreless deadlock after 20 minutes.

As fate would have it, Atlanta opened the scoring to claim a 1-0 lead at 11:53 of the middle frame as Mitch Walinsky collected his fourth goal of the season and second in as many games against the Everblades.

The Everblades would then take over in the late stages of the second stanza, potting a pair of goals to grab a 2-1 lead. Cam Hausinger drew blood on a power play at 15:46, while Andrew Fyten secured the lead for the Blades at 18:08, moments after the Blades saw a goal waved off for the second time in the contest. The goals were the fourth of the season for both players.

On the Hausinger goal, Sean Josling picked up an assist to lengthen his point streak to seven games, while ECHL All-Star selection Nathan Staios added a helper of his own on the Fyten tally. Logan Lambdin registered assists on both goals.

Just 3:28 into the third period, Florida’s narrow lead would be erased as former Everblade Robert Calisti knotted the contest at 2-2 with a goal in his Gladiators debut and the only score by either team in the final period of regulation, before Pendenza picked up the game-winner in overtime.

Florida outshot Atlanta 36-29 edge as Cam Johnson (10-6-3-0) made 27 saves and became a 10-game winner. Atlanta’s Brad Barone (0-1-1-0) made 33 saves in a strong effort.

With a pair of victories in Atlanta in the books, the Blades will close out the road trip with a 4:00 p.m. tilt Saturday in Greenville. Before the set with the Gladiators, Florida took two of three from the Swamp Rabbits to close out the 2023 calendar year. The Everblades will be back in action at Hertz Arena for a three-game set with the Savannah Ghost Pirates that gets underway on Wednesday, January 10 at 7:30 p.m. The series will continue on Friday, January 12 and Saturday, January 13 at 7:30 p.m. and 7:00 p.m., respectively. Wednesday’s game will feature a Hump Day Deal with $3.00 hot dogs and draft beer all night long! Visit floridaeverblades.com for more information and to purchase tickets. 

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BLADES BITS

• Cam Hausinger has registered a point in all three games of the current road trip. He previously scored a goal in Greenville last Sunday, while he found the net in Atlanta on Wednesday.
• Sean Josling stretched his point streak to seven games with an assist, giving him eight points on five goals and three helpers since December 22. 
• Logan Lambdin picked up a pair of assists, giving him a two-helper night for the first time since last season’s regular-season finale on April 15, 2023, a 4-1 Blades victory over the Gladiators in Hertz Arena.
• Will Reilly returned to the Everblades lineup for first time since November 24. The RPI product was recalled by Charlotte of the AHL on November 28 and appeared in one game for the Checkers against the Hershey Bears on December 1. Reilly has seen action in 97 AHL regular-season games over four seasons with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, Tucson and Charlotte. In ECHL action, Reilly has suited up with the Blades for 14 games this season, after previously playing in three contests with Wheeling back in 2021-22.
• The scoreless first period marked the first time in six games that neither the Everblades nor their opponent would chalk up a goal in a period of play. A 4-2 Blades’ victory in Savannah two weeks ago on December 22 marked the last scoreless period in which Florida was involved. 

Friday Night’s Scoresheet

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