Blueliners Strike Late to Top Orlando

ESTERO, Fla. – Defenseman Will Reilly snapped a 2-2 tie with just over three minutes to play, while fellow defenseman Cole Moberg added an insurance goal to lift the Florida Everblades to a 4-2 victory over the Orlando Solar Bears in front of a highly enthusiastic crowd of 6,890 who came to celebrate an early St. Patrick’s Day Friday night at Hertz Arena.

After a scoreless first period in which the Everblades posted a 9-7 edge in shots on goal across the first 20 minutes of play, the teams combined for three goals in a busy second frame.

Orlando got on the board first, exactly five minutes into the middle period. The Solar Bears managed to convert on an odd-man rush as Tyler Bird put the visitors ahead 1-0.

The good guys answered in short order, as Oliver Chau converted just seconds into the first power-play opportunity for either team on the night. Chau’s 19^th of the season came at 5:37 on a blast from the doorstep of the Orlando goal, following a feed from Joe Pendenza, with Reilly also picking up a helper, pulling the Blades even at 1-1.

Later in the middle period, Tanner Schachle regained the lead for Orlando, which struck on its first power play opportunity at the 13:29 mark to pull ahead 2-1. Despite the Everblades outshooting the Solar Bears for the second straight period by an 11-8 count, Florida would enter the third stanza trailing by a goal.

Florida would pick up the equalizer at 8:42 of the third period, as Pendenza notched his 20^th goal of the year and second point of the night with a mad dash and a blast that leveled the score at 2-2. Bobo Carpenter registered an assist in his return to the Blades’ lineup, while Chau also picked up a helper for his second point of the evening.

The Blades defensive corps sealed the comeback with a pair of goals in the final 3:09 of the contest. Reilly potted the game-winner at 16:51 of the third period tipping in a laser from Riese Zmolek for his seventh goal of the year. Moberg closed out the scoring with 70 seconds to play, converting an empty-net goal – his first tally of the season – that put Florida on top 4-2.

In goal, Everblades netminder Cam Johnson (19-11-4-2) earned the win, stopping 25 of 27 shots, while Blades alum Evan Fitzpatrick (3-5-2-0) registered 24 saves and suffered the loss for Orlando.

The Everblades will hit the road for four games, starting with a single game in Orlando on Tuesday, March 12 at 7:00 p.m. Following additional stops in Jacksonville on March 15, South Carolina on March 16 and another contest in Orlando on March 18, the Blades will return to action at Hertz Arena on Wednesday, March 20 versus the Savannah Ghost Pirates at 7:30 p.m. Visit floridaeverblades.com for more information and to purchase tickets. 

 

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BLADES BITS

The Everblades have won five straight games at home and are 8-0-0-1 over the last nine contests on Hertz Arena ice.

Teaming up for the Blades’ second-period goal, Oliver Chau scored for the second straight game, while Will Reilly ran his assist streak to four contests. The blueliner has tallied five helpers in his current four-game hot streak.

With 19 goals in 55 games this season, Chau is one goal shy of matching the total of 20 markers he posted last season across 61 combined regular-season and playoff contests.

Joe Pendenza’s third-period goal secured the third consecutive 20-point season for the Everblades captain.

Bobo Carpenter picked up an assist in his first game for the Blades since Valentine’s Day. The helper extended Carpenter’s point streak to three games, in which he has registered five points on two goals and three assists. Over his last five games in uniform, Carpenter has eight points on four goals and four helpers.   

Friday Night’s Scoresheet 

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