Blades Advance to Round Two With Solar Bears

ESTERO, Fla. – After a Game Seven victory in the South Division Semifinals, the Florida Everblades have a quick turnaround before their next Kelly Cup Playoff matchup. Waiting for the Blades in the South Division Finals is another Florida rival, the Orlando Solar Bears. Game one of the series is set for 7:30 p.m. on Friday, May 3 at Hertz Arena. 

The Solar Bears earned their playoff bid on the final day of the regular season and saved some of their best hockey of the year. Coming down the stretch, Orlando won four of their final five regular season games to get into the playoffs. In their first playoff appearance since 2019, the Bears were matched against the division-leading Greenville Swamp Rabbits in the opening round and took the series in six games. Orlando was 2-1 at home and on the road. The Solar Bears finished the series with a 5-1 win on Tuesday night. 

Florida won its series against Jacksonville after falling behind 3-1, winning three straight games – including two on the road – to take the set in seven games. It was the fifth Game Seven in franchise history for the Everblades and their second win. The first game-seven victory came in the opening round of 2017, where Florida defeated Orlando after erasing another 3-1 series deficit. As the top two seeds in the South Division were eliminated in the first round, the Everblades will own home ice against the Solar Bears. 

It’s been some time since the Blades and Bears met – the last time being on Mar. 25, when Orlando took a 4-2 win in Central Florida. Florida and Orlando met four times in March, with the teams splitting the games 2-2.

This will be the fifth playoff meeting all-time between the two Florida Rivals. The Everblades hold a 4-0 record over the Solar Bears dating back to the 2015 postseason. Founded in 2012 and making its sixth Kelly Cup Playoff appearance, Orlando has never advanced past the second round.  

Fans, wear grey for all home games in the second round!

BLADES BITS

NINE IS FINE: The Everblades have now won nine straight playoff series, as the squad continues its quest to become the first ECHL team to win three consecutive Kelly Cup Championships.

IN CAM WE TRUST: With four wins over Jacksonville, Cam Johnson improved to 35-9-3 in postseason play in goal for the Everblades over his stellar career. Johnson’s first shutout of the 2024 postseason in Game Seven against Jacksonville was his ninth playoff clean sheet for the Blades. He registered four shutouts in the 2022 Kelly Cup Playoffs and four more in the 2023 postseason, en route to a pair of June M. Kelly Playoff Most Valuable Player Awards.

BEATING THE BEARS: The Everblades posted a 7-5-0-1 record versus Orlando during the 2023-24 regular season, improving to 108-47-16 in the all-time regular-season series, while also holding a 16-7 edge all-time in postseason games.

CLOSE GAMES: Four of the 13 matchups between the Everblades and Solar Bears this season were decided by just one goal, with Florida winning three of those four one-goal games. Each team picked up a victory in a shootout. Nine of 13 games were decided by two goals or less.

SLAYING THE BEARS: Joe Pendenza (6G, 5A) led all Everblades with 11 points and six goals versus Orlando this season. Bobo Carpenter (5G, 5A) tallied 10 points versus the Solar Bears. Oliver Chau (5G, 4A) and Sean Josling (5G, 4A) both registered nine points. Will Reilly joined Pendenza and Carpenter with a team-best five assists. Chau and Cole Moberg were the only Florida players to see action in all 13 games versus Orlando in 2023-24.

PLAYOFF HISTORY: In-state rivals Florida and Orlando have met in four previous playoff series, with the Everblades winning each series. Florida captured the 2018 and 2019 South Division Finals by 4-1 counts, while also winning the 2017 South Division Semifinals 4-3 and the 2015 South Division Semifinals 4-2.

JOIN THE FUN 

Tickets for home games in the 2024 Kelly Cup Playoffs presented by Germain Lexus and  Scanlon Lexus are available now, as are 2024 Kelly Cup Playoff Packages, which include games in all four rounds. To learn more, please click HERE.

Season ticket plans for the 2024-25 campaign are on sale now! Become a Blades 365 Member for the 2024-25 season and enjoy incredible savings and benefits! To view the Blades 365 Membership savings, benefits, and options click HERE. 

Group Packages are available for a group of 10 or more! Everblades put 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. 

Grab the newest and hottest Everblades merchandise by checking out the entire collection that is available online by visiting shop.floridaeverblades.com or at the Hertz Arena Pro Shop! 

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