ESTERO, Fla. – It was a nail-biting finish in Game One of the Eastern Conference Finals. The Florida Everblades took a 2-1 victory and a 1-0 series lead. Now the Blades and the Adirondack Thunder get set for Game Two on Saturday, May 18 at 7:00 p.m. from Cool Insuring Arena.
Mark Senden potted Florida’s two goals, with one in the first period, and another in the second. Cam Darcy, Bobo Carpenter, Will Reilly, and Cole Moberg tallied assists over the two goals. The two tallies were Senden’s third and fourth of the playoffs. Ryan Smith scored Adirondack’s only goal in the second period. Combined with the regular season record, the Blades are now 5-1-1 against the Thunder this season.
Cam Johnson was in fine form once again, as he stonewalled 21 of the 22 shots he faced from Adirondack.
Game Two will be the final game of the Eastern Conference Finals before the series heads to Hertz Arena for Games Three (May 22), Four (May 24), and Five (if necessary, May 25).
BLADES BITS
With two goals, Mark Senden chalked up his second two-point effort of the playoffs. Previously, Senden had a goal and an assist in the Everblades’ 5-1 triumph over Orlando in Game Two of the South Division Finals on May 3. Senden also had a two-goal game in the regular season, as he found the net twice in a 5-1 victory at South Carolina on March 1.
Senden’s two-goal performance came in the second straight 2-1 victory for the Everblades. In both wins, one player scored both goals for Florida. Bobo Carpenter did the honors in the Blades’ overtime win in the Orlando series clincher.
Cole Moberg picked up his third assist in the last two games. In addition to picking up two helpers in Florida’s series clincher over Orlando last Saturday, Moberg registered a pair of assists on one occasion during the regular season, turning the trick in the Blades’ 4-0 victory over South Carolina on December 8.
The victory was the Everblades’ fourth straight win over the Thunder, as the Blades previously swept a three-game set from Adirondack at Hertz Arena on February 7, 9, and 10. Including a 4-1-1 mark versus Adirondack during the regular season, the Everblades are 2-1-1 at Cool Insuring Arena in 2023-24.
Neither the Everblades nor the opposition were able to convert on the power play for the fourth straight game.
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