HUGE CROWD SEES BLADES BEAT KC FOR 3-1 SERIES LEAD

ESTERO, Fla. – One win away from making history.

That’s exactly where the Florida Everblades find themselves following a 4-1 victory over the Kansas City Mavericks in Game Four of the Kelly Cup Finals before an energy-filled, standing-room only crowd of 7,448 Friday night at Hertz Arena. With the win, the Everblades hold a 3-1 series lead with one more game on home ice. Saturday night at The Swamp, the Blades will have a chance to become the first team in ECHL history to win three straight Kelly Cups.

The 17^th sellout crowd in 46 openings this season saw the Blades climb within one victory of securing the fourth Kelly Cup in the organization’s 26-year history, which would also be an ECHL record for league championships.

For the third time in the series, the Everblades struck first, and for the fourth time this postseason, the Blades scored while shorthanded. The red-hot Oliver Chau converted with 21 seconds left in a double-minor to put the good guys in front at 11:25 of the opening frame. Chau struck from the right circle for sixth goal of the Finals and ninth of the postseason, with Zach Berzolla and Joe Pendenza earning the assists.

Wasting little time in the middle period, with both squads down a man due to coincidental minors at the end of the first frame, Pendenza took advantage of the extra space and doubled the Blades’ lead to 2-0 just 45 seconds after the opening draw, potting his first goal of the Finals and fifth of the playoffs. The captain deflected a Cole Moberg blast for the Everblades’ seventh straight goal dating back to the second period of Game Three.

Kansas City’s Justin MacPherson would snap the Everblades’ scoring streak at 6:36 of the second, trimming the Florida lead to 2-1, in his return to the Mavericks’ lineup after sitting out a pair of games. The Everblades’ one-goal lead held into the second intermission.

Just 2:56 into the third, Will Reilly found the net with a blast from the left circle to restore the Everblades’ two-goal lead. Reilly’s first goal of the Finals and third of the playoffs extended Florida’s advantage to 3-1. Jordan Sambrook and Josh Ho-Sang picked up the assists, the third in the last two games for both players. Ho-Sang’s helper was his league-best 17^th of the postseason.

Bobo Carpenter’s empty-net goal – his ECHL-best 11^th goal of the playoffs– with 1:25 to play closed out the scoring and sent the SRO crowd into a frenzy.

Everblades goaltender Cam Johnson, the defending two-time June M. Kelly Playoff MVP, turned aside 17 of 18 shots to register his 11^th career win in the Kelly Cup Finals, which equals a league record. 

Game Five of the Kelly Cup Finals will be the last game played at Hertz Arena this season, with the puck dropping Saturday night at 7:00 p.m.

Standing room only tickets for Game Five may be purchased online by clicking HERE, in-person at the Fifth Third Bank Box Office at Hertz Arena, or by calling the Everblades office at 239-948-PUCK. Visit floridaeverblades.com for more information on the Kelly Cup Playoffs presented by Germain Lexus and Scanlon Lexus. 

Should the series go longer than five games, Kansas City would host Games Six and Seven on Monday, June 10 and Wednesday, June 12, respectively, at 8:05 p.m. ET.

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BLADES BITS

With points in all four games of the Finals, Oliver Chau has a team-high nine points on a team-best six goals and three assists in the series. Chau has registered points in five straight games, with 11 points on seven goals and four helpers in that span. Over his last eight games, Chau has 15 points on seven goals and eight assists. He leads the Kelly Cup Playoffs with 23 points (9G, 14A) in 22 contests.

Josh Ho-Sang continues to lead the Kelly Cup Playoffs with 17 assists, three in front of Oliver Chau who ranks second with 14 helpers. Ho-Sang, who has four assists in the Finals, has notched 17 of his 18 postseason points by way of the helper.

Bobo Carpenter took over sole possession of the ECHL playoff lead with 11 goals, while ranking in a tie for second with 20 points. He has three goals and two assists in the Finals.

Among ECHL defensemen in the Kelly Cup Playoffs, Cole Moberg leads the pack with 13 points and six goals.

The Everblades have the top three plus-minus performers in the Kelly Cup Playoffs, with Cole Moberg leading the way at +22, and both Oliver Chau and Riese Zmolek right behind at +21.

Cam Johnson is 46-13-3 in the Kelly Cup Playoffs, with a 1.96 GAA and a .928 save percentage.

Brad Ralph extended his own ECHL records with his 94^th victory in 152 Kelly Cup games as a head coach.

Friday Night’s Scoresheet 

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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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