SERIES PREVIEW: EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS

WHO: Florida Everblades (2nd South) vs Trois-Rivières Lions (1st North)

BROADCAST: Watch every Florida Everblades game on FloHockey.TV. Listen to the exciting game action on ESPN Southwest Florida on 770 AM, 98.1 FM, 104.3 FM and online at https://espnswfl.com. 

ESTERO, Fla. – The Florida Everblades will open the Eastern Conference Finals tonight, Saturday, May 17 at 7 p.m. against the Trois-Rivières Lions in the Swamp, continuing their title defense for the fourth consecutive season. 

With two rounds under their belt and two to go, the Blades have surged through half of the Kelly Cup Finals, eliminating the Orlando Solar Bears in five games for the second straight postseason. They now turn their attention to a Quebec group that they have yet to face this season—their last meeting came in March 2023 when the Lions and Blades split a pair of matchups north of the border. 

The Blades finished the regular season sitting in second place in the South Division and the ECHL with a 49-15-7 record, anchored by two-time playoff MVP Cam Johnson who currently possesses a .932 save percentage in the postseason. With 29 goals scored and just 15 allowed, the Blades are averaging nearly two goals for every one they give up, highlighting a balance between offensive firepower and defensive discipline. Colton Hargrove leads the way with five goals, followed by Logan Lambdin with three. Both players share the team lead with nine points each.

This is Trois-Rivières’ first trip to the Conference Finals in their history. In the regular season, the Montreal Canadiens’ ECHL affiliate claimed the North Division with a 45-19-6 record and a balanced power that ranked fourth in the league for goals scored and goals against. This remains consistent heading into round three with 32 goals scored and 16 against, a plus-16 goal differential. This is best attributed to their top performers, Anthony Beauregard (seven goals, 11 points) and Alex Beaucage (six goals, ten points), alongside goaltender Luke Cavallin, who holds a .939 save percentage in the playoffs. 

The Blades challenge the Lions' with an 8-1 record, a 96.7 penalty kill percentage, a 15.4 power play percentage and two shorthanded goals, both from Kyle Betts. The Lions enter round three with an 8-2 record, 82.9 penalty kill percentage, a 21.2 powerplay percentage and one shorthanded goal. 

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