ESTERO, Fla. – A 27-save shutout from Cam Johnson propelled the Florida Everblades to a 3–0 victory over the Greenville Swamp Rabbits Wednesday night in front of 5,494 fans at Hertz Arena. 

Florida wasted little time opening the scoring as Craig Needham buried his 20th goal of the season just 44 seconds into the contest. Moments later, the Everblades had an opportunity to extend the lead but were unable to convert on the power play. Greenville generated the next four shots of the game following the successful penalty kill, but Johnson turned them all aside to keep the visitors off the board. 

Greenville nearly tied the game midway through the opening frame on the power play, but Neil Shea fired a wobbly puck wide off the side of the net. Anthony Romano stretched the hosts lead to a pair with under five minutes to play in the period burying an available rebound from a Jordan Sambrook point shot following a faceoff win from Craig Needham. 

Greenville began the second period on the man advantage with 1:06 of carryover time following a penalty to Reid Duke but could not capitalize. The Swamp Rabbits pressured throughout the middle frame, firing 15 shots toward Johnson, but the Everblades netminder stood tall. Florida nearly added to the lead late in the period, but Isaiah Saville denied a trio of chances after Greenville defensive miscues in its own zone.

The Blades opened the third period with the first four shots, but Saville answered each attempt to keep it a two-goal game. Moments later, Jacob Modry slipped behind the Florida defense on a partial breakaway but was denied by Johnson. A hook on the play against Duke gave Greenville another power-play opportunity, but Florida’s penalty kill held strong once again, limiting the Swamp Rabbits to just one shot. 

Hudson Elynuik put the final nail in the coffin with 23 seconds to go in the game hitting the empty net to increase the Blades lead to three. Florida’s defense closed out the game by holding Greenville to just four shots in the final period. 

Cam Johnson earned his 20^th win of the season including his seventh in a row as he has now made 11 consecutive starts for Florida. With tonight’s win, Brad Ralph’s group has 78 points on the season and extended its lead atop the South Division to five points over Atlanta. 

Game Sheet

Blades Bites

Craig Needham and Anthony Romano remain tied for the team lead in goals each with 20 on the season.

Jordan Sambrook has recorded four straight multi-point games with a pair of assists tonight and his +3 rating tonight boosted his rating to a +40 overall on the season.

Florida matched their season long win streak of seven games with tonight’s victory.

Cam Johnson is now tied for fourth all-time in the ECHL in shutouts with 19 and has two on the season. Florida has also shutout Greenville twice this season. 

Cole Moberg made his Everblades season debut tonight.