WHEELING, W.Va. – The Florida Everblades took a 2-1 lead into the third period, but came up short in a bid to wrap up a series sweep of the Wheeling Nailers, dropping a 3-2 overtime decision in Game Four of the ECHL Eastern Conference Finals Friday night at WesBanco Arena. Florida still leads the bast-of-seven series three-games-to-one and will look to wrap up a spot in the 2026 Kelly Cup Finals presented by Lexus Dealers of Southwest Florida with a victory in Game Five on Saturday.

As has been the case in every game this postseason, the Everblades got on the board first, taking a 1-0 lead on Carson Gicewicz’s seventh goal of the playoffs, a shorthanded tally at 6:38 of the opening frame. Less than two minutes earlier, Anthony Romano was denied by Wheeling goaltender Taylor Gauthier on a penalty shot at the 4:44 mark, but Gicewicz tapped home a feed from Craig Needham for a 1-0 lead that would stand until the opening intermission.

It appeared as if the Blades’ 1-0 lead would hold up through the second period, but Wheeling’s Matthew Quercia registered the power-play equalizer at 18:28 of the middle frame, knotting the score at 1-1. But 25 seconds later, Oliver Cooper went upstairs on a pass from Jett Jones to give the good guys a 2-1 lead on his second marker of the postseason and a one-goal advantage into the final stanza.

Host Wheeling wasted little time tying the game in the third period, as Craig Armstrong made it a 2-2 game just 30 seconds after the opening faceoff of the frame. The Everblades put 12 shots on goal over the period, but could not solve Gauthier as the game eventually went to overtime, with Max Graham winning it for the Nailers just over six minutes into the extra period.

Game Five is slated for Saturday night in Wheeling at 7:10 p.m. Should the series require additional games, action would shift back to Hertz Arena for potential Games Six and Seven on Monday, June 1 and Wednesday, June 3, respectively, both at 7:30 p.m. The Eastern Conference champion will face either the Kansas City Mavericks or the Fort Wayne Komets in the 2026 Kelly Cup Finals. KC currently leads the best-of-seven Western Conference Finals three-games-to-one, with Game Five scheduled for Sunday in Fort Wayne.

Visit floridaeverblades.com for more information and to purchase tickets for future games at Hertz Arena.
 

BLADES BITS

Carson Gicewicz scored for the second consecutive game.

The Blades outshot Wheeling 34-25, including a 13-4 edge in the first period an a 12-7 advantage in the third.

Both the Everblades and Nailers have two shorthanded goals in the 2026 Kelly Cup Playoffs, tops in the circuit.

 

Friday Night’s Scoresheet 

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