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Florida ends road trip on positive note
Three wins key road trip's finale
Sharon Weatherhead
Jan 21, 2010 - 5:59:12 AM

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ESTERO, Fl – The Florida Everblades continue their northern road trip. While the results of last weeks games were not what the Blades had hoped for, this week ended on a much more positive note, with three wins and six solid points in the standings.

WEDNESDAY, January 13^th, 2010, Everblades 2 - Royals 1, Shootout

This was the fifth and final meeting between these two teams. The Blades got out in front at 15:50 of the first period, with a power-play goal by Mathieu Roy. Florida came out strong and fierce against the Royals. They looked prepared, focused and ready to win. They held the one goal lead until the third period.

Photo by Lewis Bleiman

The second period was scoreless; however this did not diminish the will of either team to earn the win. A number of good scoring chances were negated by good goaltending. Florida’s A.J. Thelen hit the post. Reading’s Nick St. Pierre slid a puck along the goal line, but did not go in. Reading pushed hard and Ben Gordon finally found the back of Barry Brust’s net at 18:10 into the period. At the end of three, the score was tied 1-1.

The score remained tied at the end of overtime. The shootout extended into seven rounds, until Florida’s Kevin Baker, last years ECHL scoring champ, scored the winning goal. Florida wins 2-1 in a shootout.

The Everblades’ Goaltender Barry Brust gets the win. Matt Dalton was in the net for Reading.

FRIDAY, January 15, 2010 – Everblades 4 – Devils 3, Shootout

Friday’s game was the first meeting of the season between the Blades and the Devils. Florida came out strong again and scored the first goal. Ernie Harlieb scored at 3:29. Ten minutes later, at 13:48, Trenton’s Dan Eves tied the game. The period ended in a 1-1 tie, with Florida out-shooting Trenton 12-8.

The Blades scored first again at just 1:16 into the period, with a goal by Matt Duffy. The lead was short lived as Trenton scored seconds later, at 1:58 with a tally by Jeff Prough. Trenton scored again at 2:47, with a goal by Kyle Kucharski. Trenton had three power-play opportunities, but Barry Brust kept Florida alive in the game with excellent goaltending. Trenton led going into the second break 3-2.

Florida worked hard fighting back to tie the game. Kevin Baker evened the score at the 14:05 mark. The third period ended in a 3-3 tie, assuring the Blades at least one point.

The overtime period remained scoreless, once again sending the game into a shootout. Florida came out ahead, and gets the win with a final score of 4-3.

In the net for the Everblades was Barry Brust, while Gerald Coleman picks up the loss for Trenton.

SATURDAY, January 16, 2010 – Everblades 3 – Devils 1

Saturday’s game was the final game of Florida’s eleven-game road trip. The Devils and the Blades looked tired and sluggish during the first period and no pucks found the back of their respective offensive nets. The game was scoreless at the end of the first.

Florida came out energized in the second period, but Trenton took advantage of a power-play and scored first. Tony Zancanaro scored at 15:44 to take the lead. Florida’s Mike Bayrack fought back to tie the game less than a minute later at 16:15. The score was tied at the end of the second period.

Photo by Lewis Bleiman

Trenton took several early penalties in the third period and Florida jumped all over them. Jordan Morrison fired in a power-play goal at the two-minute mark into the period. Although Florida kept up the pressure, Dave Caruso kept Trenton in the game. Behind by a score of 2-1, Trenton pulled their goaltender with 2:33 left in the game. Florida’s Mathieu Roy saw a perfect opportunity and shot the puck from center ice, scoring the empty net insurance goal. Florida took home the win, this time in regulation, by a score of 3-1.