The Adirondack Thunder and Florida Everblades played Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals on Wednesday Night as the series shifted to Estero. During the regular season, the Adirondack Thunder had their struggles vs. Everblades at Hertz Arena as they got swept during the three-game series in February, and Florida had won their last three Kelly Cup Playoff Games that were played at Hertz Arena. Adirondack has had issues in the first half of the opening frame, and tonight, it would be the Everblades who would score first as Jordan Sambrook would score on a shot from the point to make it a 1-0 game at the 6:33 mark of the opening period. The Sambrook goal would open the floodgates for Florida as Mark Senden scored on a two-on-one at the 12:38 mark, and then Matt Wedman would score a PP goal less than three minutes later to make it 3-0 Everblades, and for the first time since April 27th vs Maine Mariners, the Thunder had given up three goals to their opponent and would end up getting outshot 14-4 in the opening frame. Josh Ho-Sang would pick up a goal on the first and third goals for the Everblades, as he now leads the league with 12 assists in the Kelly Cup Playoffs.
“It’s good when I’m not getting tackled and slashed, the refs are keeping the games more tame it’s definitely easier to do my thing, I understand that it’s playoffs and the officiating is going to be the way it should be for the playoffs and I think our team has done a great job battling that, and as you see I get a lot of double coverage, so I’m just sharing the puck with my friends”
Florida Everblades Josh Ho-Sang on his two assist night
Luckily for the Thunder, they would be able to find a way to compose themselves and not let the game get completely out of hand, as the game would seem more even over the course of the final two periods. In the third period, Adirondack would pull Isaac Poulter for Jeremy Brodeur; when asked if Brodeur coming in was due to an injury to Poulter, Head Coach Pete MacArthur said, “just trying to change the mojo, give our guys a little spark, nothing to do specifically with Poults, he was fine, just trying to change things and get us going.” Cam Johnson stopped all 26 saves for his second shutout in the Everblades 4-0 win.
“Just a new day, that wasn’t good enough we came out flat, as a group we can’t play like that otherwise we’re going to lose, we’re playing a good team, that’s completley unacceptable on our behalf.
Adirondack Thunder Interim Captain Darian Skeoch on the team’s peformance on Wednesday Night
Adirondack will look to even up the series on Friday Night, while the Thunder will look to even this series up and guarantee themselves at least one more home game.
