ECHL: Newfoundland Growlers Win Game Three of Eastern Conference Final, as Penalty Records Are Set

The Newfoundland Growlers and Florida Everblades combined for 218 penalty minutes and 17 misconducts in Monday Night’s game; those PIMS are the highest of any regular season or Kelly Cup Playoff game this season. Newfoundland, for the first time all series, looked like the team we expected to show up this series as they took down the Everblades by a score of 4-1, “Tonight was one of the first games that we saw their true colors, and I don’t think we adjusted quick enough” said Head Coach Brad Ralph on Monday Night’s loss. Newfoundland would open up the scoring as Zach O’Brien fed Keenan Suthers in front on the PP at the 12:39 mark of the opening frame. The Growlers would be able to double their lead before the period ended as Tyler Bolan fed Orrin Centazzo on a two-on-two, and Centazzo found the back of the net with less than two minutes remaining in the period. Todd Skriving got the Growlers a commanding 3-0 lead 47 seconds into the middle frame as he’d beat Cam Johnson five-hole for his seventh of the Kelly Cup Playoffs. Isaac Johnson would score as he kept it to himself on a two-on-one and snapped it past Johnson, and right before the period ended, the chaos would begin.

At the 19:09 mark of the second period, 58 of the 218 penalty minutes would be handed out as almost every player had a partner except for Florida goaltender Cam Johnson who would come out and challenge Luke Cavallin, who wanted nothing to do with the rough stuff. The Everblades would finally get on the board as Blake Winicki was able to crack Cavallin for his seventh of the Kelly Cup Playoffs. With 25 seconds left in the game, the two teams wanted to make seating plans as they will be traveling up to Newfoundland together on the same plane, which would result in 112 penalty minutes. For the second time tonight, Cam Johnson would skate to his blueline to challenge Cavallin, who still wasn’t looking to drop the gloves. Luke Cavallin bounced back in his first start since game one of the Kelly Cup Playoffs when he was pulled after giving up five goals; tonight, he would make 30 of 31 saves for his first career Kelly Cup Playoff victory. Zach Solow and Isaac Johnson each had 24 minutes in penalties.