GREENVILLE, S.C. — The Florida Everblades flew down to Greenville for a two-game weekend series to take on their division foes, the Swamp Rabbits, on Nov. 16-17. Prior to this matchup, the Everblades were 8-2-0 for ten games and first in the eastern conference and south division; while the Swamp Rabbits were 4-3-1 for eight games and fifth in the division and ninth in the conference.
Game One
Dryden McKay for Greenville and Cam Johnson for Florida would start in their respective blue paint creases.
1st Period
To start off the period, the Everblades were very aggressive on every front. With intense forechecking and superior-appearing offensive zone plays, the visiting team was showing why they were three-time champions.
At 7:18, they opened the scoring. A poor play behind the net in the trapezoid by McKay gave up the puck to Everblades’ Carson Gicewicz, who easily scored on an empty net.
Then, a minute later, Gicewicz would score again, this time on the power play to make it 2-0. Two goals in two minutes were not enough, as heavy pressure in Greenville’s zone by the Everblades would give them an opportunity to make it 3-0.
At 9:28, Gary Haden gave his team some insurance with a top-shelf wrister. The Everblades would take advantage of the Rabbits’ PP, as the team would score twice shorthanded after the home team turned over many pucks that gave the Everblades the upper hand.
Oliver Chau would score on the breakaway, thanks to a turnover in neutral ice by the Rabbits. Then, after McKay was pulled for Kolby Hay, the Rabbits got forechecked by Craig Needham, allowing him to motor down without numbers and tip the puck in short side. After 20 minutes, Florida held a 6-0 lead.
Shots on goal: Florida 14; Greenville 6
2nd Period
A repeat of the past few goals scored by the Blades would occur again. On the penalty kill, Oliver Chau intercepted the puck in Greenville’s neutral zone and went on a breakaway, scoring to make it 7-0.
Two minutes later, at 6:23 p.m., Gicewicz netted his first hat trick of the season to give his team an eight-nothing lead. This period was all Everblades; they were practically walking over the home team, even when short-handed.
The Swamp Rabbits saw good shot attempts on goal, but Johnson easily denied them.
Shots on goal: Florida 9; Greenville 10
3rd Period
In the final frame of action, neither team would score as Florida demonstrated physical and dominating defensive plays, but Hay and Johnson stood tall in the crease. The Swamp Rabbits only had seven shots on Johnson’s net, as the majority of their plays were broken up, turned over, or had passes that failed to connect.
After sixty minutes of hockey, the Everblades took Game One of Two in Greenville, 8–0. The club became the 33rd team in league history to score three short-handed goals in a single game.
Shots on goal: Florida 11; 7 Greenville
Total: Florida 34; 23 Greenville
Media’s Three Stars of The Game
1. Carson Gicewicz (3G-1A=4Pts)
2. Oliver Chau (2G-1A=3Pts)
3. Cam Johnson (23 Saves, shutout)
Game Two
Dryden McKay for Greenville and Will Cranley started in their respective nets.
1st Period
Florida would draw a penalty in the first three minutes of play when Santino Centorame was called for holding. The Swamp Rabbits put up two shots on Cranley during this power play opportunity, and had far better connecting passes than in the previous game.
However, just like the last game, the Everblades were dominant defensively and broke up many plays that could have seen scoring opportunities from the home team.
Shots on goal: Florida 16; Greenville 13
2nd Period
At 13:53, Bobby Russell rocketed one at the blue line as Stuart Rolofs tipped it in near the blue paint to open the scoring. Then less than a minute before the buzzer, Bryce Brodzinski made it 2-0. After forty minutes, the pace and tone of the game was finally changed, as the home team finally scored and held a lead.
Shots on goal: Florida 11; Greenville 12
3rd Period
At 13:33, a Swamp Rabbits goal went under official review by referees Hunter Mottinger and Luke Gagnon. Originally, the play was waved off prior to the whistle.
But after review, the goal was rewarded, with Carter Savoie earning the goal to give his team a three-nothing lead. The scoring depth from the Swamp Rabbits finally woke up and was performing as they previously had before this series.
Afterward, the wave had changed for the Everblades, as they would later pressure on the forecheck and generate o-zone plays to try and muster a goal. The effort paid off, as at 10:07, Ben Brar would tuck the rebound from Mike O’Leary’s original shot on McKay.
Six minutes later, the Everblades would win an offensive-zone faceoff for Jordan Sambrook to saucer to Colin Theisen for him to shoot and score, giving the team a one-goal deficit. With less than four minutes left in regulation, the visiting team sought to pull Cranley for the extra attacker.
The team did so at the 92 second mark, chipping good plays and keeping it in Greenvilles zone whilst holding a 6-on-5 man advantage. However, they would not capitalise on a tie, and therefore fell short for game two.
The Swamp Rabbits resurrected themselves with a much-needed resurgence of energy for this two-game series, taking game two with a score of 3-2.
Three Stars
- Dryden McKay (47 saves)
2. Tate Singleton (2A)
3. Carter Savoie (1G)
The Swamp Rabbits will return to the ice on Nov. 22 at Bon Secours Wellness Arena where they will face the South Carolina Stingrays. Meanwhile, the Florida Everblades will return home on Wednesday, Nov. 20 to face the Kalamazoo Wings in a three-game series.
