JACKSONVILLE, Fla – The Jacksonville Icemen and Florida Everblades kicked off their South Division Semifinals for the Kelly Cup Playoffs on Thursday night. Jacksonville took a 4-0 victory, with goaltender Matt Vernon earning himself a playoff shutout and the #1 star of the game. The ceremonial puck drop featured Jacksonville Mayor Donna Deegan and Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence.
Shots were evenly matched throughout the three periods, but Jacksonville’s specialty teams came through for the team, scoring three powerplay goals and a shorthanded empty net goal. The game’s first goal came in the final minute of the first period from Captain Christopher Brown on the powerplay. After a scoreless second period, Olivier Nadeau scored the second powerplay goal early into the third period on a tipped shot from Brown. Down 2-0 and under five minutes left in the game, Florida went on the powerplay and pulled their netminder Cam Johnson for a six-on-four man advantage. Jacksonville’s Jerry D’Amigo got the puck and fired it down the ice into the empty net for a 3-0 lead. The third powerplay goal came with just over two minutes left in the game from Derek Lodermeier on a high tip from a shot from Garret Cockerill. Florida had some quality chances, with Vernon coming up trumps making some huge and unbelievable saves throughout the game. The two teams will match up for Game 2 in Jacksonville on Sunday at 3 pm.
Click here to read an in-depth review of the game by Mia Schell
Check out this photo gallery from Inside The Rink’s Andrew Fielder, for highlights from the game.
