Weekly Preview: Everblades Host Orlando, Travel to Atlanta for Three

ESTERO, Fla. – The Florida Everblades will play their final home game of 2021 as the Orlando Solar Bears visit The Swamp on Wednesday, December 29 at 7:30 pm.  Be sure to join us for all the great Wednesday home game promotions including $3 Bud Light drafts and $3 John Morrell hot dogs. As is the case for every Wednesday home game, all college students can purchase a $5 ticket to the game at the Hertz Arena box office with a valid student ID.

Following Wednesday night’s matchup with the Solar Bears, the Everblades will head to Atlanta to ring in 2022 with a three-game series against the Gladiators.  The three-game set gets underway with battles on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day – Friday and Saturday – at 7:30 pm, before the series wraps up Sunday, January 2 at 3:00 pm.Read more about the Blades’ busy promotional schedule and great deals HERE. 

ON ICE THIS WEEK

Wednesday, December 29           Everblades vs. Solar Bears                            Hertz Arena                        7:30 pmPROMOTION: Every Wednesday home game at The Swamp features some awesome Hump Day deals, including $3 John Morrell hot dogs and Bud Lights. Also, college students can show a valid student ID at the box office to purchase their student ticket for only $5. Tickets can also be purchased HERE.

Friday, December 31                      Everblades at Gladiators                               Gas South Arena              7:30 pmSaturday, January 1                        Everblades at Gladiators                               Gas South Arena              7:30 pmSunday, January 2                            Everblades at Gladiators                               Gas South Arena              3:00 pmRead more about the Blades’ busy promotional schedule and great deals HERE.

NEWS AND NOTES

ONE THOUSAND WINS IN THE BOOKS!: With Sunday’s 5-0 victory over Orlando, the Florida Everblades registered the franchise’s 1,000th all-time victory. Dating back to the beginning in 1998, over 24 seasons, the Everblades have compiled a 1,000-495-54-113 all-time record (.652). Victory number one came in the organization’s second game, a 5-3 triumph over the host Charlotte Checkers on October 17, 1998.LAST WEEK IN REVIEW: The Everblades returned to action Sunday night in Orlando after an eight-day layoff and picked up just where they left off with a dominating 5-0 win. Five different Everblades scored goals, as Nathan Perkovich, Jake McLaughlin and Bobo Carpenter registered first-period tallies and Kyle Neuber and John McCarron lit the lamp in the third period. McCarron’s goal was his 150th in an Everblade sweater, including playoff games. In between the pipes, Tomas Vomacka posted 25 saves and earned his first professional shutout.THIS WEEK’S SLATE: The Everblades and Solar Bears wrap up the home-and-home series that began in Central Florida on Sunday with a 7:30 pm meetup Wednesday night at Hertz Arena. Following Wednesday’s tilt, the Blades will head up I-75 for a three-game set against the Atlanta Gladiators in Gas South Arena. The rivals will matchup Friday and Saturday evenings at 7:30 pm. before closing out the series Sunday afternoon at 3:00 pm.

SOUTH DIVISION STANDINGS: The Everblades have slipped back into second place in the ECHL South Division at 14-7-2-3 overall. With 33 points, the Blades are three points behind Jacksonville (17-8-1-1, 36 pts), winners of eight straight games. Atlanta (12-11-2-1) and Orlando (13-12-1-0) are right behind the leaders with 27 points each. Greenville (9-10-3-1, 22 points) is in fifth, followed by Norfolk (10-14-0-1, 21 pts) and South Carolina (9-13-2-0, 20 pts), round out the divisional table.

STUDYING THE SOLAR BEARS: The teams have met three times in the 2021-22, with the Everblades holding a 2-1 advantage. Before Sunday’s 5-0 victory, each team picked up a 3-2 victory on the other team’s ice, as Orlando claimed a win in Estero on November 10 before the Everblades returned the favor with a 3-2 triumph on November 17. For the Solar Bears, Aaron Luchuk has collected a team-high 27 points in 21 games, which is tied for seventh in the ECHL. Luchuk leads all Solar Bear skaters with 12 goals and 15 assists. Brad Barone, who made 50 saves in a 3-2 loss to the Everblades on November 17 in Hertz Arena, has a league-best .937 save percentage and ranks 11th among ECHL goaltenders with a 2.30 GAA .

GOINGS-ON WITH THE GLADIATORS: Entering the upcoming three-game set, the teams have met four times this season, trading favorable results as the Everblades have compiled a 2-1-1-0 edge in the season series. Atlanta posted a 3-2 overtime victory at home on November 14, before the Everblades took two of three games at Hertz Arena in the final games before the holiday break. Florida claimed a 3-1 win on December 15, Atlanta gained a 2-1 victory on December 17, and the Blades rolled to a 5-1 triumph on December 18. Cody Sylvester leads the Gladiators with 22 points (11 G, 11 A) and tops all current Atlanta skaters with 11 goals, while Luke Nogard has recorded a team-high 15 assists. In goal, Tyler Parks sports a solid 11-3-2-1 record with a 2.09 GAA, fifth-best in the ECHL, and a .930 save percentage which is tied for fourth.

BLADES AMONG LEAGUE LEADERS: Blake Winiecki continues to ranks towards the top of the ECHL offensive leaders, as his 32 points ranks second, one behind the leader, and his 14 goals are tied for third place. Alex Aleardi is right behind Winiecki in fifth place with 13 goals. Cam Johnson ranks fourth among ECHL goaltenders with a microscopic 1.88 GAA. Among ECHL rookies, Jake Jaremko is tied for fifth place with 19 points, while he is tied for the rookie lead with six power-play assists and ranks second among newcomers with eight points. With his return to Southwest Florida, Jake McLaughlin remains in the top-10 among ECHL defenders, ranking in a tie for sixth with 19 points. His 17 assists stands tied for second among league blue-liners.

EIGHT STRAIGHT FOR THE CAPTAIN: John McCarron made it eight straight games with at least one point on Sunday, as he knocked home the Blades’ fifth and final goal of the evening.  The marker was McCarron’s 150th in an Everblade seater, including playoffs. The sizzling Captain Everblade has tallied at least one point in each of the eight games he has played this month. Over those eight games, McCarron has collected nine points on three goals and six assists.

SEVEN IN A ROW FOR JAREMKO: Jake Jaremko picked up an assist Sunday night to extend his point streak to seven straight games.  Over the past seven games, Jaremko has collected nine points on three goals and six assists.

SIX PACK FOR McDONALD: With a first-period assist on Sunday, Kody McDonald stretched his point-scoring streak to six straight games. During that run, McDonald has scored a pair of goals and added four assists.THE CAPTAIN IS HOT: In addition to collecting nine points on three goals and six assists in eight December games, Captain John McCarron continues his assault on the Everblades record book. With 354 career points in an Everblades sweater, including playoffs. Captain John McCarron is now just 11 points shy of Reggie Berg’s franchise record of 365. In regular-season games, McCarron’s 308 career points ranks third, two out of second place (310, Tom Buckley) and 11 short of the franchise mark (319, Reggie Berg). In the goals and assists category, with 132 regular-season goals and 176 regular-season assists, McCarron is one goal away from second place all-time in regular-season goals. Additionally, with 150 career goals in all games including playoffs, McCarron is now tied for second place all-time in that category and just 14 shy of the all-time mark (Reggie Berg, 164).EYE ON THE COACH: Everblades veteran head coach Brad Ralph is two wins away from his 500th win as a head coach. In his 12th season as a head coach, Ralph sports a 498-213-69 (.683) career record. Breaking it down, Ralph sports a 450-193-65 (.681) mark in the pro ranks, a 379-159-58 (.685) ledger in the ECHL, and a 247-95-38 (.700) mark with the Blades, just three wins shy of 250 in Southwest Florida.

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JOIN THE FUN

Become a member of the Florida Everblades family by securing a great seat location and big savings with a Blades 365 Membership!

Purchase a new Voucher 12 package that allows you to use 12 tickets in any quantity during the 2021-22 season to earn the exclusive benefits of being a Blades 365 Member! To view the Blades 365 Membership savings, benefits and options click HERE.

Everblades put the FUN in FUNdraising! There is no handling of money or tickets and no limit to the amount of money your group can make with the Everblades easy-to-run online Fundraiser! For more information, or to reserve a Fundraiser Night at an Everblades regular season home game, call or text (239) 948-7825.

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Watch every Florida Everblades game on FloHockey.TV. Listen to the exciting game action on ESPN Southwest Florida on 770 AM, 98.1 FM, 104.3 FM and online at https://espnswfl.com. 

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The Florida Everblades are the proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL’s Nashville Predators and the AHL's Milwaukee Admirals.

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