Everblades Open Long Homestand With Three Against Swamp Rabbits

ESTERO, Fla. – After a week which served up four games against three different opponents in five days, the Florida Everblades return to Southwest Florida for the team’s longest homestand of the season, a seven-day stretch that will keep the Blades on Hertz Arena ice through Saturday, March 19. This week’s slate features three games against one opponent, as the Greenville Swamp Rabbits come to town for games on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday. The seven-game homestand comes at an opportune time, as the Everblades have won six straight games and have picked up at least one point in nine consecutive contests. 

ON ICE THIS WEEK

Wednesday, March 2Swamp Rabbits at Everblades Hertz Arena 7:30 pmPROMOTIONS: 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. Students can also purchase tickets online HERE.Friday, March 4Swamp Rabbits at Everblades Hertz Arena 7:30 pmPROMOTIONS: During each Friday home game of the 2021-22 season, fans can enjoy the action with a 239 ticket package, which pays tribute to Southwest Florida's area code and provides a great deal! You get two premium seat tickets, two autographed programs, and two Riptide Brewing IPA beers for just $39! Tickets can also be purchased HERE.Also, as a thank you to our first responder heroes, frontline workers are eligible to receive a buy one, get one ticket offer for all remaining Friday home games while supplies last. Get your tickets HERE.

Saturday, March 5Swamp Rabbits at Everblades Hertz Arena 7:00 pmPROMOTIONS: Every Saturday home matchup this season will kick off with a free pregame tailgate party!  Come out to Hertz Arena early and tailgate from 5:00 to 7:00 pm. This Saturday’s tailgate party will feature live music by James Prather and kids’ activities! Tickets can also be purchased HERE.

In addition, Saturday night will be Blades Water Bottle Giveaway Night. Join us for your chance to receive an Everblades Water Bottle, presented by Arthrex.Read more about the Blades’ busy promotional schedule and great deals HERE

NEWS AND NOTES

LAST WEEK IN REVIEW: The Everblades enjoyed a perfect week, posting four wins in four games as they ran their current winning streak to six games while also extending a streak of earning at least one point to nine consecutive contests (7-0-1-1), good for 16 of a possible 18 points. Last Wednesday, the Blades throttled visiting the Orlando Solar Bears by a 6-0 count, before taking to the road for three games in three days. On Friday, the Everblades knocked off the Jacksonville Icemen 3-2 in a shootout, before heading to North Charleston, S.C., where the boys picked up back-to-back wins over the South Carolina Stingrays 6-5 in overtime on Saturday and 3-1 on Sunday. With a .642 point percentage, the Everblades are putting a full-court press on first-place Jacksonville, which has seen its point percentage fall to .653 after going winless in their past two games.

THIS WEEK’S OPPONENT: The Greenville Swamp Rabbits will visit Hertz Arena for the first time this season. Before the series with the Everblades gets underway Wednesday night, the Bunnies will make a pit stop in Orlando for a Tuesday morning contest against the Solar Bears, whom they defeated 5-0 at Orlando on Sunday afternoon. Greenville enters the week comfortably in fifth place in the ECHL South Division, sporting a 17-22-4-3 overall record which is good for 41 points and an all-important .446 points percentage. The Swamp Rabbits have registered a 3-7-0-0 record in their last 10 games.

THE SERIES WITH GREENVILLE: This season, the Everblades and Swamp Rabbits have squared off seven times, with each of those contests taking place in the Palmetto State. The Blades are 4-3-0-0 in those seven meetings, while leading in goals scored 22-20. Florida won the first three games between the rivals this season, sweeping a two-game set November 12-13 and claiming another victory on January 14. Greenville followed with three straight wins of their own, picking up victories on January 15, 28 and 29, before the Everblades pulled ahead in the series in the teams’ last meeting, picking up a 6-5 overtime win on January 30 after falling behind 4-2.

THEY LIKE BUNNIES: In games against the Swamp Rabbits, Captain Everblade John McCarron leads the squad with eight total points, scoring three goals dishing out a team-high five assists. The consistent duo of Joe Pendenza and Blake Winiecki are next in line with six points apiece as both have torched Greenville for three goals and three assists. Dylan Vander Esch has scored a team-high four goals. In between the pipes, Parker Gahagen has drawn the start in six of the seven meetings against Greenville and has tallied a 3-3-0-0 record with a 2.36 GAA and a .914 save percentages. 

McCARRON HITS ANOTHER MILESTONE: With a goal in Sunday’s 3-1 victory over South Carolina, Captain Everblade John McCarron scored his 145th regular-season goal in an Everblades uniform, matching the franchise career record that he now shares with Reggie Berg a star with the Everblades from 1999 through 2007. Also, the franchise’s career leader with 383 points in the regular season and playoffs combined, McCarron has 23 goals this season, tied with teammate Blake Winiecki for third place in the ECHL, just one marker behind the league’s co-leaders.

GAHAGEN IS A FORTRESS: Everblades netminder Parker Gahagen extended his personal winning streak to four straight games, earning the W against South Carolina on Sunday. Gahagen (12-7-1-1) has shot up to third place in the ECHL with a 2.33 GAA, while his .920 save percentage ranks fifth in the league. Since being pulled after allowing two goals in just over six minutes in an eventual 3-2 shootout loss to Jacksonville on February 16, Gahagen has been impenetrable, making four starts, going a perfect 4-0 with a 1.44 GAA and a stellar .955 save percentage.

TIME TO START NEW STREAKS: Two of the hottest Everblades in Joe Pendenza and Michael Neville saw impressive point streaks come to an end in Sunday’s win over South Carolina. Pendenza had notched 10 points over seven straight games, scoring three goals and tallying seven assists. Neville had registered seven points over five consecutive contests, scoring four goals and adding three helpers. In addition, Jake Jaremko saw a three-game goal scoring string come to an end.

FEBRUARY GOES OUT WITH A BANG: After posting seven wins in each of the last three calendar months –  November, December and January – the Everblades chalked up eight wins in 12 February contests, including victories in the final six games of the month. With an 8-2-1-1 mark, the Blades came away with 18 of a possible 24 points in February, matching the 18 points they amassed in November, when the team went 7-1-2-2 in 12 games.

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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.

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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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