EVERBLADES RALLY LATE, DOUBLE UP GREENVILLE

ESTERO, Fla. –  Jesse Lansdell snapped a 2-2 tie with just over three minutes left to play as the Florida Everblades defeated the Greenville Swamp Rabbits 4-2 in front of 6,305 fans on Canadian Night Friday evening at Hertz Arena. 

The first-period scoreboard belonged to Greenville, as the Swamp Rabbits claimed a 1-0 lead on Carter Savoie’s power-play goal just past the midpoint of the opening stanza.

After limited action in the one-goal first frame, both teams got off to a quick start in a busy second period. Oliver Chau drew the Everblades even at 1-1 with his 13^th goal of the year just 61 seconds after the opening draw, but Greenville’s John Parker-Jones regained the lead for the Swamp Rabbits moments later at the 3:23 mark.

Florida responded for the second time in the period, as Colton Hargrove cashed in just five seconds into the Blades’ second power-play opportunity of the contest. Hargrove’s ninth goal of the campaign at 7:57 knotted the game at 2-2.

The deadlock would last not only through the end of the second period, but deep into the third, until Lansdell took a feed from Hargrove and beat Greenville netminder Dryden McKay from the doorstep with 3:11 left to play. Lansdell’s 11^th goal of the year gave the Everblades a 3-2 lead that would hold up the rest of the way.

Chau closed out the scoring with an empty-net goal, his 14^th of the year and second goal of the night, with 1:08 to play. Chau (2G), Hargrove (1G, 1A) and Carson GIcewicz (2A) each registered two-point nights for the victorious Everblades.

Everblades goaltender Cam Johnson turned aside 24 shots and was a winner for the 23^rd time in 29 starts, while McKay stopped 21 shots and suffered the loss for Greenville.

The Everblades will transform overnight into the Florida Skunk Apes and close out the series with Greenville Saturday night at 7:00 p.m. Fans are invited to embrace the legend of the Florida Skunk Ape with a night of cryptid-themed fun chock full of themed activities and exclusive Skunk Ape jerseys that will be auctioned off on the Dash app. The fun night at The Swamp includes a pregame tailgate with live music and a poster giveaway for the first 3,000 fans courtesy of Wendy’s. Visit floridaeverblades.com for more information and to purchase tickets.

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BLADES BITS

Jesse Lansdell’s game-winning goal with 3:11 to play pulled the Everblades even in the season series with Greenville at two games apiece. Including Saturday night’s series finale, the South Division rivals meet twice more this season. The Blades will travel to the Upstate on March 19.

Oliver Chau snapped the Everblades’ four-period scoring drought with a goal just 61 seconds into the middle stanza. Chau, who produced a pair of assists over the past four games, netted his first goal since getting in on the action in the Blades’ 6-0 steamrolling of Savannah on January 26. Chau added an empty-net goal late in the contest.

Colton Hargrove got back in the goal-scoring column with his first tally since potting a pair in a three-point effort in a 6-2 win over Jacksonville on January 3. Hargrove had notched four assists in a nine-game span since that two-goal, one-assist showing. He would add an assist on Jesse Lansdell’s game-winner for his second two-point game in his last six contests.

Friday Night’s Scoresheet

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