LEGEND OF THE SKUNK APES CONTINUES

ESTERO, Fla. –  The legend of the Florida Skunk Apes added another chapter and a standing-room only throng of 7,512 fans were there to see it. Carson Gicewicz scored two goals and the Skunk Apes rallied from an early 1-0 deficit to defeat the Greenville Swamp Rabbits 3-2 Saturday night at Hertz Arena. The capacity crowd marked the 11^th full house in 22 home games this season at The Swamp.

With Skunk Ape fever rocking a sold-out Hertz Arena, Greenville put an early damper on the festivities, scoring the first goal for the third-straight game of the series. Carter Savoie put the Swamp Rabbits on top 1-0 at 14:03 of the opening period, scoring for the third time in three games.

Riding the electricity of the huge crowd, the Skunk Apes bounced back in short order, as Carson Gicewicz broke free, took a feed from Craig Needham and connected with a shorthanded tally to knot the game at 1-1 at the 18:40 mark. Gicewicz’s team-high 17^th goal of the season was also his second shorthanded tally of the campaign.

The 1-1 deadlock would continue into the thick of the second period, but fortunes would change right after Cam Johnson thwarted a Greenville penalty shot by Tyson Fawcett at the 8:12 mark. 

Shortly after that key stop by Johnson, the Skunk Apes would go on a five-minute power play, including a five-on-three advantage for nearly two minutes. With the advantage trimmed to five-on-four, the home team finally capitalized, as Kyle Betts connected on the power play at 11:53 to give the Skunk Apes a 2-1 lead that they would not relinquish.

Gicewicz gave the Skunk Apes some insurance, scoring his second goal of the night just four minutes into the third period. Gicewicz got a stick on a shot by Oliver Chau to extend the Apes’ lead to 3-1. The Swamp Rabbits would not go quietly, cutting Florida’s lead to 3-2 on a goal by Bryce Brodzinski that closed out the scoring four minutes later.

In the shot department, the Skunk Apes dominated to the tune of a 32-17 advantage, holding Greenville to just five shots on goal in both the first and second periods and seven in the third. In goal for the Skunk Apes, Johnson improved to 24-3-2-1, turning aside 15 of 17 shots.

The Skunk Apes will reassume their usual Florida Everblades persona as they head to the Hoosier State for a three-game set against the Indy Fuel. Action from Indianapolis starts with the opening game on Wednesday, February 12 and two more contests on Friday, February 14 and Saturday, February 15. All three games will be played at Fishers Events Center with puck drops slated for 7:00 p.m. ECHL action returns to Hertz Arena as the league’s newest team, the Tahoe Knight Monsters, make their first-ever visit to the Sunshine State on Wednesday, February 19 at 7:30 p.m. Visit floridaeverblades.com for more information and to purchase tickets.

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BLADES BITS

Saturday’s attendance of 7,512 was not only the 11^th sellout in 22 games at Hertz Arena this season, but was the third largest crowd of the 2024-25 campaign.

Carson Gicewicz, who registered his fourth multiple-goal game this season, became the third Skunk Ape to score two shorthanded goals this year, matching Oliver Chau and Craig Needham – who assisted on the Gicewicz shorty. The Apes have scored seven shorthanded goals this season, which is tied with four other clubs for fourth in the league. Three ECHL teams have scored eight shorthanded tallies.

With a shorthanded goal by Gicewicz and a power-play marker by Kyle Betts, the Skunk Apes registered both types of special teams goals for the third time this season. It is the second time Greenville fell victim, as the then-Everblades had three shorthanded goals and a power-play in an 8-0 thrashing on November 16.

Cam Johnson turned aside a penalty shot by Greenville’s Tyson Fawcett at 8:12 of the second period. Both Johnson and Will Cranley have stopped penalty shots this season, with Cranley doing so in the October 26 home opener in a 6-0 thrashing of Atlanta. ECHL netminders have denied 15 of 18 penalty shots this season.

Saturday Night’s Scoresheet

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