The Orlando Solar Bears
Road-rampaging Everblades build 3-0 series advantage
are a game away from elimination in the ECHL playoffs after falling 5-1 to the Everblades.
The Florida Everblades may play their home games at Germain Arena in Estero, but they’ve looked much more comfortable in another hockey facility in the Sunshine State.
For the eighth time in 10 tries this season, the Everblades won at Amway Center in downtown Orlando, and Thursday it wasn’t even close.
Florida scored twice in 5:25 early in the first period, forcing Orlando coach Drake Berehowsky to pull starting goalie Cal Heeter.
Backup Mackenzie Skapski only did better for less than a period as the Everblades rolled over the Solar Bears 5-1 to take a commanding 3-0 series lead in the ECHL South Division final.
A do-or-die Game 4 for Orlando will take place on Friday night back at Amway Center, at where Florida went 7-2 during the regular season and has gone 3-1 over the last two years in the playoffs.
“I didn’t like the way we played,” Berehowsky said. “Our compete level wasn’t high enough. We have to compete better. We know it’s there with the way we played against South Carolina. We have to find it within ourselves to play the right way.”
Florida took a 1-0 lead just 3:21
into the contest near the end of a 4-on-4 just as another penalty was going to be called on the home team.
The Bears turned the puck over in the neutral zone and the Everblades took advantage with a goal from John McCarron — his fourth of the playoffs — assisted by Spencer Smallman.
Michael Kirkpatrick gave Florida a 2-0 lead with 11:14 left in the period on a picture-perfect pass from Mitchell Heard.
“We got fortunate early in the first period by scoring a goal and we had a couple of good bounces, scored another goal and that really helped,” Florida coach Brad Ralph said.
The tough start forced Berehowsky’s hand as he pulled Heeter after the goalie’s 10th goal given up in the series and replaced him with Mackenzie Skapski.
Orlando showed life to start the second period, scoring just 1:44 in on a slap shot from near the blue line from Jean Dupuy — his second goal of the playoffs — on assists by Kyle Rankin and Martins Dzierkals to cut the deficit to one.
“I thought we needed a spark and it worked a little bit,” Berehowsky said.
Just not enough, though, as the Bears couldn’t maintain the energy burst.
They were called for too many men on the ice with 13:53 left in the second period.
Florida took advantage with Kirkpatrick scoring his second goal of the game on Heard’s second assist of the night.
“I think that third goal of the night was the turning point of the game,” Ralph said.
Orlando still had a great chance to get back to within one goal with just under seven minutes left in the period with a 2-on-1 break.
Dzierkals shot from Florida goalie Martin Ouellette’s left side, and the rebound was just resting at the top of the crease for about three seconds before the Everblades slapped it away.
During the scramble in front, Dupuy committed a slashing penalty and Florida scored on the ensuing power play on a goal from Gus Young, then added a debilitating goal 1:33 later from Brett Bulme to seal the deal.
Needless to say, team captain Sean Zimmerman wasn’t happy with the outcome.
“It’s frustrating to be in the second round of the playoffs and you come out with that effort,” he said.
“I can’t explain … it’s a little embarrassing for me. We’ve only had three goals in three games. That should be our No. 1 priority in practice [on Friday morning].”
Now the Bears need to do something that’s only been done twice in ECHL history — come back from a 3-0 series deficit, though one was done just two weeks ago.
Cincinnati accomplished the feat in 2010 over Reading before Idaho did it against Allen last month in the first round.