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Everblades wrap up preseason games with 4-2 win over Phoenix
EVERBLADES 4, ROADRUNNERS 2
Phoenix 0 1 1—2
Florida 0 2 2—4
First Period — Scoring: Penalties: Switzer, Florida (elbowing), 1:14; Sisca, Phoenix (holding), 7:58; Dmytruk, Phoenix (cross-checking), 13:53; Switzer, Fla. (interference), 14:04; Baker, Fla. (tripping), 19:05.
Second Period — Scoring: 1. Phoenix Desjardins 1 (unassisted), 2:47; 2. Florida Baker 1 (Switzer, Micflikier), 7:55 (pp); 3. Florida Micflikier 1 (Baker, Peto), 18:18 (pp); Penalties: Clark, Phoenix (roughing), 7:49; Emmerson, Florida (roughing), 8:25; Sisca, Phoenix (tripping), 9:04; Lee, Fla. (roughing), 13:12; Guyer, Phoenix (roughing), 13:12; Dmytruk, Phoenix (roughing), 13:12; Cunningham, Fla. (interference), 15:40; Schurch, Phoenix (delay of game), 16:22; Esner, Phoenix (holding), 17:30; Herauf, Fla. (hooking), 19:49; Schurch, Phoenix (delay of game), 19:59.
Third Period — Scoring: 4. Florida Brocklehurst 2 (Fournier), 1:29; 5. Phoenix Desjardins 2 (Andricopoulos, Carefoot), ; 6. Florida Lee 1 (unassisted), 19:12 (en); Penalties: Carefoot, Phoenix (roughing), 1:55; Switzer, Florida (slashing), 1:55; Sisca, Phoenix (high-sticking), 2:57; Brocklehurst, Fla. (roughing), 3:44; Nicholson, Fla. (hooking), 11:03; Roy, Fla. (high-sticking double-minor), 15:30; Dmytruk, Phoenix (roughing), 15:55; Zanon, Fla. (tripping), 19:25.
Shots on goal — Phoenix 12-12-10—34; Florida 6-20-5—31.
Power-play opportunities — Phoenix 0 of 12; Florida 2 of 10.
Goaltenders — Phoenix, Schurch 0-1-0 (31 shots, 27 saves); Florida, Shantz 1-0-0 (34 shots, 32 saves);
A: 4,031; Officials — Patafie, Jacobs, Blankenship
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ESTERO At Friday night’s game, Florida Everblades Kevin Baker and Jacob Micflikier had to watch from the bench and the stands, their nerves tightening with each shot, their feet itching to get on the ice and glide past their opponents for shot after shot after shot.
But this is the preseason — a time for unproven players to make their marks — and the talented Baker and Micflikier had to wait until Saturday night to show just what they can do for the green and blue.
Apparently, they can do a lot. Each had a goal and an assist for the Blades on Saturday, including Micflikier’s game-winner in the second period, assisted by Baker, to give Florida a 4-2 win against Phoenix, its second in a row this weekend at Germain Arena.
“There’s some pressure on us. ... Everyone’s got some pretty high expectations,” Baker said. “Just getting back into it was good. ... Our line played really well.”
After a 7-0 thrashing of the Roadrunners on Friday, the Blades had a bit more to handle on Saturday. They started slow, managing just six first-period shots compared to 12 for Phoenix.
And the Roadrunners struck first, on an unassisted one-on-one goal from Andrew Desjardins.
It took Baker five minutes, but he responded on the power-play. The scoring play started with a nice pass from speedy Micflikier behind the net to defenseman Craig Switzer on the point, and finally to Baker on the one-timer.
Ten minutes later, the Blades’ power-play scored again. After 68 seconds of a five-on-three advantage and 48 seconds on the five-on-four, Baker’s shot was tipped in by Micflikier to give the Blades the lead.
Aaron Brocklehurst scored 90 seconds into the third period to put the Blades up by two.
Besides Micflikier and Baker’s heroics, this weekend was a stellar overall performance for the Blades defense and goaltenders, who allowed just two goals in two games this weekend. Rookie goalie David Leggio earned the shutout on Friday night, and three-year Blades veteran David Shantz made 32 saves on Saturday to hold Phoenix to two goals. Shantz had a few tense moments late in the third period, when Phoenix got within one on a power-play goal from Desjardins.
But the Blades were able to get the puck free despite the Roadrunners’ two-man advantage, and Colin Nicholson scored a long empty-netter with 48 seconds left to put it out of reach.
“I don’t think goal-scoring will be an issue with this team,” first-year Blades coach Malcolm Cameron said. “We’ve got a lot of talent. I’ve just got to tell them that they don’t have to try and score every time. Sometimes it’s just not there.”
“We came out a little flat and very overconfident and lazy. ... That’s a little bit of youth and thinking it’s going to be easy,” Cameron added. “In pro hockey, it’s never that easy.”







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