ECHL hockey: Florida Everblades hold on to eliminate Adirondack Thunder
GLENS FALLS, N.Y. -- The Adirondack Thunder gave the 3,028 fans at Cool Insuring Arena a great heart-in-your-throat thrill during the third period of Saturday’s game.
The hearts fell noticeably lower by game’s end. Florida got out to a 3-0 first-period lead and withstood the Thunder’s two third-period goals to win Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals 3-2, and the series 4-1.
Florida will face either Fort Wayne or Colorado in the Kelly Cup Finals next week. That series is headed to a Game 6 in Colorado on Tuesday. The Blades hold the home-ice advantage for the Finals.
Matthew Mackenzie got the scoring started at 2:46 by getting his own rebound and sliding it past Drew Fielding (18 saves). Michael Kirkpatrick scored his 10th goal of the playoffs at 7:37 for a 2-0 lead, and Mitchell Heard notched his sixth of the playoffs with 52 seconds left in the period.
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“It proved to be everything,” Florida coach Brad Ralph said of the early lead. “We came out hard, played the right way and were able to establish a significant lead and then we hung on. Our guys competed and fought ‘til the end, as did Adirondack.”
Adirondack finally got on the scoreboard 2:39 into the third on a nifty connection by two of the team’s top post-college acquisitions. Ryan Schmelzer gave a behind-the-back, cross-ice pass to a cutting Mike Szmatula, who slid his fifth goal of the playoffs past Martin Ouellette (31 saves).
“We changed a couple of things I thought we could have done in prior games, but we saved our best for last, that’s for sure,” Thunder coach Brad Tapper said. “That last 20 minutes was who we are, and it was excellent to see. It was too little, too late though.”
“It’s been awesome,” Szmatula said of his experience with the Thunder. “I feel like I’ve been here the whole year. I could tell it was a tight-knit group, and they welcomed Ryan and me in right away. Honestly, we feel a part of the family in there.”
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Shortly after James Henry lost what looked like a tooth on a Florida penalty -- he was holding something in his hands while showing a referee and dropping blood from his facial area -- he came back and found Colton White, who put a strong wrister into the upper right of the net for a power-play goal at 12:03.
Adirondack had several more flurries, but once again, Florida did a good job of possessing the puck for long stretches that limited the Thunder’s opportunities.
“I think everyone in the building thought we were going to tie it,” Szmatula said. “It just didn’t got that way. Hats off to Florida; it did a great job. Just sad to see it end like this, but proud of the guys.”
For veteran defenseman Mathieu Brodeur, the loss and season’s end naturally stung.
“To be honest,” Brodeur said, “we thought it was our game, at least we could send it to overtime. And then you never know.
“It’s always fun to be in the final four,” he added, “but with the group of guys we have, I truly believe we could have won that series and gone all the way. It didn’t go our way. It’s disappointing not to be on top for this room.”
Eastern Conference Finals
Florida 4, Adirondack 1
Friday, May 11: Florida 4, Adirondack 3
Saturday, May 12: Adirondack 3, Florida 2, OT
Wednesday: Florida 3, Adirondack 2
Friday: Florida 7, Adirondack 3
Saturday: Florida 3, Adirondack 2
EVERBLADES 3, THUNDER 2
Florida 3 0 0 - 3
Adirondack 0 0 2 - 2
1st Period-1, Florida, Mackenzie 1 (Warning, Dziurzynski), 2:46. 2, Florida, Kirkpatrick 10 (Young), 7:37. 3, Florida, Heard 6 (Dziurzynski, Mackenzie), 14:08 (PP). Penalties-Sheppard Fla (roughing), 3:52; Riley Adk (roughing, roughing), 3:52; McCarron Fla (unsportsmanlike conduct), 8:24; Bergin Adk (roughing), 8:24; Orszulak Adk (unsportsmanlike conduct), 8:24; Schmelzer Adk (interference), 13:42; Sheppard Fla (fighting - major), 14:17; Bergin Adk (fighting - major), 14:17.
2nd Period- No Scoring.Penalties-Young Fla (tripping), 6:57; Riley Adk (hooking), 10:01; Sheppard Fla (tripping), 12:25; MacAulay Fla (high-sticking), 15:51; Thompson Adk (roughing), 19:50.
3rd Period-4, Adirondack, Szmatula 5 (Schmelzer, Wallin), 2:39. 5, Adirondack, White 3 (Henry, Brodeur), 12:03 (PP). Penalties-Henry Adk (interference), 5:46; Kamrass Fla (slashing), 11:13.
Shots on Goal-Florida 11-6-4-21. Adirondack 8-12-13-33.
Power Play Opportunities-Florida 1 / 6; Adirondack 1 / 4.
Goalies-Florida, Ouellette (33 shots-31 saves). Adirondack, Fielding (21 shots-18 saves).
A-3,028
Referees-Alex Normandin (26), Tyler Puddifant (28).
Linesmen-Charlie O'Connor (43), JP Waleski (51).