Ruh ohh: the Florida Everblades overcome the Atlanta Gladiators' power play efforts to win in overtime by a 4-3 score

Preview: Florida Everblades (3-0-0-0/6 pts/3rd place in the ECHL Eastern Conference) vs Atlanta Gladiators (2-2-0-0/4pts/8th place in the ECHL Eastern Conference)

Coming into tonight's game (October 30, 2024/7pm EST start at the Gas South District), the Atlanta Gladiators look to get above the .500 mark and snap a 2-game losing streak. A jumpstart to the offense (5 goals in 4 games) is key as they look to contain a Florida Everblades team (the 2024 Kelly Cup Champions) whose offense is averaging a solid 4 goals a game.

The Glads' Cody Sylvester (2 goals/1 assist/3 points) looks to lead an offense to test the Everblades' team defense who comes into tonight's tilt allowing a goal per game (1.0 goals per game). Atlanta's defense (allowing a solid 2.3 goals per game) looks to contain the high-powered Florida offense led by Colton Hargrove (1 goal/3 assists/4 points), Jordan Sambrook (3 points), and Logan Lambdin (3 points).

Game highlights: The Everblades overcome 2 power play goals by the Glads and squeeze out a 4-3 overtime win

Donned in their Scooby Doo Night uniforms, the Glads come out ready to play, but the Everblades take an early 1-0 lead in the 1st period (15:41) thanks to Andrew Flyen (2nd goal of the year with assists by Colton Hargrove and Sean Allen).

However, the Glads' offensive flurry changes the game and sees them having a 3-2 lead by the end of the 2nd period. Atlanta's ability to convert on 2 power play opportunities along with scoring a shorthanded goal pushes them to having an edge on Florida. Blake Murray's 1st goal of the season (2:11 in the 2nd period/power play goal/assisted by Eric Neiley and Cody Sylvester), Cody Slyvester's 3rd goal of the season (4:43 in the 2nd period/power play goal/assisted by Derek Topatigh and Blake Murray), and Joey Cipollone's 2nd goal of the season (14:45 in the 2nd period/shorthanded goal/assisted by Jackson Pierson) provide the scoring punch for the Glads.

Logan Lambdin (his 2nd of the year at the 11:33 mark of the 2nd period/power play/assisted by Kris Myllari and Jesse Lansdell) provides the scoring to keep Florida within a goal.

And then, if it weren't for those meddling visitors from Florida, the Gladiators likely would have walked out with a win.

At the 19:41 mark of the 3rd period, Carson Gicewicz crashes the party with his first goal of the season to tie the game at 3 (assists by Colin Theisen and Oliver Chau) to send the game to overtime.

The Everblades would end overtime and the game (6:15) with a Colton Hargrove game-winning goal (his 2nd of the season, assisted by Mike O'Leary and Adrian Bisson) to earn the win.

Both teams compete at a high level (each team has 33 shot attempts). Atlanta outperforms Florida in the power play (going 2 for 4 compared to the Everblades going 1 for 4) and even has a shorthanded goal, but winning goaltender Cam Johnson (30 saves on 33 shots) performs just a little better than the Glads' Drew DeRidder (29 saves on 33 shots).

The Everblades return to their home arena to take on the Orlando Solar Bears (October 31, 2024 at 7:30pm EST) while the Atlanta Gladiators hit the road for the first of 4 road games, as their next game (November 2, 2024 at 7pm against the Savannah Ghost Pirates); the Glads' next home game is scheduled for November 10, 2024 (3pm EST at the Gas South Arena against the Greenville Swamp Rabbits).

Notes: All photos and video are recorded via CCS, LLC; to view the 2024-25 season playlist, click HERE.