Mad Max meets Magic Max

Saturday, December 21, 2002
TECO Arena

All-star Marty Johnston had the game-winning goal and an assist, and Florida forward Kevin Brown a goal and two assists as the Everblades overcame the Ice Pilots for the second consecutive night, this time by a score of 5-4.

It was a relatively quite first period with neither team scoring, and both teams taking two penalties. Some end to end hockey and some great saves by both netminders.

Things started shaking loose in the second. I was down in the concourse talking to one of the Junior Blade parents when Duane Harmer opened up the scoring for Florida, just twenty seconds into the period.

I would also miss Martin Bartek's goal for Pensacola less then a minute later.

Kevin Cloutier would get the puck to Josh Harrold who was left undefended just south of the red line. Harrold turn up the steam and went for a breakaway on Rob Zepp. With no defense in the area and our netminder the only saving grace left, I kept praying but...someone needs to teach Zepp to come out and take the angles way from the shooters on plays like this. He has a great deal of difficulty with breakaways and penalty shots and yes, shootouts, and this was no different.

The Pilots took the lead. Brown would tie it up on the Woody's Bar-B-Que power play, putting his hands on his hips and crowing Peter Pan style after he beat "Magic" Max Gingras for the goal. Tom Buckley, who has been buck-shot on the season for goal scoring picked up his second assist of the night. Johnston also recorded his assist on that play.

Bartek responded for the Ice Pilots with Trevor Allman, who proved a thorn in the Blades side last night, getting one assist and Greg Pankewicz the other.

Anthony Battaglia found a loose puck on Gingras doorstep and knocked it home to tie the game up at three at the end of the second stanza.

Both teams had gone into barn burner mode in the second. Florida would come out shooting hard in the third, but it would take over 11 minutes before Ryan Murphy could solve Gingras to put the Blades up.

It would not be lead that lasted however as Gregor Baumgartner exposed Zepp's "other" weekness -- shots from a distance. Baumy one timed it past Zepp to tie the game up at four each.

With the crowd on the edge of their seats and pretty sure the game was going to overtime, Johnston would backhand one past Gingras to give the Blades the win. "Magic" was pulled directly after and despite a very busy last minute shooting spree for the Pilots, the Blades protected their lead to gain the victory.

Martin Bartek would pick up the Kepp's Mens Shop third star of the game for the visiting Pilots. Kevin Brown took home the second star of the game for the Everblades. Fan Favorite Marty Johnston picked up the first star of the game, and rightly so, for Florida.

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Boxscore
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Pensacola ( 4) AT Florida ( 5)

SCORE BY PERIODS
Pensacola 0 3 1--4
Florida 0 3 2--5

FIRST PERIOD -- Scoring: None.

Penalties: O'Keefe, PEN (Tripping), 10:53.
Anderson, FLA (Cross checking), 14:32.
Goudie, FLA (Cross checking), 16:39.
Van Hoof, PEN (Hooking), 18:57.

SECOND PERIOD -- Scoring: 1, Florida-Harmer 6 (power play) (Brown; Buckley) 0:20.
2, Pensacola-Bartek 1 (Theuer) 1:10.
3, Pensacola-Harrold 5 (Cloutier) 2:27.
4, Florida-Brown 6 (power play) (Buckley; Johnston) 6:48.
5, Pensacola-Bartek 2 (Allman; Pankewicz) 9:53.
6, Florida-Battaglia 3 (Blaznek; Anderson) 14:27.

Penalties: Dumont, PEN (Hooking), 5:56.
Harrold, PEN (Holding), 16:06.

THIRD PERIOD -- Scoring: 7, Florida-Murphy 11 (Meunier; Awada) 11:56.
8, Pensacola-Baumgartner 10 (Pankewicz; Harrold) 16:22.
9, Florida-Johnston 9 (game winner) (Brown; Reynolds) 18:14.

Penalties: Pankewicz, PEN (Cross checking), 6:58.

SHOTS ON GOAL
Pensacola 5 5 5--15
Florida 5 19 12--36

Power Play Conversions: Pensacola - 0 of 2, Florida - 2 of 5.

Goalies: Pensacola-Gingras (36 shots, 31 saves; record: 11-8-4).
Florida-Zepp (15 shots, 11 saves; record: 10-3-4).

A: 6,347.

Referee: Middendorf.
Linesmen: Jones; Devivo.

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Game Notes
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Tonight's game would be "Mad" Max Middendorf's first appearance at TECO Arena. And here I'd heard he was on his way out to the west coast. Ah Well. He honestly didn't call too terrible of a game, so I won't complain.

Junior Everblades Squirts and Pee Wees hosting games against the Florida Jr. Panthers and the Sunrise Sharks, with the Midget Minors off to Brandon, so no jersey raffle last night.

The Fan Club raffled off a set of four tumblers marked with players’ names.

Jared Newman, who says his favorite athlete is Bo Jackson, his favorite sports team as the Detroit Lions, and his favorite American City as Detroit, was the featured player.

According a press release late today, rookie goaltender Daniel Boisclair turned to his Major Junior hockey team. Evidently this can be done despite the fact that he has a professional contract with Carolina. (NCAA would not allow this, Juniors, I am told by MikeyRatt, are different.)

Boisclair has been out of the lineup since November 19th after he was diagnosed with anemia. The St. Augustin, Quebec native has played in four games with Florida this season and has registered a 0-2-1 record including a 4.03 GAA and a .824 save percentage.

"The Carolina Hurricanes feel that it would be in Daniel's best interest and best for his development to return to junior hockey to play an overage year," explained Everblades President/GM Craig Brush.

Defenseman Jaroslav Kerestes was released by the Blades as well. Lee Ruff, Tom Nelson and Alex Zinevych are all on the IR.

Fan advantage books with discounts for various products and services were distributed after the game.

All Star Jerseys and pins are now available at the pro-shop and souvenir stands. The South sweaters are white with Everblades blue and green as the trim and streak of lime green. ("It’s in the logo. See if you look right here on your shirt you'll see where the lime green came from.") The North sweaters are Blue with similar trim.

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Ponderings
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Where is Ryan Stewart when we needed him?

What is the name of the cartoon Viking guy on Gingras' helmet?

Did Middendorf dance with Fleming during their hockey careers?

If Cam is staying, can we get him some new equipment? He looks like he outgrew those pads he's wearing in Junior High.

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Media Links
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Johnston's late goal ices Pilots (Photo)
http://www.naplesnews.com/02/12/sports/d862290a.htm

Johnston’s late goal gives Florida 5-4 victory
http://vh40039.vh4.infi.net/news/sports/021222blades.html

Ice Pilots fall to Everblades, 5-4
http://www.pensacolanewsjournal.com/news/122202/Sports/ST006.shtml

ECHL: Boislcair sent down to junior league
http://www.naplesnews.com/02/12/sports/d862325a.htm

Struggling to survive
http://www.pensacolanewsjournal.com/news/122202/Sports/ST001.shtml

Teams know that area fans prefer a winner
http://www.pensacolanewsjournal.com/news/122202/Sports/ST002.shtml