The Florida Everblades (14-3-1-2) overcame a 3-0 deficit with five unanswered goals to defeat the Elmira Jackals (5-11-4-0), 7-4, Wednesday night at Germain Arena. The regulation loss snapped a season-high five-game point streak for the Jackals.
For the fourth straight game the Jackals scored first, taking a 1-0 lead at 7:15 of the opening period. The reigning Sher-Wood Hockey ECHL Player of the Week picked up right where he left off, cashing in on a rebound on a 3-on-2. Matt Lane set up Davis Vandane at the right circle for a one-timer and the rebound came to Karabacek at the left circle for his fourth goal of the season. Later in the period Kyle Rankin made it 2-0 with an unassisted goal from the right circle with 1:50 left in the first.
The Jackals opened a three-goal lead just 3:25 into the second period with an unassisted goal by Sebastien Sylvestre cutting across the net mouth and stashing a puck inside the far post for his fifth goal of the year. From there the Everblades dominated the second period to turn a 3-0 deficit into a 4-3 lead. First Rory Rawlyk scored at 6:41 on a funky bounce in the crease to make it 3-1.
Then the Everblades scored three goals in three minutes with Brendan O’Donnell starting it with a tap in at the left post at 14:56. The Everblades tied the game a minute later with Adam Brace converting on an odd-man rush just as a Florida power play was expiring. One minute after that, Brant Harris gave the Everblades their first lead with a shot from the right circle, capping the second-period scoring and giving Florida a 4-3 lead heading into the third period.
Florida built a two-goal lead 5:59 into the third on a goal by Michael Kirkpatrick, but the Jackals responded with a power-play goal as Matt Lane fired a shot from the left circle, to cut the lead back to one at 7:51. Elmira had some close calls in an attempt to tie the game, but Kirkpatrick scored twice more late, once on a rebound and the other into an empty net to complete a hat trick and give the Everblades a 7-4 win.
(Courtesy: Elmira Jackals)
