NORFOLK. VA. - The Florida Everblades (35-10-2-3) scored five times in the third period on Wednesday to earn a 7-4 victory over the Norfolk Admirals (19-29-4-0).
Norfolk was the better team through 40 minutes of play, jumping out to a 2-0 lead in the first thanks to T.J. Foster and Paul Rodrigues. Foster's goal came on the power play and in the form of a give-and-go with Brady Vail. It was the first of two power play goals on the night for the home team.
While the power play had two goals in the evening, so did Admirals forward Paul Rodrigues. The opening one of his evening came after Frankie Simonelli's shot from the point was blocked down in front, leaving a loose puck for the Etobicoke, Ontario native to slam home.
Florida got on the board just two minutes into the second frame on Brant Harris' 23rd of the year. Harris would go onto have four total points on the evening, a monster evening.
The highlight goal of the evening came from Rodrigues as he extended Norfolk's lead by a pair once again. Coming on a two-on-one with Ben Murphy, the fourth year pro outlasted goaltender Antony Peters, dangling around him and tucking one in on the nearside post.
Harris' second goal of the period, which came shorthanded, made it a 3-2 Norfolk game to conclude the second period.
Wednesday's final 20 minutes were when the Everblades, kicked it into high gear, putting five past Philippe Desrosiers. To start, John McCarron knotted the game at 3-3 with a helper from Curt Gogol. It was the beginning of Gogol's four-point third period, three coming in the form of assists.
Joey Benik put Norfolk back in the drivers seat three minutes later with a laster from the circle for the team's second mark on the man advantage though. It was Benik's first game back after missing all three on the team's previous road trip with a lower-body injury. Unfortunately, that would be the final goal for Norfolk.
Mike Ferrantino, Kevin Raine, Evan Bloodoff and Curt Gogol all scored in the second half of the third period to shock the Admirals, giving Florida a 7-4 victory. The first three goals were scored three minutes apart each and Gogol's cap came with less than two minutes on the clock.
The Admirals will now welcome the Greenville Swamp Rabbits to town for a set on Friday and Saturday at Norfolk Scope Arena. Tickets for the games are on sale now on Ticketmaster.com and at the Norfolk Scope box office.
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