Florida Eels Elite Team Win Both Over the Jr Blades in Weekend Homestand.
The Florida Eels Elite team swept the Jr Blades in the Eels weekend homestand winning Saturday at home 7-4 and again on Sunday 4-0. Both games were in front of a packed home crowd over 500 fans strong at each forum. On Saturday to describe it succulently it was a good old fashion “barn burner”. The Eels struck first with an early goal at 1:55 into the 1stperiod with the 1stof three goals notched by Eels sniper Hunter Stewart ASST: Mason DeMeyere (10), Daniel McCormick (1).
The Blades responded with one of their own around the 7 minute mark but Hunter Stewart ASST: Mason DeMeyere (11), Trevor Voyda (19)would come racing back with his 2ndof the period 1 minute later to give the Eels its 2ndlead of the game. Pavel Timochko ASST: Jaymen Swygert (9), Georgy Samodelkin (7) (PP) gave the Eels its 3rdof the period giving the Eels a very comfortable lead 3-1. But the Blades were not sitting idle and took advantage of a power play opportunity and elected to pour it on with their 2ndof the period with only 44 seconds remaining in the period. This changed the face of the game. What was a comfortable 3-1 lead for the Eels now brought the margin to within 1 going into the 2ndperiod.
The Blades came out on fire in the 2ndand scored their 3rdof the match with less than 3 minutes into the period. and tied the game 3-3 making it all even. No doubt everyone in the building including both benches and the fans knew we had a hockey game here. One thing for sure the Blades Elite team won’t quit these guys have determination and heart and they smelled blood so to speak and were indeed hungry. The Eels coaches and bench bosses knew if they wanted to pull away they would have to get back to the basics and that meant hard fore-checking and get pucks to the net as well as shutting down the Blades attack. At the 15 minute mark Mason Demeyere scored ASST: Hunter Stewart (13), Trevor Voyda (20) to give the Eels their 3rdlead of the game making it 4-3. Then Hunter Stewart scored his 3rdgoal of the game ASST: Marc-Alexandre Quintal (8), Gage Dill (27)for a hat trick (his 1st hat trick of the season) to give the Eels a 2 goal margin once again going into the 3rdperiod.
But the Blades kept storming back and they scored their 4thof the game cutting the Eels lead once again to within 1. One minute later the Eels responded, newly acquired Eel, Daniel McCormick, scored his 1stof the season with us ASST: Marc-Alexandre Quintal (8), Gage Dill (27)to bring the Eels back to a 2 goal lead the score now 6-4 Eels. Then to seal the deal so to speak Daniel Merida scored ASST: Justice Scheltgen (5), Jaymen Swygert (10)with less than 3 minutes remaining to give the Eels a 3 goal lead and the game was won 7-4.
In net for the Eels was Nahuel Veyanwho turned away 14 of 17 shots and Thomas Steerewho turned away 6 of 7 shots to finish the game in the 3rdperiod.
Despite the 7-4 final this game was extremely close and the players from the two teams should be extremely proud of their efforts. This was an extremely hard-fought battle between two very competitive clubs. They both emptied the tank so to speak. The boys were mentally and physically exhausted from this playoff type performances and efforts by both teams.
The Eels and Jr Blades squared off on Sunday again back at the Ft Myers Skatium. In this game the Eels brought on their A game firing 50+ shots at net and won 4-0. The Jr Blades kept coming delivering over 30 shots on the Eels goalie Cedrick Robidoux and no doubt he was the difference maker. He was outstanding in net not allowing any goals and controlling all rebounds. This was a solid effort and his performance undoubtedly frustrated the Blades’ shooters. The game was very close for the 1st½ of the match. Indeed, it wasn’t until the 9-minute mark of the 2ndperiod that the Eels put one by the Jr Blades netminder. That is how close this game was. The two clubs were as intense as the previous night except it was more of a goaltending dual for the 1st½ the game being scoreless.
With 9 minutes remaining in the 1stperiod Eels new comer Camden Hamiltonscored his first as an Eel and our 1stof the game (1) ASST: Anthony Sozio IV (9), Hunter Stewart (15) Then with less than a minute later Gage Dill gave the Eels a 2 goal lead (19) ASST: Georgy Samodelkin (8), Cedrick Robidoux (1) This was a key goal as it was Dill’s 1stgoal against his former team since joining the Eels. You could see the Eels lines were clicking well. The passes were dead on the back checking was their and the fore-check was causing many a loose puck turn overs. Less than 3 minutes later the Eels scored their 3rdof the morning with a goal from Jake Court (22) ASST: Gage Dill (28), Cade Swygert (22). That line has been on fire and virtually impossible to stop. Going into the 3rdperiod the Eels had a very comfortable 3 goal lead.
In the 3rdperiod with less than 9 minutes remaining the Eels went on the power play and Gage Dill scored his (20)the of the season ASST: Jake Court (40), Justice Scheltgen (6) (PP) for a 4-0 final.
Cedrick Robidoux in net for the Eels turned away 28 shots on net and played outstanding. He is only 2001 and is coming along very nicely.
This weekend the Eels came out with 4 points and chasing the Tampa Juniors for 1stplace.
Tampa has 49 points the Eels 44. Both teams have 10 games remaining in the season and they play 2 more games vs one another.
