The Florida Everblades
The Florida Everblades will play Game 3 in the Kelly Cup Finals in Estero tomorrow night against the Kansas City Mavericks.
Kelly Cup Finals: Keeping You Up To Speed
Game 3 is an important game for the Everblades' confidence and momentum in the Kelly Cup Finals because so far they've played by the understanding that whoever opens the scoring wins the game.
While this has been true for the majority of their playoff run, it also was the case in game 1 against the Mavericks. However, the script was flipped in game 2.
The Everblades took the lead early in the first period in both games, winning the first with a whopping 8-1 score and tying ECHL record for most goals in a single finals game, followed by an upset in game 2, losing 5-1 and giving up the series lead.
With superstition about the opening goal running high, the first period is no longer the determining factor of the game but instead an opportunity to overcome predictable hockey.
Kelly Cup Finals: Who Wants it More?
Tomorrow night could go either way.
Regardless of who opens the scoring, the outcome of periods two and three will reveal what type of hockey we're set to witness for the rest of the series: who wants it more?
There's no amount of training, workouts, or morning skates that can improve the skill of either team from now to the final game of the series, and because of that, it'll be about grit.
Although, one thing that's certain in this discussion is the fight that the Everblades have to come out on top in spite of minor setbacks.
"I just loved our battle. There was never a quit. And you know, we were down two nothing but we never quit, [the] guys never really panicked..." said Everblades Captain Joe Pendenza after allowing Adirondack to force a Game 6.
This is the mentality that is instilled in the roots of the Florida Everblades (hence the two consecutive Kelly Cups) that gives them the opportunity to regroup after a set back and come back stronger because losing and learning is just as beneficial as winning.
With that being said, tomorrow night's Kelly Cup Finals game will be at 7:30 at Hertz Arena! Tune in to ESPNSWFL Radio to listen.
