ECHL: Florida Eliminates Jacksonville in Game Six of South Division Final
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| SportsDay photo by Nancy DeLander Beecher |
JACKSONVILLE (www.sportsdayjax.com) -- Tyler Irvine (7) scored three times to lead the Florida Everblades to a 5-2 win, eliminating the Jacksonville Icemen in the ECHL South Division Kelly Cup final.
Irvine scored his second goal of the game with 8:41 to play. Irvine took a pass from Levko Loper after he emerged from the penaty box for high sticking and slipped the puck past Parker Gahagen.
The Everblades showed no signs of reeling from losing the last two games after leading 3-0 in the series. They outshot the Icemen 20-11 heading into the final 20 minutes of game six.
Jacksonville cut into the Florida lead when Ara Nazarian (4) beat goaltender Cam Johnson on the glove side with 1:04 to play in the second period.
Nararian entered the game with six goals and six assists, tied with Craig Martin for most points.
Cole Moberg notched his first goal of the playoffs to increase Everblades lead in the first two minutes of the second period.
Irvine's fifth goal of the playoffs gave Florida a 1-0 lead after the first period. The visitors fended off the only power play of the opening stanza.
Derek Lodermeier (7) scored late in the game before Florida scored twice (Koper, Irvine) into an empty net,
Gahagen made 25 saves. Johnson, who allowed nine goals in the last two contests, stopped 17 shots.
The winner of the series moves on to meet Newfoundland. The Growlers eleminated Reading 4-1 to advance.
