Matt Wedman scored the go-ahead and Cam Johnson made 33 saves in the Florida Everblades Game 3 win over the Orlando Solar Bears. The Everblades will look to clinch the series on Thursday.
Matt Wedman scored the go-ahead goal at the 10:52 mark of the third period, and goaltender Cam Johnson turned aside 33 of 35 shots in goal in the Florida Everblades' 4-2 win in Game 3.
With the win, the Everblades took a 3-0 series lead in the South Division Finals against the Orlando Solar Bears and have won their last six straight games after trailing 3-1 against Jacksonville in the South Division Semifinals. Florida will look to wrap up the series in Orlando on Thursday night.
Despite being outshot 35-20, the Everblades saw four different skaters find the back of the net. Forward Zach Uens opened the scoring less than nine minutes into the contest with his first goal of the postseason.
After Matt Wedman attempted to find Josh Ho-Sang in the slot, the puck trickled to the top of the zone, where Uens, who entered the offensive zone, ripped a shot past Orlando netminder Evan Fitzpatrick. Florida has scored first in all three games of the series thus far.
Holding a 1-0 lead late in the second period, the Everblades took a two-goal advantage on Todd Skirving's second goal in as many games. Mark Senden cleared the puck out of Florida's defensive zone, starting a 2-on-1 rush, before Bobo Carpenter found Skirving in front on a centering feed.
However, the lead was short-lived, as Orlando scored just 18 seconds later on Mitchell Hoelscher's second goal of the playoffs. Jaydon Dureau sent a backhanded feed to a trailing Hoelscher in the low slot, and the Solar Bears forward wired a shot past Florida netminder Cam Johnson.
Orlando tied the game early in the second period on Darik Angeli's goal. Kurt Gosselin found his teammate on a stretch pass, and Angeli wristed a shot into the back of the net. The goal marked Angeli's second of the playoffs and his first since Game 3 of the South Division Semifinals.
Just over six minutes later, Florida regained the lead on Wedman's second goal of the playoffs. After Orlando turned the puck over in its own zone, Ho-Sang grabbed the puck and dished a centering feed to Wedman for the one-timer.
With just over one minute left in regulation, Orlando nearly tied the game after a wrister from the point deflected off the post and off Johnson before settling behind the Florida netminder. However, Johnson was quick to cover the puck. Moments later, Oliver Chau hit the empty net to seal the win for the Everblades.
Game 3 between these two teams is on Thursday, May 9, with puck drop set for 7:00 p.m. EST.
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