Kansas City Mavericks Vs. Florida Everblades ECHL Kelly Cup Finals Game 3: Standouts And Top Performers

The Florida Everblades scored five unanswered goals to take Game 3 of the ECHL Kelly Cup Finals over the Kansas City Mavericks. Standouts and top performers from Wednesday's game.

Despite falling behind 3-1 in the first period, the Florida Everblades scored five unanswered goals to top the Kansas City Mavericks in Game 3 of the ECHL Kelly Cup Finals, 6-3, on Wednesday. 

With the win, Florida took a 2-1 series lead and is just two wins away from capturing the franchise's third straight Kelly Cup championship.

Kansas City scored all three of its goals in the first period, including two from David Cotton. Florida briefly tied the game at 1-1 before the Mavericks took a two-goal lead into the first intermission.

However, the Everblades responded with five consecutive goals, including three from Oliver Chau in the third period, to surge past Kansas City and take Game 3.

Florida netminder Cam Johnson picked up the win, making 16 saves on 19 shots.

Let's look at our standouts and top performers from Wednesday's Game 3 of the ECHL Kelly Cup Finals.

#7 Logan Lambdin, D

Lambdin collected his first multi-goal effort of the postseason and has points in four of his last five games. The Florida defenseman got to the front of the net and took advantage of a Kansas City defender falling to the ice to bury Josh Ho-Sang's assist from below the net. 

Lambdin later added his second of the night in that big third period for the Everblades on a wrister in front of the Kansas City net. Kansas City's Jack LaFontaine got a piece of it, but the puck trickled over the line in what proved to be the game-winner for Florida.

#20 Oliver Chau, F

With the hat trick on Wednesday, Oliver Chau now leads all skaters this postseason with 21 points, passing Kansas City's Jeremy McKenna, who saw his three-game goal streak end on Wednesday, and teammate Josh Ho-Sang. 

Chau tied the game early in the third period after the Mavericks turned the puck over in their own zone. The Florida forward added his second of the night with 8:04 left in regulation after Jordan Sambrook's initial attempt was turned aside.

He completed the hat trick via the empty-netter and finished Wednesday's game with a +3 plus/minus rating and a team-high five shots on goal.

#18 Mark Senden, F

Mark Senden has had a knack for showing up in big moments in this postseason. The Everblades forward recorded just one shot on goal, but it was a big one. Senden scored his seventh postseason goal on a beautiful pass from Bobo Carpenter to bring Florida back within one goal in the second period. He was rewarded for his hard forecheck to force the turnover that started the scoring opportunity.

#13 David Cotton, F

With two goals on Wednesday, Cotton tallied his second multi-goal postseason game. Both of his goals came in the first period, breaking a 1-1 tie after dangling through the Florida defense and wristing a shot past Johnson. 

Cotton added his second late in the frame on a cross-ice pass from Cole Coskey to give Kansas City a 3-1 lead heading into the first intermission. The Mavericks forward finished with just two shots on goal but converted on both.

#14 Jacob Hayhurst, F

Hayhurst found the back of the net for the first time since Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals against Toledo. The Kansas City forward opened the scoring just over six minutes into the game. Hayhurst was sprung loose on a partial breakaway and scored on the backhander. 

It was the first time in this series that Kansas City scored first and were 6-1 in such instances coming into Wednesday's Game 3. However, that record took a hit, with Florida coming out on top.

Florida and Kansas City will meet in Game 4 of the ECHL Kelly Cup Finals on Friday, with puck drop set for 7:30 p.m. EST.