The Florida Everblades overcame a two-goal deficit in the third period, and became the first team in ECHL history to win three straight Kelly Cup championships
The Florida Everblades overcame a two-goal deficit in the third period, and Matt Wedman scored less than four minutes into overtime to secure the franchise's third consecutive ECHL Kelly Cup championship.
Despite seeing his five-game point streak end on Saturday night, Florida's Oliver Chau was named the Most Valuable Player for the 2024 Kelly Cup Playoffs. Chau finished with nine goals and 23 points.
1st Period
Florida and Kansas City traded scoring opportunities in the first four minutes of the game, with each team registering three shots on goal. The Mavericks went to the first power play at the 5:40 mark of the frame after Florida's Matt Wedman was called for a delay of game penalty. Kansas City forced four shots on net but could not convert on the man advantage.
The Mavericks continued to apply heavy pressure as the period progressed and broke through on David Cotton's wrister with 51.8 seconds left in the period. The goal marked Cotton's ninth postseason goal and third of this series. Kansas City took a 1-0 lead on the scoreboard and a 14-9 shots-on-goal advantage after 20 minutes.
2nd Period
The Everblades wasted little time tying up the game in the second period. Bobo Carpenter scored his league-leading 12th postseason goal after Florida forced a turnover in its own defensive zone and sprung Carpenter free on the partial breakaway.
Kansas City responded with five of the next six shots on goal, converting on the latter. Mavericks' Jacob Hayhurst fired a shot on net from above the left-wing circle, and Max Andreev redirected the puck into the back of the net to restore Kansas City's lead.
The two teams traded chances through the middle of the period until the Mavericks capitalized on their second power-play opportunity after Florida's Zach Berzolla was called for hooking with under five minutes left in the frame. Nolan Walker's sixth goal of the playoffs, a backdoor tap-in on a feed from Jake Jaremko, made it a 3-1 lead for Kansas City.
The Mavericks carried their two-goal lead into the second intermission and outshot Florida 14-9 in the middle frame.
3rd Period
A wild third period saw the Everblades outshoot the Mavericks 18-3 and tie the game late in regulation. David Cotton's roughing penalty at 2:33 sent Florida to its first power play of the game. The Everblades recorded just one shot on goal and could not convert on the man advantage.
However, Florida continued to push the pace in even-strength play and broke through on Mark Senden's short-handed marker on Carpenter's centering feed. Florida registered the period's final seven shots on goal and tied the game with under two minutes left on Senden's second of the frame.
Kansas City goaltender Jack LaFontaine got a piece of Cole Moberg's initial shot attempt. However, the puck deflected off Senden and into the back of the Mavericks net to force overtime.
Overtime
The Everblades maintained their momentum in the extra session and quickly ended the game. Forward Matt Wedman scored with a wrist shot past LaFontaine at the 3:38 mark of the extra session, causing Hertz Arena to erupt in celebration as the team's bench poured onto the ice to mark the Everblades' third consecutive Kelly Cup championship.