ESTERO, FL – Winning a championship is tough, no matter the sport, no matter the level. Winning two of them back-to-back is almost impossible, unless it’s the ECHL’s Florida Everblades who won their second straight Kelly Cup championship Friday night in a thrilling 4-3 win over the Idaho Steelheads before 7,855 fans on standby. Room setup only.
The back-to-back feat has only been achieved four times in league history. Previous back-to-back Kelly Cup winners were the Allen Americans (2015 and 2016) and Colorado Eagles (2017 and 2018). Prior to 1997, the Riley Cup was awarded to the playoff champion. The Hampton Roads Admirals (1991 and 1992) and Toledo Storm (1993 and 1994) were back-to-back ECHL champions in those years.
Everblades goalkeeper Cam Johnson was awarded the June M. Kelly Player of the Match award.
The game saw its ebb and flow from one extreme to the other, including three unanswered goals that allowed Idaho to take the lead and then a sequence in the second half that Florida put at least one player out for nearly eight consecutive minutes.
As for the game, Florida began the opening period with a barrage of scoring chances that Idaho goaltender Remy Poirier valiantly denied. In the first five minutes, the home team had all five shots in the game before a weak push hit Cam Johnson.
Midway through the period, the Everblades took a 9-2 lead in shots over Idaho and dominated play in dominant fashion.
With just over eight minutes remaining in that period, Florida’s Logan Lambden had a great opportunity on Poirier’s pit stop. An attack at Florida’s net ensued, and their best first chance included three quick, close shots, the last of which was blocked by Florida goaltender Cam Johnson with the toe of his left foot, keeping the game scoreless.
With just over seven minutes left in the period, Florida’s Ben Masella was called to go up left of the Idaho net. A massive illegal check leads to a mob of minstrels descending on the scene of an accident that almost spirals out of control.
That sent Idaho into the power play and despite some serious chances, couldn’t solve Johnson.
With less than four minutes left in the period, Florida struck the squad when Joe Pendenza made a vicious pass across the neutral zone to Shawn Gosling’s line, crossing the blue line. Gosling eluded the late steelheads and fired a wrist shot into Poirier’s glove. Gosling’s ninth goal of the qualifier sent the standing room crowd into a rush.
And it’s not over. After just 2:45, Gosling collected the puck along the right boards with no opponent within thirty feet, and advanced toward Poirier. Gosling crossed the blue line, smashed a shot just under the crossbar, and sent the ball, which fluttered off his end before falling onto the ice, just inside the goal line, giving the Everblades a 2-0 lead and Gosling into double digits. The tenth sign of the spring season.
home team It was flying and the only thing stopping them was the end of the period, a frame that saw the Everblades beat the Steelheads in shots 13-5.
Not wanting to let the home team get the upper hand, Idaho came out strong in the second half. Delivering the first four shots on target and contributing two signature strikes against the Everblades, the Steeleheads had nothing to show for their newfound energy as Johnson missed every opportunity that came his way.
With just over three minutes left in the period, any momentum Idaho was starting to build was quelled when Ryan Dimovski was whistled to check, but Florida couldn’t capitalize on the ensuing man advantage.
Seconds after Idaho killed the penalty, they resumed their energy in the early period and turned on the light behind Johnson. In a series of shots on a crowded area in front of the net, Idaho’s Matt Register slid into Dawson Barteaux. The play continued with a pass to Ryan Dmowski who put in a drive that beat Johnson’s gauntlet side in his 10th season in the second season.
The Steelheads are officially back in the game.
Then a heavy penalty kick on Florida’s Cole Moberg topped the first of back-to-back penalties against the home team.
Just 34 seconds later, Florida’s Lucas Calpely was whistled for being late in the game when he sent a leveling attempt to freeze the ball and over the glass behind the Steelheads’ bench. The defending champions are in trouble.
And it didn’t take long for this issue to become real on the scoreboard.
After just seven seconds of a two-player advantage, Idaho’s Patrick Kudla collected a low puck before laying a pass to left point and waiting for Owen Hedrick. With fewer players on the ice for Florida, this left Ryan Dmowski wide open in the slot. He lost towards the net before throwing the wrestler who beat Johnson in his 11th qualifying match and tie the Steelheads.
Idaho had passed Florida in shots 18-14 halfway through the game.
Conditions have not improved to reverse this trend.
Florida kept the steady tempo for players skating into the penalty area when Cam Darcy was sent into the box for sticking too hard, this time in a double minor. Everblades where they are allowed to lead 2-0 and the excitement of a cup-clinching event slips away.
With over six minutes remaining in the period, Florida finally received a penalty heading their way. With Florida playing behind, defenseman Andrew Fitten tangled with Idaho’s Willie Knirim, the latter of whom took an elbow foul.
Everblades went to work in the attacking area, but couldn’t get past Poirier.
Then more good luck for Florida, another power play when Idaho’s Patrick Kudla was ejected for having 3:22 left in that period. He hasn’t gained anything yet with a few shots at the net, but no goals.
The period ended with Florida regaining the lead in shots 25-23, but allowing Idaho to tie the game with one regulation period left to play. The tide was slowly turning in Idaho’s favor as the second period drew to a close.
Idaho started the third half as quickly as it finished the second. Just twenty-one seconds after the puck went down, AJ White fired a pass from Matt Register to score his sixth goal of the postseason and the Steelheads took the lead.
But with just over two minutes left in the final regulation window, Ryan Dmowski was whistled for sticking too hard and Florida went to work.
However, the effort did not bear fruit until the sentence was over.
Florida swept the Idaho grid. Through a series of missed baton checks, Idaho failed to clear territory and Florida took over the capital.
Tyler Irvine protected the puck along the corner boards to the left of the Idaho net. He found Sean Gosling along the sidewall. A pivot pass to his right and a plate pass to Stefan Leblanc sent the defender into the goal as he beat Poirier in his first qualifier. The game was now restricted.
And they didn’t finish.
With just under eight players left to play and visions of a drink from the championship trophy in mind, Florida used their rallying to get a great opportunity.
Florida’s Brandon Hickey forced a corner change. He returned the puck to Lefko Cooper high above the circuit. Cooper sent an icy cross to Kyle Irvin who sent the funnel into the open side to give the Everblades a 4-3 lead.
For Idaho, it was the end of a once promising season. The visitors from Boise had a regular season record of 58 wins, 11 losses in regulation, one overtime loss, and two shootout losses for a league-leading 119 points.
The Steelheads marched through the playoffs fielding Utah in six games, Allen in five and Toledo in five games before sweeping Florida. The highly successful and dominant season ended with a disappointing whine.
Florida, with nearly half the players from the 2022 Championship team returning, finished the regular season with a record of 38 wins, 25 losses in regulation, 4 overtime losses, and 5 shootout losses with a second straight championship. The club barely made it to the playoffs, but then caught fire after faltering in the final.
They proceeded to defeat South Carolina in six games, Jacksonville in six and Newfoundland in five games before sweeping Idaho. It marked the fifth time in ECHL history that a champion has swept its opponent in the Finals.
Dennis Morrell has developed a deep passion for the great game over many decades as a writer, photographer, goaltender coach, net spotter, and USA Hockey Certified Active Referee with more than 2,000 appearances on the ice. His passion for the game began in the early 1970s with his first glimpse of skaters fighting for the puck at Claytony’s Shaw Park. He has covered nine Stanley Cup Finals and dozens of ice hockey special event games. He can be reached at dennis.morrell@prohockeynews.com and you can follow him on Twitter at DMMORRELL.