Mark Estapa scored twice and added an assist as the Florida Everblades defeated the Orlando Solar Bears 5-1 at Kia Center. The victory came less than 24 hours after Florida raised its fifth Kelly Cup championship banner and opened the season with a 3-1 win over Orlando at Hertz Arena. Florida also outshot Orlando 44-18 in the second consecutive victory between the in-state rivals.
Estapa scored Florida’s first two goals and finished with three points. Cam Johnson made 17 saves for his second consecutive victory, while the Everblades converted two power-play opportunities. The win extended Florida’s winning streak against Orlando to eight games and marked the Everblades’ eighth consecutive victory in meetings played in Orlando.
Estapa gives Florida an early lead
Estapa opened the scoring 5:43 into the game with Florida’s first power-play goal of the season. Tyson Dyck set up the goal from below the goal line, and Broten Sabo also recorded an assist. Estapa scored from the left circle to give the Everblades a 1-0 lead.
Tyler Duke doubled Florida’s advantage just over six minutes later with his first professional goal in his first appearance of the season. Craig Needham and Jordan Sambrook assisted on the goal. Florida carried a 2-0 lead into the first intermission after outshooting Orlando 19-5 in the opening period.
Orlando cut the deficit to 2-1 when Brendan Harris scored on a power play 1:35 into the second period. Estapa restored Florida’s two-goal lead later in the frame with a goal from a sharp angle. Tiernan Shoudy assisted on the play for his first point as a member of the Everblades, and Florida led 3-1 after 40 minutes.
Everblades add two goals in the third
Isaac Nurse extended Florida’s lead to 4-1 at 3:29 of the third period with a four-on-four goal. It was Nurse’s first goal of the season, while Needham recorded his second assist and Duke collected his second point. Nurse’s goal was his first since his double-overtime Kelly Cup-clinching goal in Game Six of the 2026 Finals.
Dyck closed the scoring with a power-play goal at 15:28 of the final period. The goal was the first of Dyck’s professional career, and Estapa added an assist to complete his three-point performance. Devon Paliani also recorded an assist on the play.
Johnson stopped all but one of Orlando’s 18 shots to secure the victory. Florida produced a 44-18 advantage in shots, including a 19-5 edge in the first period and a 14-6 advantage in the second. The Everblades kept Orlando from mounting a third-period comeback after building a 3-1 lead through two periods.
Florida prepares for Atlanta series
The Florida Everblades will return to Hertz Arena for two games against the Atlanta Gladiators. Florida will host Atlanta on Friday, October 23, at 7:30 p.m., followed by another home game Saturday, October 24, at 7 p.m. The schedule gives the Everblades their next two games at home after the short trip to Orlando.
Estapa recorded his first two goals in a Florida Everblades sweater after registering seven ECHL goals with the Trois-Rivieres Lions the previous year. Duke, who played for both Michigan and Ohio State, also scored his first professional goal. Sabo, an Ohio State product, assisted on Estapa’s opening goal one night after scoring his first professional goal in Florida’s season opener.
FSB Take
Florida combined early special-teams production with sustained pressure to turn a two-game series against Orlando into consecutive victories. Estapa led the offense, while Duke, Dyck, Nurse and Shoudy each reached an individual milestone during the win. Johnson’s 17-save performance and Florida’s 44-18 shot advantage completed a thorough road result for the Everblades.
Source: Original report