Everblades beat Mavericks in Game 5, move one win from Kelly Cup

ESTERO, Fla. — The Florida Everblades are one win away from another Kelly Cup.

Florida beat the Kansas City Mavericks 5-2 Saturday night in Game 5 of the Kelly Cup Finals at Hertz Arena, giving the Everblades a 3-2 lead in the series.

After dropping the first two games of the series in Kansas City, the Everblades have won three straight at home.

Florida came out fast in Game 5. Isaac Nurse scored just 1:15 into the first period, giving the Everblades a 1-0 lead. Oliver Chau added a power-play goal late in the period to make it 2-0 after one.

Kansas City got on the board in the second period when Lucas Sowder scored on the power play, but Florida answered with two power-play goals of its own. Carson Gicewicz made it 3-1, and Reid Duke pushed the lead to 4-1 later in the period.

The Mavericks cut the lead to 4-2 on a goal from Jakov Novak late in the second, but Chau sealed the win with an empty-net goal in the third.

The win came in front of a standing-room only crowd of more than 7000 fans at Hertz Arena. For fans like Carol Grubbs, a member of the Everblades fan club, the turnaround has been hard to put into words.

“I’m extremely proud of our team,” Grubbs said. “Their work effort is unbelievable. Our coaches are amazing. The fans are terrific. It’s been amazing. I’m so excited.”

The series now shifts back to Kansas City for Game 6 on Monday night at Cable Dahmer Arena.

With one more win, the Everblades would capture their fourth Kelly Cup title in five seasons.