ECHL: Rookie's two goals lead Blades to win

It took him four weeks into the ECHL season, but on Friday night Mallette lived up to his own billing as he scored the first two goals in a 6-2 win over the visiting Charlotte Checkers.

"Since the beginning of the season the bounces were not going my way," Mallette said. "I'm a goal scorer and I put a lot of pressure on myself, and tonight it feels like a load has been lifted. I know I can score and hopefully I'll keep scoring."

His linemate and fellow rookie Chad LaRose also scored two goals and newcomer Jay Legault, who centered that line, had three assists in his first game as an Everblade.

Florida (7-3-3) remained in first place in the Eastern Conference's Southern Division and pushed Charlotte (3-5-2) further down inthe standings. And another positive was seeing the Blades go 3-for-5 on the power play after struggling last week on the West Coast.

The same two teams meet again tonight at 7:30 (Sportsradio 770-AM/WWCN) in the second of back-to-back games.

But the Everblades will be down to Friday night's starting goalie Jeff Maund and an emergency goaltender because Rob Zepp was recalled to the Lowell Lock Monsters of the American Hockey League after the game. Zepp flies out this morning to replace the injured Brent Krahn, who is under contract to the Calgary Flames.

"I'm not sure what their plans are up there but I hope I get a chance to play because I'm familiar with the surroundings up there," Zepp said. "We'll just have to see."

Brian McCullough scored what proved to be the game-winning goal on a power play 8:31 into the second period after taking a perfect pass off the red line from linemate Keith Anderson. Brent McDonald got the first assist by sending Anderson the pass from the point.

Anderson and McCullough entered the game tied for the league lead in scoring with 21 points apiece. McCullough finished the night with a goal and an assist and Anderson just had the one assist. McDonald upped his total to 19 points with a late power play goal.

But the story of the night was Fleming's second line of Mallette, Larose and Legault, who did not play all of last season while rehabbing a shoulder injury.

Just six minutes and 43 seconds into the game, shortly after Florida killed off a penalty, Mallette picked up a loose puck after Legault knocked the Checkers defender off the puck and skated in on goalie David St. Germain. He wristed a shot from the left circle that Germain stopped, then picked up his own rebound and put it in the back of the net for a 1-0 Everblades lead.

The second period started out just as sluggish as the first until that same line connected again at the 8:31 mark. Legault sent a slow cross-ice pass to a wide open Mallette camped out in front of the far post. Mallette buried the puck into the open net to finish off the 2-on-1 and give Florida a 2-0 lead.

"Both of these guys are rookies in the league and they want to prove something and they both work their behinds off," Legault said. "It's good for me because I'm almost like a rookie again having not played, and we worked well together tonight."

Less than one minute after McCullough's power play goal, Legault set up LaRose nicely in front and LaRose made it 4-0, with defenseman Jared Newman getting the second assist.

But Maund lost his bid for a shutout with 9.2 seconds left in the period when Charlotte's Doug Christiansen was left all alone in front of the crease for an easy goal.

Just less than two minutes into the third period, Frances Belanger's wrister off the rebound of a shot by defenseman Marc St. Jean from the blue line beat Maund to cut the deficit in half at the 1:57 mark.

"We took advantage of our opportunities tonight but I'd like to see us play a lot more sound without the puck," Fleming said. "Jeff was outstanding for us tonight. He made quality saves early in the second period and he was there when we needed him to shut the door and not let them back in the game."

EVERBLADES: 6; CHECKERS: 2

Charlotte: 0 - 1 - 1 -- 2

Florida: 1 - 3 - 2 -- 6

First Period - Scoring: 1. Florida Mallette 2 (unassisted) 6:43 Penalties: Anderson, Fla (interference) 3:33; McDonald, Fla (holding the stick) 9:29; McCullough, Fla (slashing) 11:26; St. Jean, Chr (hooking) 16:17; McKay, Chr (slashing) 19:39.

Second Period - Scoring: 2. Florida Mallette 3 (Legault) 8:31; 3. Florida McCullough 8 (Anderson, McDonald) 15:46 (pp); 4. Florida LaRose 5 (Legault, Newman) 16:36; 5. Charlotte Christiansen (McKay, Jamieson) 19:51 Penalties: Anderson, Fla (goaltender interference) 1:15; Bissonnette, Fla (unsportsmanlike conduct) 11:34; Bissonnette, Fla (roughing) 11:34; McKay, Chr (unsportsmanlike conduct) 11:34; McKay, Chr (roughing) 11:34; Bilotto, Chr (roughing) 14:12; St. Jean, Chr (high sticking) 14:12; Forbes, Fla (roughing) 14:12; Bissonnette, Fla (10-minute misconduct) 16:41.

Third Period - Scoring: 6. Charlotte Belanger 2 (St. Jean) 1:57; 7. Florida McDonald 7 (McCullough, Esdale) 11:14 (pp); 8. Florida LaRose 6 (Legault) 17:57 (pp) Penalties: Ito, Chr (holding) 10:03; Insana, Fla (tripping) 13:46; Ito, Chr (holding) 17:25

Shots on goal - Charlotte 9-7-9 - 25; Florida 6-10-8 - 24.

Power-play opportunities - Charlotte 0 of 5; Florida 3 of 5.

Goaltenders - Charlotte, St. Germain 2-2-2 (24 shots, 18 saves); Florida, Maund 4-1-0 (25 shots, 23 saves).

A -- 6,024