ECHL: Blades begin short, busy trip tonight

The Florida Everblades take on the South Carolina Stingrays tonight at the North Charleston (S.C.) Coliseum. It's the first meeting of the season between the two rivals in the Southern Division of the ECHL's Eastern Conference, and the first of four games in five nights for the Everblades.

Florida (10-3-3) is off to its best start in franchise history and leads the division by one point over Greensboro, N.C., and Columbia, S.C. Head coach Gerry Fleming has his team playing well in all facets of the game and has overcome injuries and roster call-ups.

South Carolina (7-7-1) is trying to separate itself from the middle of the pack, and a win over the hottest team in the division would boost the team's confidence.

AT A GLANCE

Blades (10-3-3) at Stingrays (7-7-1) What: Florida Everblades at South Carolina Stingrays When: Tonight, 7:05 Where: North Charleston Coliseum, North Charleston, S.C. Radio: Sportsradio 770-AM (WWCN). Of note: This is the first of six meetings between the Southern Division rivals. ... The Everblades are 23-9-6 all-time versus the Stingrays, 10-6-2 in North Charleston, S.C.. ... Forwards Keith Anderson and Brian McCullough are tied for the league lead in goals scored with 12 apiece, and their line, which includes center Brent McDonald, has combined to score 76 points (32 goals, 44 assists). ... Florida ranks fifth on the power play in the ECHL on the road at 20.8 percent and South Carolina ranks 16th on the penalty kill at 82.5 percent.

"This road trip we're playing teams in our division, so points are important," he added.

The Everblades are getting some reinforcements to join them on the road. Defenseman Peter Reynolds was reassigned by Florida's American Hockey League affiliate, the Lowell (Mass.) Lock Monsters, and forward Chris Heisten was acquired from the Dayton Bombers to complete the trade that sent Jamie O'Leary to Dayton last week.

Heisten, a rookie out of the University of Maine, scored four points (1 goal, 3 assists) in eight games for the Bombers. As a senior last year for the Black Bears, he scored 31 points (15 goals, 16 assists) in 37 games and participated in the Everblades College Hockey Classic at TECO Arena.

Reynolds had two goals and an assists in 11 games for Florida before being called up to Lowell, who did not score or register a penalty minute in five games for the Lock Monsters. He replaces Jared Newman, who was called up to Lowell on Monday, on the blue line

"Pete brings us back a physical presence after losing Newman, they're both similar players," Fleming said. "And Heisten is getting an opportunity to play some middle for us, he's good on face-offs, so we'll see. (South Carolina's) a very good team, same as last year with a good mix of young players and veterans, so it will be a good test."

Fleming said Reynolds will play tonight, but Heisten is meeting the team in Greensboro, N.C., where the Everblades will take on the Generals on Thursday night at 7. Then it's off to Roanoke, Va., where they meet the Express on Friday night at 7:30, and they finish up in Florence, S.C., against the Pride on Sunday afternoon at 2:30 p.m.