Everblades tie ECHL point streak record, give back to community

On Saturday, the Florida Everblades pushed their point streak to 11 games to tie the ECHL high for the season after picking up their fourth straight win, a 5-4 victory over the Greenville Swamp Rabbits.

Saturday also marked the Everblades’ Teddy Bear Toss, and it was forward Justin Auger who scored the team’s first goal — just 4 minutes into the opening period — to signal to fans to toss their stuffed animals onto the ice.

The Florida Everblades set a new record in a yearly tradition as it collected approximately 8,236 stuffed animals, which will be donated to patients at Golisano Children’s Hospital of Southwest Florida.

The energized atmosphere within Hertz Arena continued after the stuff animals were collected.

“We’re starting to become like a real team and we’re fighting and blocking shots and doing whatever it takes for each other, and that’s the recipe for success,” Everblades goalie Jamie Phillips said.

Phillips stopped 22 of 26 shots on the Everblades goal Saturday and remains undefeated at Hertz Arena.

More than 100,000 stuffed animals have been collected and donated to local children’s charities, including Golisano’s Children’s Hospital, since the Teddy Bear Toss tradition began 20 years ago.

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