Florida Everblades return to Estero for Kelly Cup finals

The Florida Everblades return to Estero’s Hertz Arena for the first time in the Kelly Cup finals after winning their last two games in Idaho.

Two more wins would make the Everblades the fifth team in league history to become repeat champions.

The Everblades are already Eastern Conference champs and have advanced to the Kelly Cup finals for the second year in a row.

On the road, they already took down the Idaho Steelheads, who had set the league record for points and wins in the regular season. The Steelheads will travel to the Sunshine State and get a chance to regain ground.

The Everblades only need to hold their own for two more games. The players told WINK News they have been served well by experience from the last postseason.

“I think the guys who’ve been here… returners, we have a lot of returners that know what it takes,” said defenseman Ben Masella. “I think you have more of a target on your back being the defending champs.”

“Once you experience the emotion, the feelings, the reward of winning a championship, you want that feeling that much more,” said head coach Brad Ralph. “I think that’s what a lot of our group is… you know, we played all year. We played close to 100 games. Let’s finish it off with that great feeling of raising the cup.”

The Everblades will return to the Estero ice to take on the Idaho Steelheads, their third game, at 7:30 p.m.