A trip to southwestern Florida in early February would sound like a good proposition to just about anyone. It would be a chance to get away, enjoy sunshine and warm temperatures, and recharge the batteries. In February of 2011, though, the Greenville Road Warriors weren’t making a leisurely trip to Estero, Florida. Their three-game series with the Florida Everblades was critically important to Greenville’s effort to stay atop the South Division standings after the Road Warriors managed just four wins in 12 games during January’s schedule. The team’s traded regulation wins in the first two games and set the stage for quite a dramatic rubber match.
A Road Warriors’ power play goal in the first put the visitors up 1-0, but Florida answered back in the second period with a strike of its own to leave the score deadlocked heading to the third. Rookie Alex Hutchings proceeded to catch fire for Florida early in the frame and with a pair of goals put his team two goals in front. That cozy advantage lasted just 32 seconds as Andrew Carroll scored his first of two third period goals to start Greenville’s comeback. Just before the third was 15 minutes old Carroll knotted the score at three and set the stage for overtime. It would, however, take much more than the five minute four-on-four session to decide the winner.
After a scoreless overtime, the game took to a best-of-five shootout. Just as the game had been through regulation and overtime, the shootout was painfully close as neither team seemed like it would separate itself enough for the win. Each team scored once in its first five shots so it became a sudden-death scenario in the breakaway competition. Each team traded one shooter a piece until a winner was decided. Seven more shooters on each side would give it a try before the extra standings point was awarded. The nail-biting 12-round shootout against the Florida Everblades is the Road Warriors’ fifth best moment of the 2010-11 season.
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Don’t miss a minute of action with the Road Warriors this season! 2011-12 season ticket packages and half-season ticket packages are on sale right now. Fans can call 864-674-PUCK (7825) to speak to a Road Warriors ticket representative. Season tickets start as low as $300 and can be reserved with a deposit of just $100.
