The Florida Everblades take to the ice against the Texas Wildcatters again tonight at Germain Arena, hoping for a different result than Tuesday night's game.

The Blades will rely on Carolina talent to get them through as Craig Kowalski gets the start in net and forward Bill Kinkel, who was a healthy scratch on Tuesday returns to the ice.

"They came out crashed and banged and they knocked us around," Kinkel said to the Fort Myers News Press in regards to the opening night game against Texas. "The next night I went in and (forward Brad) Parsons went in and the game was a little different. They weren't going to do the same (expletive) with me on the ice."

The crashing and banging on Tuesday cost the Everblades Panther prospect Derek Damon and Amerks farmhand Jonathan Lehun. Damon has a knee injury and will a miss a month, while Lehun suffered a concussion.

"I need to let them know it's going to be a different game," said Kinkel, who leads the team in penalty minutes (33), fights and black eyes. "They're not going to get way with the (expletive) they got away with in the last game."

Panther prospect Jeremy Swanson was promoted to Rochester earlier this week, in exchange for Franklin MacDonald, who played in Tuesday's game.

The Blades will also be going with the regular goalie rotation, despite the fact that Kowalski replaced David Shantz part way through Tuesday's loss. Shantz will play Saturday night's rematch against Texas.

“This is an opportunity for somebody else to step up and show us that he has the ability to play in those positions that maybe he hasn’t seen yet this year. (Associate coach) Jason (Nobili) and I talked about the personnel changes yesterday and our combinations on the power play and the penalty kill, and we feel very confident with the guys we have designated to play in those situations," Everblades head coach Gerry Fleming said to the Naples Daily News in regards to line changes for tonight's contest.

The Wildcatters are a physical style team, while the Everblades will need to rely on their speed and skating to take the game. Kinkel's return is particularly important to keeping the lanes open.

“What we have to do is use our speed, make them turn and skate and try to keep up with us," Kinkle said in the same article. "And if they do continue to go after our smaller guys, my job is to make sure they’re safe and that nothing happens to them. So I’ll be in (the Wildcatters’) ear making sure they know what not to do, and I can obviously help more in that role.”

Kinkel played in the AHL with the Houston Aeros last season and is on a two way contract with the AHL Albany River Rats this year.

The Wildcatters have won six straight and are finishing off their roat trip in Florida. They will return to Beaumont on Sunday.

The Blades meanwhile are on a two game losing skid. They hope to change their fortunes tonight and tomorrow at home before heading out on a two week road swing.

Saturday night is the Everblades annual Teddy Bear toss. Fans are asked to bring a new plush toy to the game with them to throw on the ice after the Blades score their first goal in the game.

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Next Game
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Who: Texas Wildcatters at Florida Everblades
When: Friday, December 1, 2006; 7:30 PM
Where: Germain Arena
TV: B2 Network
Radio: Sportsradio 770 AM
Internet: www.abc-7.com
Web site: www.floridaeverblades.com