The Florida Everblades embark this weekend on a three game road trip to Augusta, Georgia, Charleston, South Carolina, and Columbia, also in South Carolina. The trip kicks off tonight with a game against the Lynx where the Blades will face their old bench boss, Bob Ferguson.

Ferguson's crew is sixth in the South Division, trailing the Everblades and the Gwinnett Gladiators by six points. The Blades also have three games in hand against the Lynx. Augusta is 4-6 over their last 10 games, suffering in part from mental mistakes, especially on their home ice at the Augusta-Richmond County Civic Center, currently known as the James Brown Arena.

"I can't explain it. I think we're a better team than that," Ferguson was quoted as saying in an article in the Augusta Chronicle. "The only thing we can do to get the energy up is to win some more games.

"Because of the last two weeks, I think you could say we've underachieved to this point. I wouldn't have said that two weeks ago. Sitting here (now), to be 12-13, we're disappointed with that because I think we're a better team than that."

The Lynx are under new ownership this season and also signed an affiliation agreement with the Anaheim Mighty Ducks. It was the Chicago Blackhawks though, who helped the team out this week, assigning goaltender Mike Brodeur to the team. The 23-year-old Brodeur was drafted in the seventh round, 211th overall, by the Blackhawks in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft. He appeared in 24 games with the ECHL's Greenville Grrrowl last season, posting a 14-8-2 record, .916 save percentage, and a 2.58 goals against average.

Brodeur has not yet played this season.

Meanwhile the Lynx send goaltender Brett Jaeger to the Long Beach Ice Dogs in exchange for cash considerations. Jaeger had a 4.24 goals against average with a .870 save percentage.

Rookie Dave McKee has been the mainstay in the Lynx net, appearing in 18 games this season. He has a 10-5-0 record, a 3.70 GAA ad a .893 save percentage.

Pointwise, Ryan Lang, Jamie Johnson and J.B. Bittner are the offensive threats for the Lynx with 26 points each. Lang his the goal getter with 12 goals (14 assists) while Johnson as 9 goals, 17 assists on the year and Bittner with 8 goals, 18 assists. Veteran Louis Goulet is next on the squad with 10 goals, 12 assists. Nick Kuiper leads the team in +/- with a +3.

Former Blade defenseman Sean Blanchard is currently with the Lynx. The Sudbury, Ontario, native has 15 points on the season (6 g, 9a) and is a -7 on the season.

The Lynx rank 24th in the power play at home, and also 24th in the penalty kill, something the Blades are hoping to take advantage of.

The Everblades however are not looking for an easy time from the Lynx.

"We've got three tough ones coming up here, three games in three different cities, that's going to be tough," veteran defenseman Ryan Van Buskirk was quoted as saying in today's Naples Daily News.

Following the Lynx, the Blades will hop on the bus for a trip over to Charleston, South Carolina where they will face the Stingrays, the team tied with the Lynx in the South Division standings, but with 2 games in hand on their Georgia rivals. South Carolina is 4-5-1 over their last ten games, and are 6-7-2 on the season on home ice.

Conversely, the Blades are 8-2-0 on the road.

The Rays are fourth in the league though in power plays at home, but 22nd over all in penalty kills. Florida is 6th in the league on penalty kill on the road, with 11 goals against in 77 opportunities. They are also 6th in the league in power plays, converting on 16 of 84 tries with the man advantage.

Veteran Brent McDonald who was nominated for ECHL Player of the Week honors has been on a hot streak for the Everblades. He leads the team in scoring with 24 points (11 goals, 13 assists) and is followed up by Panther prospect Dustin Johner, who has 22 points on the season with 9 goals, and 13 assists. Carolina Hurricanes prospect vince Bellissimo has 21 points for Florida, with 7 goals, and 14 assists.

The Stingrays, a Washington Capitals affiliate, are lead by Cail MacLean, with 24 points on the year (7g, 17a) and Chris Chaput with 22 points (12g, 10a).

David Parley has played the vast majority of games for the Rays in net, posting a 10-6-2 record with a 3.52 GAA and a .894 save percentage.

The Blades will face the Stingrays at home for a two game series next weekend, Saturday's game being the popular Everblades Calendar give-away.

Florida finishes up its road trip on Sunday with an afternoon game against the Columbia Inferno.

A former Everblade was involved in a goalie switch in Las Vegas as netminder Marc Magliarditi was assigned to the team by the Omaha Ak-Sar-Ben Knights, while Wranglers goalie Mike McKenna was signed by the AHL Milwaukee Admirals. Magliarditi with share the Wranglers net with former Blade and current Carolina Hurricane prospect Kevin Nastiuk.