The Florida Everblades had come in off a six game winning streak on the road and ran smack dab into a hot Davis Parley who posted a shut out to take a 2-1 win for the Stingrays on the Blades home ice. So, needless to say, I felt the need to go and observe this paragon of goaltending virtue first hand.

Saturday night was a different story however, as it was Craig Kowalski who posted the shut out, giving the Blades a 4-0 victory.

Local SW Florida resident Jason Provino provided EBUG services for the Rays, who were without Daren Machesney.

The game had progressed well into the third period, when Martin Tuma and Ryan Bennett got into a spat. Somehow, the Blades got out of that alright, only to have Brett Peterson take a stupid game misconduct with just under 4 minutes left to play.

Still, K-Wal hung on to get the win.

The Rays new jerseys did nothing for me, I still miss the old Sabres Lite sweaters, but I'm probably the only one who does, and I'm biased.

I had started putting this series up on NHL Connect, but there is no way to caption the photos, so it makes it kind of hard to know who you're looking at if you don't have a roster or know the players.

The full series is available here:

December 23, 2006 vs. South Carolina Stingrays

Mike Angelidis has been having a great rookie season for the Florida Everblades. Angelidis netted two goals for the Blades in Sunday's 5-2 win over the Columbia Inferno, shortly after he found out he was being called up to the American Hockey League.

Angelidis will fill Keith Aucoin's spot on the Albany River Rats roster.

The 21 year old native of Woodbridge, Ontario, also recorded an assist in Friday's 6-5 win over the Augusta Lynx, and tallied in the Saturday's nights 3-1 win over the South Carolina Stingrays. But it was the call up that really capped the right wing's weekend.

Angelidis has 18 points (10 g, 8a) as well as 54 penalty minutes and one suspension on the ECHL season to date. A free agent signee of the Carolina Hurricanes, Angelidis has been biding his time looking for the trip to Albany.

A product of the Ontario Hockey League system, Angelidis started skating when he was four years old. He followed his fathers advice to get into the Junior Major system at the age of 16, leaving his family for the small town of Owen Sound.

His first three year, were perhaps, nothing to write home about as he recorded a total of 54 points (25 goals) in 172 games. It was his outstanding fourth year which earned him a look at the NHL, and a contract by the Hurricanes.

His 53 goals, 78 points also got him named a first team All-star at the end of the season. But Angelidis' efforts extended past the rink as well.

Angelids became involved with the Disabled Learning Units of Grey and Bruce Counties and struck up a strong friendship with a particular student, T.J. Walton from Beavercreat School Disabled Learning Unit. Angelidis and Walton organized and co-hosted the first ever Owen South Attack - Bells Skills Competition and raised for than $5,500 for the Disabled Learning Units. He received an Award from the Bluewater and District School Board for his efforts.

But it didn't end there. His efforts came the attention of the Canadian Hockey League, and in May, Angelidis was presented with the Home Hardware Humanitarian Award for 2006.

Angelidis said he "packed medium" for his trip to the AHL, as he has no idea how long he'll be up, but the Rats have upcoming games on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday.

Meanwhile, the Blades will be without one of their mainstays on their top two lines.

"He earned it, really. He deserves the opportunity to play at the next level and hopefully he does well," Everblades head coach Gerry Fleming stated in today's Naples Daily News "We'll proceed under the assumption that he won't be with us this weekend."

Florida's three wins this weekend finished off a six game road trip in which the Blades took home victories in all six contests. Their win streak will be on the line Friday and Saturday as the Blades face off for a two-game homestand against the Carolina Stingrays.

Tied for first in the American Confrence's South Division with the Texas Wildcatters, the Blades will need to make every game count. Texas has a game in hand on the Everblades, and Florida will be traveling down to Beaumont, Texas, for games on the January 29th and 30th against the same team.

This weekend's match up will see the Stingrays look for some revenge for Saturday night's defeat.

Angelidis put the Everblades on the board in that contest, midway through the first stanza, a lead that stood up until the third period, when Reggie Berg forced a turn over behind the South Carolina net then passed the puck to Florida Panthers' prosect Dustin Johner, who one timed it past Stingrays goalie Darren MacChesney for the eventual game winning goal. Berg picked up an insurance marker on an empty net with one second left to play.

The ECHL takes a break from Christmas from December 24th through December 27th.

A season high four hat tricks were scored on December 15th. One of the hat tricks was by Augusta forward Shane Hynes during the Lynx's 6-5 loss to the Everblades. The ECHL record for the most hat tricks in one day is six, set on October 23, 1993 and tied on three other days, the last time happened on Valentines Day in 2004.

The Florida Winter College Hockey Classic moves into Germain Arena on December 29th and the 30th. The University of Maine, Cornell University, the University of New Hampshire and Western Michigan University will compete for the seventh annual Ned Harkness Championship. Maine and Cornell have each won the Championship twice, with Cornell taking home the honors in last year's tournament.