The Jacksonville Icemen and the Florida Everblades will start their best 7 game series this weekend for the South Division Championship in the ECHL Kelly Cup Playoffs.  Both teams defeated their first round opponents in 6 games 4-2.  

Although Jacksonville and Florida split their regular matchup with 5 wins each, Jacksonville finished the regular season 2nd in the ECHL South Division with a 44-23-3-2 & 93 points while the Everblades finished 4th with a 38-25-4-5 & 85 points.  The Icemen also hold the overall statistical advantage:  231-225 in goals scored, 1-0 in shootouts, 15-11 in shorthanded goals, 21%-15% in power play advantage, and 80%-79% in penalty kill percentage.

Jacksonville will have the 2-3-1-1 home ice advantage in the best of 7 game series.  The Icemen will host the first 2 games at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena on Saturday, May 6 at 7 p.m. and Sunday, May 7 at 5 p.m.  The Everblades will host games 3-5(if necessary) played at Hertz Arena in Estero, FL.  Game 3 will be Wednesday, May 10 and game 4 on May Friday May 12 with the puck dropping at 7:30 for games both games.  Game 5, if necessary, will be at 7 p.m.  The final 2 games of the series, if necessary, will go back to Jacksonville  on Monday, May 15 & Tuesday, May 16 with both games beginning at 7 p.m.  

The Jacksonville Icemen/Florida Everblades winner will take their South Division Champion title to the ECHL Eastern Conference Championship series versus the North Division Champions, either the Reading Royals or the Newfoundland Growlers. 

Photo credit: (cover)Brianna Russell & Sean Russell; (gallery)Brianna Russell & Sean Russell