To start the season, Augusta Lynx coach Stan Drulia didn't think the team he had assembled would have too much trouble scoring goals. But through Christmas, the Lynx averaged just more than two goals a game.
Over the holiday break, though, someone seemed to flip a switch that turned on the Lynx's offense. In their first 11 games after the break, the Lynx scored three or more goals 10 times.
That switch has since been turned off.
For the third time in four games, the Lynx managed just one goal. The Florida Everblades took advantage of the poor shooting night and beat the Lynx, 3-1 on Friday at Augusta-Richmond County Civic Center.
"We have it in there, but we need more guys to step up and contribute," Drulia said.
Leading scorer Jamie Johnson notched the lone goal for Augusta (15-24-5) on Friday, but Florida got two goals from Reggie Berg (one on an empty net) and a power-play goal from Damian Surma to spoil the Lynx's first home game since Jan. 15.
For the first time in six games, the Lynx out-shot their opponent (29-26), but not many came from crashing the net.
"The key in every game is to put as many shots on the goalie as possible," Johnson said. "And we didn't do a good job tonight, I didn't think."
The Lynx's only win in their past seven games came against this same Florida team on Tuesday in Florida. But it wasn't quite the same team. The Everblades (23-14-6) had rookie goaltender Terry Dunbar, who made the jump from the lower-level Southern Professional Hockey League to the ECHL for that game.
On Friday, the Everblades made a trade and landed four-year ECHL goaltender Tyler MacKay from the Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies and sent Dunbar back to the SPHL. MacKay stopped 28 shots to earn his first win of the season.
"He had a great game," Johnson said of MacKay. "He made a lot of big saves for them. I guess (today) we'll have ... to get a little bit of traffic in front of him."
Berg scored the Everblades' game-winner in the first period off a turnover in the Lynx's zone.
The center took the puck, spun around near the point and fired a shot over goaltender Jason Saal's shoulder for a 2-0 lead.
Johnson's goal from the right side cut the lead in half in the second period, but Berg's empty net goal with 43 seconds left quelled any hopes of a Lynx comeback.
NOTES: The Lynx placed forward Todd Bennett on injured reserve. ... Defensemen Lawne Snyder and Treavor Peterson both had the flu. Snyder missed the game, while Peterson played. ... Drulia said defenseman Rod Sarich missed the third period with an injury, but was unsure of his status for today.
Reach Kristy Shonka at (706) 823-3216 or kristy.shonka@augustachronicle.com.
STAR OF THE GAME: Goaltender Tyler MacKay stopped 28 shots and picked up the win in his Florida debut. He replaced rookie goaltender Terry Dunbar, who returned to the Southern Professional Hockey League's Knoxville Ice Bears after losing to the Lynx on Tuesday.
TURNING POINT: Reggie Berg picked off a Lynx pass in Augusta's end, spun around and nicked the inside of the net for a 2-0 first-period Everblades lead.
MINUS: After pulling goaltender Jason Saal with 1:30 left, the Lynx gave up an empty-net goal to put the game out of reach.
TONIGHT: 7:35, Everblades at Lynx
EVERBLADES 3, LYNX 1
Florida201-3
Augusta010-1
FIRST PERIOD - Scoring: 1, Florida-Surma 21 (power play) (Church; Berg) 6:55. 2, Florida-Berg 9 (game winner) (Church) 15:07. Penalties: King, AUG (Holding), 4:43. Connolly, AUG (High sticking), 6:20. Sullivan, AUG (Fighting, Major), 6:58. Coalter, FLA (Fighting, Major), 6:58. King, AUG (Fighting, Major), 6:59. Charpentier, FLA (Fighting, Major), 6:59. Branham, FLA (Cross checking), 8:57. Brindley, FLA (Roughing), 16:19. Magowan, AUG (Roughing), 16:19. Brindley, FLA (Roughing), 19:18. Passmore, AUG (Roughing), 19:18.
SECOND PERIOD - Scoring: 3, Augusta-Johnson 12 (Magowan; Sullivan) 2:17. Penalties: Branham, FLA (Hooking), 3:22. Cole, AUG (Cross checking), 17:10.
THIRD PERIOD - Scoring: 4, Florida-Berg 10 (empty net) (Surma) 19:17. Penalties: Pagnutti, FLA (Hooking), 10:06. Tremblay, FLA (Tripping), 15:38.
Shots on Goal: Florida 10-8-8-26. Augusta 10-9-10-29. Power Play Conversions: Florida - 1-for-3, Augusta 0-for-4.Goalies: Florida-MacKay (29 shots, 28 saves; record: 1-0-0). Augusta-Saal (25 shots, 23 saves; record: 10-14-4). A: 3079. Referee: Britt. Linesmen: Owen; Tyson.
The Augusta Chronicle ©2012 Morris Communications, LLC. All Rights Reserved.
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