Lynx blow big lead, lose shootout

ESTERO, Fla. - The Florida Everblades looked like they had no hope after a miserable second period Saturday night. The Blades mustered just four shots, had zero scoring chances and allowed three second period goals.

Florida, however, staged an impressive third-period comeback. Its shortest player - 5-foot-8 Steve Saviano - led the charge.

Saviano picked up three assists as Florida stormed back from a three-goal deficit en route to beating the Augusta Lynx, 4-3 in a shootout, at Germain Arena.

Blades forwards Anders Strome, Jonathan Lehun and Daniel Sisca scored in the shootout, and Phil Osaer stopped Augusta's Ryan Lang to seal the shootout win.

Augusta (3-2-2) looked like it had scored in overtime twice, but Osaer made two stunning saves. Using his right leg, Osaer stopped a point-blank shot from Brian Passmore with 1:13 left in overtime.

Osaer stopped a 2-footer from Augusta's Nicolas Corbeil with 5 seconds left in overtime. Osaer looked out of position but slid to his right and smothered the puck.

The Blades (3-1-0) scored two goals in about a minute to close Augusta's lead to 3-2 at 4:56 of the third period. First, Florida assistant captain Paul Cabana recorded a power-play goal at 3:46 of the third stanza.

Then Saviano picked up a loose puck from behind the net, skated around and flipped a backhanded shot. Augusta goalie Trevor Cunning blocked the puck but Lehun was there to ram it home at 4:56 of the third period.

A wide-scale melee erupted with 7:20 left in the game. It all started when Brindley started fighting Augusta's Lang in front of the Lynx bench. Augusta forward Joe Pereira grabbed Brindley, who turned and slugged Pereira.

Paul Cabana boxed with Augusta's Phil Cole and left the ice with an undisclosed injury. Cabana never returned.

After the donnybrook, Saviano recorded his third assist as Florida tied the game at 3-3 with about 6 minutes left. Saviano fired a shot from the left faceoff circle, and the puck bounced off Trevor Cunning's blocker. Ernie Hartlieb, who was trailing the play, rammed home the rebound.