Florida Eels forward Josh Belgrave came alive and exploded for 3 goals (hat trick( leading the Eels to a 6-1 win over the MJPD. While Eels net minder slayed the door shut letting in a stingy one goal backstopping his team to clear and convincing win in their first game of the Nationals.

The Eels are a difficult team to read.  They play a very unique style utilizing  a multitude of weapons in their arsenal to defeat teams. Today was a good example of this. In the first period the Eels sent out a high flying air attack with its high octane wingers attacking the offensive zone and center ice men first on the forecheck and puck retrieval. They have 4 lines deep of forwards and defense,  and they bring on a systematic and continuous onslaught that wears down its opponents.

Then if that doesn’t wear you down, the Eels coaches unleash the ground forces along the boards and in the corners to physically wear the opponents down. You can see the fatigue factor setting in.

This has been the dominant  presence in each game throughout the season. To say the boys play a high tempo intense game is the understatement fo the year. The players are dialed in and bought in what the coaches teach. It isn’t easy to play for the Eels. You have to be willing to have the selfless unwavering commitment to win and do what ever it takes  to do this , be it block shots, smothering and suffocating back checking  and a relentless  fore-check.

Today we were successful 6-1. Tomorrow we expect the same effort and determination.

Scoring for the Eels went as follows:

MJDP 1 at Florida Eels 6 – Status: Final
Thursday, March 18, 2021 – Chilled Ponds Sentara Healthcare Rink

MJDP 0 0 1 – 1
Florida Eels 2 1 3 – 6

1st Period-1, Florida Eels, Pinimyasov 1 (Roost), 6:01 (PP). 2, Florida Eels, Belgrave 1 (Patterson), 9:26. Penalties-Ieuter Mjdp (hooking), 2:00; Hartwell Mjdp (tripping), 5:34.

2nd Period-3, Florida Eels, Belgrave 2 (Stewart, Malakyan), 11:00. Penalties-Hartwell Mjdp (major -kneeing, game misconduct), 14:27.

3rd Period-4, Florida Eels, Goral 1 (Haddon- Harris), 4:04. 5, Florida Eels, Belgrave 3 (Goral), 4:43. 6, MJDP, Mocnik 1 (Hellman, Washburn), 9:29 (PP). 7, Florida Eels, Moore 1 11:15. Penalties-Stewart Eel (elbowing), 8:41; Gerstein Eel (tripping), 18:36.

Shots on Goal-MJDP 5-9-15-29. Florida Eels 10-13-9-32.
Power Play Opportunities-MJDP 1 / 2; Florida Eels 1 / 4.
Goalies-MJDP, Fisher (32 shots-26 saves). Florida Eels, Caron (29 shots-28 saves).