The Florida Everblades entered this this weekend’s games against the Greenville Road Warriors looking to accomplish two objectives – solidify their playoff standing while hoping to gain some ground on the division leaders and to work on their new defensive style of play.

The Everblades accomplished both those goals Saturday night, but Sunday’s 6-3 loss was another story. Both goals seemed to have flown out the window after the win on the night before.

“We weren’t blocking shots, we weren’t playing the body, we weren’t winning the one-on-one battles,” said Everblades coach Greg Poss.

The weekend matchups were direct contrasts.

Saturday’s game saw the Blades execute the new style due to the loss of offensive league leaders Mitch Fadden and Francis Lemieux so late in the season. Comparatively, Sunday’s effort was disappointing at best.

“There is really no explanation for it,” said Poss. “When you know something works, you keep doing it. You don’t go the other way and try to do something else.”

Most disappointing is that, as far as the playoffs are concerned, the loss puts Florida in a tight race to make hockey’s second season.

“We needed these points and everybody knew that,” said team veteran Ross Carlson. “I just don’t know what to say.”

Greenville jumped out early and often on the Blades Sunday, scoring three times in a two-minute span midway through the first period. As part of a hat trick for the afternoon, new forward Brad Snetsinger got the Everblades on the board before intermission, and giving the Everblades some life.

Greenville made it 4-1 before Snetsinger’s second goal, which came on the hard work of Carlson who crashed the net and forcing the goaltender out of position. That was as close as the Blades would get as Greenville won the ensuing faceoff and beat Jaroslav Janus (20 saves) to give the Warriors the three-goal lead again.

Janus replaced Bobby Goepfert in the first period, pulled after just facing just 10 shots, but giving up three goals.

Snetsinger’s third goal came on the power play in the third period, but alone, he was no match for the division-leading Road Warriors.

As a result, the Blades are fifth overall in the conference standings, and the loss leaves them only one point ahead of three other teams. The top eight make the playoffs.

The Everblades try to get back on the winning track with three straight road games in the coming week at Gwinnett. In their way are the Gladiators, one of the teams just one point behind the Blades in the standings.