The Florida Everblades have looked more like the team that has won back-to-back Kelly Cup titles through the first two games against the Orlando Solar Bears. The Everblades will look to grab a 3-0 series lead on Tuesday night.

The Florida Everblades are looking more like the team that has won back-to-back Kelly Cup championships.

Despite going down three games to one in the first-round series with Jacksonville, the Everblades bounced back and won three straight games and advanced to the Division Finals for the ninth consecutive non-COVID-impacted season.

Going from one in-state rival to another, the Everblades' do-or-die mentality has carried over into their series with the Orlando Solar Bears. Florida has scored a combined 11 goals and received contributions from up and down the roster while taking a 2-0 series lead.

That first-round adversity may have been the best thing for them.

"In Games 1 and 3 of the Jacksonville series, we weren't playing playoff hockey," Florida head coach and general manager Brad Ralph told The Hockey News. "When you get down 3-1, there's a sense of urgency when you're playing elimination games, and we've been able to carry that forward through the last two games. It was a great lesson for us to learn, but something that we need to carry forward."

One early standout has been defenseman Cole Moberg, who has been a scoring machine in the playoffs. After recording just four goals in 60 regular-season games, Moberg has scored in four straight playoff games, including two goals in the first two games against Orlando.

In Game 1, the second-pairing defenseman scored just 16 seconds into the game, en route to a 5-1 Everblades win. In Game 2, he buried a wrister from the right-wing circle, contributing to a three-goal first period for Florida.

"He has the experience. He's played at the American level. He's won a championship with us here last year," Ralph said. "You need your leaders to step up, and he's certainly a guy from the back end that's stepped up, not only offensively but from a verbal or emotional standpoint. He's showing us how to do it in the playoffs, and anytime you can get production from the back end, it's a huge boost of confidence for your group."

In addition to Moberg, forward Cam Darcy has also been a key player, providing two goals in this postseason after having just one goal in 31 games during the regular season. The third-line center was crucial in Florida's Game 7 win over Jacksonville, scoring the team's third goal to effectively put the game out of reach.

He also found the back of the net early in the second period of Game 1 against Orlando, restoring the Everblades two-goal lead after the Solar Bears cut the deficit to one before the end of the first period.

"He's just a guy that does all those little things really, really well," Ralph said of Darcy. "In the playoffs, those guys are the ones that we all embrace and acknowledge, and the fact that he's picking up a couple points here recently, maybe whether it's karma or whatever, he deserves it.

"He's a guy that's blocking shots, taking faceoffs, and on the penalty kill and on the forecheck. He does a lot of those little things well. Those are the guys that usually do well in the playoffs."

Overall, the depth scoring by Moberg and Darcy, in addition to Cam Johnson's play in net, has been impressive and will be required if the Everblades want to capture their third Kelly Cup in as many seasons and fourth in franchise history.

Florida will look to grab a 3-0 series lead in Orlando on Tuesday night.

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