Game Recap: Solar Bears Blanked 3-0 by Monarchs

January 27, 2016

ORLANDO, Fla. – The Orlando Solar Bears (17-17-2-3), proud affiliate of the NHL’s Toronto Maple Leafs and AHL’s Toronto Marlies, couldn’t solve goaltender Colin Stevens as the Manchester Monarchs (26-12-1-4) blanked Orlando by a 3-0 score in front of 4,785 on Wednesday night at the Amway Center.

The Monarchs opened the scoring in the first period when Alex Guptill stole the puck in the Orlando zone and fed the puck across the crease to Danick Paquette, who tapped the puck into the Solar Bears net at 15:40.

Manchester added to its totals in the second period when Joe Diamond blasted a drop pass from Maxim Kitsyn past Ryan Massa at 5:40.

Orlando had its best chance of the frame when Lindsay Sparks received a long feed from Myles Harvey and skated in on Stevens, but was turned aside by the Monarchs netminder at 17:40.

The Solar Bears attempted to get on the board late in the third period by pulling Massa for an extra attacker, but Mark Anthoine sealed the game with an empty-net tally at 18:42.

Massa took the loss with 32 saves on 34 shots against; Stevens earned the shutout victory with a 25-save effort.