Game Recap: Solar Bears Earn Point in 4-3 Shootout Loss to Monarchs

January 29, 2016

ORLANDO, Fla. – The Orlando Solar Bears (17-18-2-4), proud affiliate of the NHL’s Toronto Maple Leafs and AHL’s Toronto Marlies, picked up a point in 4-3 shootout loss to the Manchester Monarchs (28-12-1-4) in front of 8,056 on Friday night at the Amway Center.

The Monarchs capitalized on an early power play opportunity when Derek Arnold banged a rebound past Ryan Massa at 2:53.

Alex Guptill made it 2-0 for Manchester after Matt Leitner redirected a point shot from the right side by Matt MacKenzie at 15:55.

Orlando responded in the second period when Rylan Schwartz collected his second goal in as many nights when he beat Colin Stevens at 9:16.

T.J. Foster tied the score for the Solar Bears when Schwartz knocked down Brenden Miller’s shot and Foster potted the rebound at 15:38.

Minutes later Johnny McInnis redirected Brady Vail’s wrist shot from the high slot past Stevens at 18:32 for a power-play goal to pull Orlando ahead for the first time.

Manchester knotted the score up during a stretch of four-on-four play in the third period when Alex Lintuniemi floated a pass across the slot to Matt Leitner, who fired the puck past Massa at 8:33.

The score would remain tied at 3-3 at the end of regulation, and Orlando would head to overtime on home ice for the first time this season.

The extra session yielded no score, and the game would be decided in a shootout. Both Massa and Stevens traded saves in the first three rounds, but the game was decided in the fourth round when Derek Arnold wristed a shot above the glove of Massa, and Schwartz was denied the tying score when his shot trickled over the glove of Stevens before coming to a stop at the goal line.

Massa took the shootout loss with 30 saves on 33 shots against; Stevens picked up the win with 31 stops on 34 shots against.

NOTES:

• With regulation losses for Reading and Elmira on Friday, the Solar Bears sit just five points back of eighth place in the Eastern Conference.
• Orlando plays the Monarchs again in a three-game set in Manchester on Mar. 4, Mar. 5 and Mar. 6 at Verizon Wireless Arena.