Game Recap: Solar Bears Open Road Trip with 4-2 Win at Norfolk

January 6, 2016

NORFOLK, Va. – The Orlando Solar Bears (13-14-2-3), proud affiliate of the NHL’s Toronto Maple Leafs and the AHL’s Toronto Marlies, opened their season-high seven-game road trip with a 4-2 win over the Norfolk Admirals (12-22-1-1) in front of a crowd of 2,243 on Wednesday night at the Norfolk Scope.

Orlando got off to an early lead in the first period when Erik Bradford cut to the front of the net and tucked the puck underneath the pads of Ty Rimmer at 2:19.

Less than a minute later, Rylan Schwartz swatted at a bouncing puck to knock it over the shoulder of Rimmer and into the net at 3:04, with linemates T.J. Foster and Eric Faille assisting.

The Solar Bears’ top line continued the offensive surge later in the frame when Foster buried his 11th of the season at 14:55, as Faille and Schwartz contributed assists.

During a brief spell of four-on-four play in the second frame, Brady Vail won an offensive zone faceoff back to Zach Bell, who skated the puck across the attacking blueline and wristed the puck past Rimmer at 3:05, prompting the Admirals to make a change in goal and send Nic Riopel into the game.

That swap in net seemed to turn around Norfolk’s fortunes, as Jonathan Lessard solved Rob Madore at 4:46, and then Samuel Noreau tallied at 8:28 to cut Orlando’s lead in half.

That would be all the remaining offense that both teams saw in the game, as Madore turned aside all nine shots he faced in the third period to secure the win.

Madore made 39 total saves on 41 shots against in the win for the Solar Bears; Rimmer took the loss with 10 stops on 14 shots against in 23:05 of action, while Riopel made 14 saves on 14 shots in 35:45 of relief.