Game Recap: Solar Bears Earn Point in 3-2 Shootout Loss to Fuel

February 20, 2016

ORLANDO, Fla. – The Orlando Solar Bears (23-20-2-5), proud affiliate of the NHL’s Toronto Maple Leafs and AHL’s Toronto Marlies, battled hard but ultimately only earned one point as they fell by a 3-2 score in the shootout to the Indy Fuel (26-26-2-0) in front of 8,544 on Saturday night at the Amway Center.

Both teams played through a scoreless first period with Rob Madore and Shane Owen making 10 and 11 saves respectively.

The Fuel opened the scoring in the second period when Cody Sharib knocked a rebound past Madore at 3:10.

The Solar Bears capitalized on a power-play when Nicklas Lindberg found Brady Vail in the slot, and the forward rifled the puck into the top corner of the net at 12:32 to tie the score.

Alex Lavoie pulled Indy ahead less than a minute later after he stole the puck in the Orlando zone and snapped it above Madore at 13:28.

In the third period, Jack Rodewald knotted the score at 2-2 when he redirected a centering feed from Lindberg through the pads of Owen at 1:08.

The score remained tied at the end of regulation, and Orlando fought through overtime in which the Solar Bears were penalized twice and forced to play down a man.

The game was decided in the fifth round of the shootout when Ben Marshall outwaited Madore and fired a shot past the lunging goalie. Eric Baier needed to score to extend the shootout to the sixth round, but Owen got a piece of Baier’s attempt with the glove to seal the victory for Indy.

Madore took the shootout loss with 33 saves on 35 shots against; Owen picked up the win with 33 stops on 35 shots against.