Game Recap: Solar Bears Surrender Late Goal in 6-5 Loss to Swamp Rabbits

February 4, 2016

ORLANDO, Fla. – The Orlando Solar Bears (17-19-2-4), proud affiliate of the NHL’s Toronto Maple Leafs and AHL’s Toronto Marlies, gave up a late third period goal to the Greenville Swamp Rabbits (22-18-6-0) as they fell by a 6-5 score in front of a crowd of 4,158 on Thursday night at the Amway Center.

Greenville raced out to an early lead just 1:20 into the first period, as Michael St. Croix fed the puck into the slot for Scott Fleming to hammer home past Rob Madore.

Ryan Rashid gave the Swamp Rabbits a 2-0 lead when he redirected Troy Donnay’s shot from above the right circle past beneath Madore at 8:57.

Orlando got on the board when Eric Faille stole the puck from a Greenville skater while the Solar Bears were killing a penalty to Mark Louis, and Faille dished a pass to Rylan Schwartz who broke in on a 2-on-1 with Faille before ultimately burying a low shot on Allen York for a shorthanded goal.

The second period began with a bang as Zach Bell dropped the gloves with Kodie Curran just five seconds into the frame, and that appeared to set the tone for Orlando, as Faille evened the score for the Solar Bears by tipping Eric Baier’s point shot past York at 5:28.

Matt Rupert got Orlando its first lead of the game when Erik Bradford fed the puck out in front from behind the goal line at 6:25 and Rupert knocked it into the net.

Jordan Knackstedt evened the score when he corralled his own missed attempt and threw the puck beneath the pads of Madore from behind the goal line at 10:14.

The Solar Bears re-established their lead when Bradford collected the puck off the outside of the net and lifted it above a sprawled York at 16:31.

Nicklas Lindberg made it 5-3 when he one-timed a feed from Brady Vail at the slot past York at 17:20.

The Swamp Rabbits rebounded in the third period, as Charlie Dodero netted a power-play goal at 2:09 to close the gap, and Fleming tied the game once again when buried a wrister from between the hash marks at 4:01.

The game appeared to be heading for overtime in the dying moments of the frame when Knackstedt worked the puck out of the corner and snapped the puck past Madore at 19:57.

Madore took the loss with 36 saves on 42 shots against; York picked up the win with 25 stops on 30 shots against.

NOTES:

• By dressing in tonight’s game, Baier has tied Scott Tanksi for the most regular season games played for the ECHL Solar Bears (152).