Game Recap: Solar Bears Sweep Beast in 3-0 Win

March 13, 2016

BRAMPTON, Ontario – The Orlando Solar Bears (28-23-3-5), proud affiliate of the NHL’s Toronto Maple Leafs and AHL’s Toronto Marlies, were carried by Rob Madore’s 31-save shutout effort as they blanked the Brampton Beast (16-32-7-4) by a 3-0 score to sweep their opponents three games to none in front of 3,140 on Sunday afternoon at the Powerade Centre.

Jack Rodewald opened the scoring in the first period when he made his way from the left corner of the attacking zone towards the front of the Brampton net and jammed the puck through the pads of Jordan Ruby at 13:43.

Both teams played through a scoreless period, although the Solar Bears nearly capitalized on a slashing penalty to the Beast’s Jonathan Parker when T.J. Foster nearly beat Ruby with a wide open net. Shortly after the conclusion of the penalty Parker broke in on Rob Madore but the goaltender turned aside the Beast forward.

Orlando gained some breathing room in the third period when Erik Bradford circled to the left corner from behind the net and sent a pass back to the right point for Rory Rawlyk, who blasted a shot on net, but Ruby gave up a rebound to Austin Block who beat the goaltender at 16:17.

Rodewald sealed the game with an empty-net tally at 19:35, and the Solar Bears hung on to sweep the Beast in the regular season.

Madore’s 31-save performance gave him his first shutout of the season with Orlando; Ruby took the loss with 31 stops on 33 shots against.

NOTES:

• Orlando’s victory pushed the team to one point back of the Atlanta Gladiators (65 points) for ninth place in the Eastern Conference.
• Brady Vail’s assists on both of Rodewald’s goals gave him 50 points on the season (18g-32a), joining Eric Faille as the second player to reach the half-century mark this season.