Solar Bears roar back in third period for 8-5 win over Gladiators

Orlando scores franchise record seven goals in third period

Photo credit: Taylor Trebotte / Atlanta Gladiators

DULUTH, Ga. – The Orlando Solar Bears (4-3-1-0) entered the third period down 3-1, but scored a franchise-record seven goals in a single period on their way to an 8-5 victory over the Atlanta Gladiators (5-4-1-1) on Saturday night at Infinite Energy Arena.

Click here for the box score.

Atlanta opened the scoring in the first period following a collision between Joe Perry and Kasimir Kaskisuo that allowed Trevor Mingoia to bury a loose puck at 8:43.

Eric Neilly struck again for Atlanta at 2:39 of the second period off a pass from Brock Higgs.

Orlando got on the board when Cason Hohmann scored off a feed from Brett Findlay at 3:48, but the Gladiators struck again at 4:44 after Blake Kessel used a screen to blast a slapshot from the right point past Kaskisuo.

The Solar Bears pulled back to within one goal in the third period when Ben Danford retrieved the puck at the right wall and sent a pass into the slot, where Tony Cameranesi one-timed a shot above the blocker of Ginn at 4:36.

Atlanta restored its two-goal lead when Thomas Frazee countered with a goal at 5:52. A cross-checking penalty to Ben Marshall sent Orlando to the power play, and Hohmann buried a rolling pass from Brenden Miller at 7:39.

Neilly tallied his second of the night 17 seconds later at 7:56, prompting the Solar Bears to replace Kaskisuo with Ryan Massa in goal. Subsequent penalties to Brett Findlay at 8:07 and Denver Manderson at 9:18 appeared to spell doom for the Solar Bears. Orlando killed the initial 5-on-3, and shortly after Findlay exited the penalty box he received a pass for a shorthanded breakaway, which he capitalized on by beating Ginn with a wrist shot at 10:17.

Johnny McInnis then batted home a loose puck following a Miller point shot to tie the score at 5-5 at 14:44.

With time winding down in the game, Patrick Watling fed a back-door feed to Cameranesi, who redirected the puck past Ginn at 18:29 for the first lead of the night for the Solar Bears.

Hohmann scored an empty-net goal at 19:00 to complete the hat trick, and Eric Faille scored a breakaway goal at 19:27 to cap the scoring for Orlando.

Massa earned the win for the Solar Bears by making all seven saves required of him in 12:04 of relief; Ginn took the loss with 36 stops on 43 shots against.

The seven goals scored by the Solar Bears in the third period broke the previous single-period record of five, set on Nov. 10, 2012 vs. Elmira, a 5-3 win for Orlando. The mark also represented the most goals scored by a team in a period in an ECHL game since the Idaho Steelheads did so in a game vs. the Victoria Salmon Kings on Feb. 18, 2005, and is tied for the fifth-most goals in a single period in league history.

Three Stars:

3) Brock Higgs – ATL2) Eric Faille – ORL1) Cason Hohmann – ORL

Orlando is back on home ice at the ARS.com Rink at Amway Center on Thursday, Nov. 10 when they host the South Carolina Stingrays at 7 p.m. Single-game tickets are now on sale at the Amway Center box office and ticketmaster.com. Full and half-season ticket plans are now available by visiting OrlandoSolarBearsHockey.com.

The Orlando Solar Bears are the proud ECHL affiliate of the NHL's Toronto Maple Leafs and AHL's Toronto Marlies, and play all of their home games at the ARS.com Rink at Amway Center, the 2012 Street and Smith's Sports Business Journal Sports Facility of the Year.

Follow the Solar Bears at www.OrlandoSolarBearsHockey.com, Facebook, and Twitter (@OrlandoHockey) for all the latest news and updates. Stay in touch with Shades on Instagram by following SolarBearsHockey.

Season tickets, Corporate Flex vouchers, and Group tickets are a great way to entertain employees, co-workers, clients, friends and family. For more information on all of the Solar Bears ticket packages, call (407) 951-8200 or visit orlandosolarbearshockey.com/groups.

Officially licensed Orlando Solar Bears replica team jerseys, apparel, and headwear can be purchased online at store.orlandosolarbearshockey.com/.