Solar Bears skate to 5-4 shootout victory

NORFOLK, Va. – The Orlando Solar Bears (19-15-3-0) battled back from a 3-1 deficit and ultimately prevailed over the Norfolk Admirals (15-19-2-3) with a 5-4 shootout win on Saturday night at the Norfolk Scope.

Click herefor the box score.

The Admirals opened the scoring with an early power-play goal at the 2:13 mark of the first period when Kelly Klima snapped a shot past Corbin Boes.

The Solar Bears answered with a power-play goal of their own when Mathieu Foget redirected Michael Brodzinski’s wrist shot along the ice past Ty Reichenbach at 7:29.

Norfolk took a 2-1 lead at 13:34 when Ben Duffy banked the puck in from the left corner for another power-play goal.

The Solar Bears encountered some bad luck on the ensuing faceoff after Duffy’s goal, as Cody Donaghey’s stick snapped on a clearing attempt and Tyler Cammarata stole the puck and fed Chris Crane for a goal at 13:43 to make it 3-2 for the hosts.

The Solar Bears pulled back to within a goal with another power-play tally at 14:31 when Mitch Hults buried a feed from Donaghey at the right circle for his sixth of the season.

Mike Robinson tied the game at 3-3 at 2:30 of the second period when Dylan Fitze centered the puck on goal from the left corner. After Colby McAuley’s initial attempt was denied by Reichenbach, Robinson managed to knock home the loose puck for his second of the season.

Mike Monfredo gave Orlando its first lead of the night at 5:40 of the third period when his shot from the top of the zone caromed off the skate of an Admirals defenseman and past Reichenbach into the net for a power-play goal and the fourth tally of the season for the Solar Bears captain.

Matt McMorrow evened the score for Norfolk at 4-4 at the 8:21 mark.

Orlando had a chance to take the lead again at 8:58 after McAuley was awarded a penalty shot, but the forward was unable to slide the puck past the leg of Reichenbach after baiting the goalie with a head-fake.

After killing a penalty at the conclusion of regulation, the Solar Bears earned a point with the game headed for overtime. Neither team scored in the five-minute sudden-death session, sending Orlando to its first shootout of the season.

In the first round of the shootout, the Admirals sent out Duffy, but the forward snapped the shot wide of the left post.

Brodzinski then put Orlando up 1-0 on its first attempt as the defenseman faked to his backhand before beating Reichenbach to the glove side.

Klima’s attempt to equalize for Norfolk came up short in the second round with a shot that was wide to the right of the net.

Hults then lifted Orlando to victory as he roofed a backhand shot over the glove of Reichenbach to give the Solar Bears their first shootout win of the season.

Boes earned his eighth victory of the season with 32 saves on 36 shots against; Reichenbach took the shootout loss for Norfolk with 33 stops on 37 shots against.

THREE STARS1) Mitch Hults – ORL2) Ben Duffy – NOR3) Trevor Olson – ORL

NOTABLES

• The victory for Orlando improved the Solar Bears to a 3-2-0-0 record against Norfolk this season. Orlando also moved into third place in the South Division, passing Jacksonville. The Solar Bears are one point back of second-place South Carolina, which Orlando plays in its next three games.
• Orlando went 3-for-5 on the power play, matching the team’s previous season-high for power-play goals.
• Trevor Olson finished the night with three assists, giving the rookie a new career-best for a single-game performance and a two-game point streak (1g-3a).
• Foget’s goal extended his point streak to seven games (3g-5a).
• Hults’ goal extended the forward’s point streak to four games (2g-4a).
• Fitze’s assist on Robinson’s goal gives the forward a three-game point streak (1g-2a).
• Donaghey’s assist pushed the blueliner’s point streak to three games (2g-2a).
• Brodzinski’s assist gives the defenseman a two-game assist streak (3a).

NEXT GAMES: The Solar Bears take on the South Carolina Stingrays on Friday, Jan. 18 at 7:05 p.m. at the North Charleston Coliseum. The Solar Bears return home to host the Jacksonville Icemen on Wednesday, Feb. 6 at 7 p.m. for a Wine Down Wednesday. Fans can take advantage of $5 wine specials during the game. CLICK HEREto purchase tickets for the game.

2018-19 Season Presented by XYMOPrint:

The Orlando Solar Bears are proud to have local digital printing experts XYMOPrintas the presenting sponsor of the 2018-19 season. As a special offer, fans who call XYMOPrint at (888) 223-9390 from now until June 15, 2019 and reference the Solar Bears will receive 30% off their first order of 500 business cards.

2018-19 Single-Game Tickets Now on Sale:

Single-game tickets for the Orlando Solar Bears 2018-19 regular season home schedule are now on sale. Fans can purchase single-game tickets for as little as $15 at the Amway Center box office, or online at Ticketmaster.com.

2018-19 Season Ticket Memberships:

Season Ticket Membershipsfor the seventh season of ECHL Orlando Solar Bears hockey are now on sale. Full and Half-Season memberships are both available, starting as low as $270. For more information, call (407) 951-8200 or visit orlandosolarbearshockey.com.

About the Orlando Solar Bears:

The Orlando Solar Bears are the proud affiliate of the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning and members of the ECHL, the premier “AA” hockey league in North America. In six seasons of operation, the team has qualified for the Kelly Cup Playoffs four times. The Solar Bears are owned and operated by the Orlando Magic and the DeVos Family, and play at the ARS.com Rink at Amway Center, the 2012 Street and Smith’s Sports Business Journal Sports Facility of the Year.

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