Kalk tricks Icemen in 6-3 Solar Bears win

ORLANDO, Fla. – Corey Kalk exploded with a hat trick performance in the second period to lead the Orlando Solar Bears (26-19-3-0) to a 6-3 win over the Jacksonville Icemen (25-22-2-2) on Friday night at the ARS.com Rink at Amway Center.

Click here for the box score.

Orlando took a 1-0 lead in the first period when Alexander Kuqali’s shot from the left point glanced off of Alex Schoenborn, allowing Mike Monfredo to deposit the puck behind Ken Appleby at the 8:40 mark for his sixth of the season.

Kalk began his scoring binge at 4:14 of the second period when he won a faceoff in the offensive zone back to Matthew Spencer, and deflected Spencer’s point shot past Appleby for his fifth of the season.

Kalk then made it 3-0 at 10:49 when he snapped a shot over Appleby into the top-left corner of the net.

Jacksonville got on the board when Garret Ladd received the puck in the slot and used his body to shield the puck from the view of Martin Ouellette before the Icemen forward turned and fired a shot past Ouellette at 12:18.

Kalk completed the hat trick at 19:33 when he made his way from the left corner to the slot and snapped the puck through the pads of Appleby.

After Jacksonville opted to replace Appleby with Tanner Jaillet to start the third period, the two teams traded goals in the third period, as Wacey Rabbit scored at 7:01 to bring the visitors back to within two of Orlando.

Trevor Olson then netted his eighth of the season on a back-door feed from Mathieu Foget to make it 5-2.

Everett Clark again brought Jacksonville back within two goals of the Solar Bears at 15:56, but Schoenborn capped the scoring with an empty-net tally at 18:39 for his sixth goal of the season.

Ouellette picked up the win with 28 saves on 31 shots against; Appleby took the loss after coming up with 19 stops on 23 shots, while Jaillet turned aside five of six in relief.

THREE STARS1) Corey Kalk – ORL2) Mike Monfredo – ORL3) Mike Robinson – ORL

NOTABLES:

• The Solar Bears improved to 8-2-0-0 against the Icemen in the 12-game regular season series. Orlando is 9-0-0-0 lifetime on home ice against Jacksonville. The victory moves Orlando into a tie in points with second-place South Carolina (55). The Solar Bears have won four straight on home ice dating back to Jan. 6.
• Kalk’s three goals in the second period tied Mickey Lang (March 27, 2014 vs. Evansville, 2nd period) for the most goals scored by a Solar Bears player in an individual frame. The rookie also snapped a 17-game goal-scoring drought dating back to Dec. 12 at Jacksonville, when Kalk scored twice in a 4-2 win.
• Monfredo – normally a defenseman – was converted to forward for the game and skated on a line with Kalk and Mike Robinson. The Solar Bears captain finished the game with two points (1g-1a), his second multi-point outing of the season.
• Robinson assisted on Kalk’s second and third goals for his first career assists.
• Schoenborn finished the night with two points (1g-1a) and now has a two-game point streak (1g-2a).
• Spencer’s assist on Kalk’s first goal gives the defenseman a two-game assist streak (2a).
• Foget’s assist on Olson’s goal gives the forward a two-game point streak (1g-1a).
• Jackson Playfair made his pro debut for Orlando after signing with the Solar Bears earlier in the day. The forward earned an assist on Schoenborn’s empty-net goal.

NEXT GAMES: The Solar Bears host the Manchester Monarchs at the ARS.com Rink at Amway Center on Sunday, Feb. 17 at 1:30 p.m. for a FAIRWINDS Solar Bears Sunday. CLICK HERE to purchase tickets for this game.

Fighting Four Packs presented by CenturyLink:

Gear up for the second half of the 2018-19 season with a Fighting Four Pack, presented by CenturyLink! Pick any four remaining home games and get $65 dollars in gift certificates to Dick’s Sporting Goods, First Watch, QDOBA Mexican Eats and a FREE center ice ticket to the Saturday, Feb. 23 game against the Greenville Swamp Rabbits, part of Hockey Fights Cancer Weekend, presented by XYMOPrint. Packs start as low as $69.99 – CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE.

2018-19 Season Presented by XYMOPrint:

The Orlando Solar Bears are proud to have local digital printing experts XYMOPrint as 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 Memberships for 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.