The Solar Bears enter the season’s 19th week back at the .500 mark for the first time since Jan. 19 after dropping three straight games this past week. Several injuries and call-ups have dramatically affected the lineup, as the Solar Bears prepare for a busy three-in-three set this weekend against the Norfolk Admirals and Atlanta Gladiators.
STANDINGS:
SOLAR BEARS RECORD: 21-21-5-1 — 48 POINTS (.500)SOUTH DIVISION: FOURTH OF SEVENEASTERN CONFERENCE: EIGHTH OF 13LEAGUE: 18TH OF 26
LAST WEEK AT A GLANCE:
LAST WEEK’S RECORD: 1-3-0-0LAST WEEK’S SCORES:
- Wednesday, Feb. 5 at Florida (1-0 overtime win)
- Thursday, Feb. 6 vs. South Carolina (4-0 loss)
- Friday, Feb. 7 vs. South Carolina (2-1 loss)
- Sunday, Feb. 9 vs. Florida (6-3 loss)
THIS WEEK’S GAMES:
Friday, Feb. 14 vs. Norfolk Admirals – 7 p.m. – Heart Health Awareness Night, presented by AdventHealth – the first 3,000 fans in attendance will receive a commemorative Heart Health Awareness Night puck, presented by AdventHealth
Saturday, Feb. 15 vs. Norfolk Admirals – 7 p.m. – Military Appreciation Night, presented by Hunter Vision - ***Game to be televised on WKMG-TV News 6***
Sunday, Feb. 16 vs. Atlanta Gladiators – 3 p.m. – Fairwinds Solar Bears Sunday – The first 100 Fairwinds Credit Union members who present their Fairwinds debit/credit card and photo ID at the Amway Center box office will receive a pair of free tickets to that day’s game. Once the first 100 pairs of tickets are claimed, Fairwinds members can still take advantage of a buy-one-get-one ticket offer. Visit fairwinds.org/solarbears for more information.
SOLAR BEARS LEADERS:
Goals: 16 – Trevor OlsonAssists: 24 – Michael BrodzinskiPoints: 30 – Tristin Langan (in AHL) and Taylor CammarataPlus-Minus: +21 – Tristin Langan (in AHL)PIM: 47 – Trevor OlsonGame-Winning Goals: 3 – Jake CoughlerPower-Play Goals: 6 – Alexey LipanovShorthanded Goals: 3 – Trevor OlsonShots: 119 – Cody DonagheyWins: 10 – Clint WindsorGoals-Against Average: 2.41 – Clint WindsorSave Percentage: 0.925 – Clint Windsor
OTHER NOTABLES:
LEBLANC BECOMES FRANCHISE SHORTHANDED ASSISTS LEADERWith his assist on Trevor Olson’s shorthanded goal on Sunday vs. Florida, forward Chris LeBlanc became the club’s all-time leader for career shorthanded assists with five, passing Eric Faille (2015-17) and Troy Bourke (2018-19). LeBlanc also leads the Solar Bears in scoring for the month of February with four points (1g-3a) in five games.
RACE TO THE TOPLeBlanc and Olson are currently in a race after entering the franchise’s Top 10 leaderboard for goals on Sunday. Both LeBlanc and Olson have 32 goals in their careers with Orlando, tied with 2013-14 ECHL MVP Mickey Lang for ninth on the franchise list. Their next goals will tie them for eighth with Eric Baier and C.J. Severyn, and should they score six additional goals down the stretch it will be enough to give LeBlanc and/or Olson possession of third on the franchise list, passing Brett Findlay (38).
SOLAR BEARS ALL-TIME GOALS LEADERS
1) Joe Perry – 532) Eric Faille – 513) Brett Findlay – 384) Brady Vail – 35Jacob Cepis – 356) Denver Manderson – 347) C.J. Severyn – 33Eric Baier – 339) Mickey Lang – 32Chris LeBlanc – 32Trevor Olson – 32
BRODZINSKI SIDELINED FOR LAST WEEK’S GAMESAfter sustaining an injury in Orlando’s 5-2 win at Wheeling on Feb. 1, Michael Brodzinski missed all four games last week while on the team’s reserve list. Prior to that injury, Orlando’s All-Star defenseman had only missed time with Orlando due to an AHL call-up last season. Along with Kevin Lohan’s call-up to AHL San Diego and Blake Kessel unable to play on Sunday, the Solar Bears were forced to play with only four healthy defenseman in the team’s 6-3 loss to Florida.
GOALTENDING REMAINS TEAM STRENGTHThe Solar Bears’ goaltending duo of Zachary Fucale and Clint Windsor remain one of Orlando’s biggest strengths this season. Fucale turned in a 35-save performance in Orlando’s 1-0 overtime win at Florida on Wednesday for his third shutout of the season; coupled with Windsor’s four shutouts on the season, the Solar Bears are one shutout away from tying the franchise single-season mark of eight set during the 2014-15 season. Windsor and Fucale also rank third and fourth respectively in the ECHL in save percentage.
DRAPLUK HITS 100TH CAREER POINTThanks to a two-assist performance on Sunday, defenseman Eric Drapluk was able to reach 100 career points (21g-79a) in his professional career. Now in his fourth full season of pro hockey, the Pembroke Pines, Fla. native has played in 267 combined games with the Solar Bears and Tulsa Oilers.
MAY TO HIT 100 CAREER GAMESForward Johno May is slated to play in his 100th career pro game this weekend. The forward enters the week with 97 ECHL games under his belt between Orlando and Greenville and one appearance in the AHL with the San Diego Gulls. Since his acquisition from the Swamp Rabbits on Dec. 13, May has been one of Orlando’s most productive skaters, tied for second on the team in scoring with 19 points (9g-10a) in 24 games over that span.