Weekly Report: March 9, 2020

The Solar Bears enter the season’s 23rd week in fifth place in the ECHL’s South Division and will need to pile up some major points over the remaining weeks of the regular season in order to secure a fourth consecutive trip to the Kelly Cup Playoffs after dropping three matches to Atlanta and Greenville last week. The Solar Bears face the top two teams in the South Division this week in the form of South Carolina and Florida.

STANDINGS:

SOLAR BEARS RECORD: 26-29-5-1 — 58 POINTS (.475)SOUTH DIVISION: FIFTH OF SEVENEASTERN CONFERENCE: NINTH OF 13LEAGUE: 18TH OF 26

PLAYOFF PICTURE:

The top four teams in the South Division will qualify for the 2020 ECHL postseason. Both the South Carolina Stingrays and Florida Everblades have already clinched playoff berths, leaving just two spots available. At 58 points through 61 games, Orlando can finish the 72-game regular season with a maximum of 80 points and no higher than third place in the South Division. Orlando currently requires 20 points to clinch a playoff spot.

LAST WEEK AT A GLANCE:

LAST WEEK’S RECORD: 0-3-0-0LAST WEEK’S SCORES:

• Tuesday, March 3 vs. Atlanta (6-3 loss)
• Wednesday, March 4 vs. Greenville (7-2 loss)
• Friday, March 6 at Atlanta (3-2 loss)  

THIS WEEK’S GAMES:

Wednesday, March 11 vs. South Carolina Stingrays – 7 p.m. – Wine Down Wednesday – fans can take advantage of $5 wine specials during the game

Saturday, March 14 at Florida Everblades – 7 p.m.

SOLAR BEARS LEADERS:

Goals: 19 – Trevor OlsonAssists: 27 – Michael BrodzinskiPoints: 40 – Trevor OlsonPlus-Minus: +25 – Tristin Langan**PIM: 67 – Cody DonagheyGame-Winning Goals: 4 – Taylor CammarataPower-Play Goals: 6 – Alexey LipanovShorthanded Goals: 4 – Trevor OlsonShots: 146 – Cody DonagheyWins: 14 – Clint WindsorGoals-Against Average: 2.51 – Clint WindsorSave Percentage: 0.925 – Clint Windsor**in AHL

OTHER NOTABLES:

SCHEDULE AT A GLANCEThe Solar Bears will have to make significant gains over their final 11 games of the regular season, as nine of Orlando’s games will be against clubs currently ahead of them in the South Division standings. The Solar Bears play the sixth-seeded Jacksonville Icemen once at home and seventh-seeded Norfolk Admirals once on the road.

SOLAR BEARS ACTIVE AT THE DEADLINEPrior to last week’s ECHL Trade Deadline, Orlando continued to make moves to restock its roster following a series of injuries and call-ups. The Solar Bears notably acquired forward Tad Kozun from the Kansas City Mavericks and goaltender Alex Sakellaropoulos from the Rapid City Rush. Kozun joined Orlando in Atlanta and made his debut with the Solar Bears in Friday’s loss, while Sakellaropoulos arrived in Orlando on Saturday.

WINDSOR BACKGoaltender Clint Windsor returned to the Solar Bears on Sunday afternoon following his release from his PTO with the Belleville Senators of the AHL. Windsor served as Alex Dubeau’s backup in three games and did not see game time. The rookie netminder currently ranks fourth in the ECHL with a .925 save percentage.

SOLAR BEARS BREAK SHORTHANDED GOALS RECORDJohno May’s shorthanded goal in the third period on Friday was Orlando’s 16th shorthanded goal of the season, which eclipsed the previous single-season mark in team history set during the 2018-19 campaign. Orlando’s 16 shorthanded goals lead the ECHL.

OLSON HEATING UPSince Feb. 1, Solar Bears forward Trevor Olson has led his team in scoring with 15 points (5g-10a) in 17 games. The second-year pro is also tied for the team lead in plus-minus over that stretch with a +4.

BRODZINSKI SET TO SURPASS CAREER MARKSDefenseman Michael Brodzinski is living up to his All-Star selection in January after finishing February with another strong month. The blueliner led Orlando’s defensemen in scoring in February with eight points (4g-4a) in 10 games and led the entire roster in plus-minus in for the month with a +6. With 35 points (8g-27a) in 54 games this season, the fourth-year pro is in striking distance of shattering his previous career marks for goals (9), assists (29) and points (38).

EYE ON THE AHLForward Tyler Bird, who was loaned to the Syracuse Crunch on Feb. 22, has one assist through four games. Brent Pedersen, who has spent the majority of the season on loan to the Manitoba Moose, has nine points (3g-6a) in 36 games this season in the AHL.

LEBLANC, OLSON CLIMBING FRANCHISE GOAL LISTWith two goals last week, Trevor Olson has moved himself into a three-way tie with Jacob Cepis and Brady Vail for fourth place on the club’s career goal-scorers list. Chris LeBlanc remains tied with Eric Baier and C.J. Severyn for eighth.

1. Joe Perry – 532. Eric Faille – 513. Brett Findlay – 384. Brady Vail – 354. Jacob Cepis – 354. Trevor Olson – 357. Denver Manderson – 348. Eric Baier – 338. C.J. Severyn – 338. Chris LeBlanc – 33