Bear Bites: Week of Jan. 18, 2021

ORLANDO, Fla. – The Orlando Solar Bears gear up for a busy week of action on home ice as they welcome the Greenville Swamp Rabbits to the AdventHealth Rink at Amway Center for this first time in the 2020-21 season. 

THIS WEEK’S GAMES: 

• Wednesday, Jan. 20 vs. Greenville Swamp Rabbits at 7 p.m. – Wine Down Wednesday ($5 wine specials) 
• Friday, Jan. 22 vs. Greenville Swamp Rabbits at 7 p.m. – Dance Night 
• Saturday, Jan. 17 vs. Florida Everblades at 3 p.m. – First Responders Appreciation Night 

SEASON RECORD: 6-5-1-0 LAST WEEK’S RECORD: 1-1-1-0 

ACTIVE LEADERS: TOP SCORER: Aaron Luchuk – 10 points MOST GOALS: Chris LeBlanc – 3 goals MOST ASSISTS: Aaron Luchuk – 8 assists PIM LEADER: Ben Thomson – 23 PIM PLUS-MINUS LEADER: Tyler Bird – +4 

LAST WEEK’S GAMES: 

Friday, Jan. 15 at Jacksonville: 4-3 SOW The Solar Bears trailed after two periods but goals from Tyler Bird and Jerry D’Amigo put Orlando ahead briefly before the Icemen tied the score. Dylan Sadowy scored the shootout-winner in his Solar Bears debut and Garret Sparks made 32 saves in regulation and overtime and made all three stops in the shootout to get the win. 

Saturday, Jan. 16 vs. Florida: 6-3 L The Solar Bears scored a season-high two power-play goals but also yielded two on the penalty kill. Florida’s John McCarron tallied four points (2g-2a), as Orlando also faced a season-high 47 shots on goal and Michael Lackey made 41 saves in the loss. 

Sunday, Jan. 17 vs. Florida: 4-3 OTL Orlando increased its power-play goal output with a new season-high of three, as the team responded each time Florida took a lead in regulation. Orlando outshot Florida 21-9 in the second period. Alan Lyszcarczyk scored his second of the weekend with under two minutes left in the contest to tie the game and force overtime, but McCarron netted the game-winner for the Everblades in the extra frame. Sparks made 31 saves in the loss. 

BEARS IN THE NHL: 

The 2020-21 NHL season opened up last week, with several former Solar Bears on NHL rosters or taxi squads – here we will track their progress this season: 

*Indicates on taxi squad 

BITES: 

• Drake Berehowsky coached his 350th career game with Orlando this past Saturday; Berehowsky enters this week with a lifetime record of 166-147-38 (.527) for Orlando, and has also guided the team to its only two postseason series victories 
• Chris LeBlanc needs only one more point for 100 in his career with the Solar Bears (37g-62a) – he has played 184 career games with Orlando, the most among any forward in team history; his next two goals will give him 39 in his Solar Bears career to move past Brett Findlay for third on the team’s career goals list 
• Garret Sparks played made his 50th career appearance with Orlando on Sunday, becoming just the second goaltender in team history to reach 50 games behind only Ryan Massa (78); his win on Friday also gives him sole possession of second on the team’s career wins list, trailing only Massa (41) 
• Orlando went 5-of-12 (41.67%) on the power play in the two games against Florida, who entered last week as the top-ranked penalty-killing team in the ECHL
• Mark Auk has continued to produce since he was claimed off waivers from Rapid City two weeks ago; the defenseman has six assists in his first five games with Orlando, and his 11 total assists is second among all ECHL players 
• Dylan Sadowy has four points (2g-2a) in his first three games with Orlando 
• Orlando is 3-0-0-0 when scoring first, and 4-0-0-0 when leading after two periods 
• Alexander Kuqali, Tristin Langan, Aaron Luchuk and Patrick McNally are the only players to have played in every single game for Orlando this season 

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