Solar Bears secure point to extend streak in 3-2 shootout loss to 'Blades

ESTERO, Fla. — Aaron Luchuk scored twice, but the Orlando Solar Bears (17-10-3-1) left Hertz Arena on Saturday night with only one point following a 3-2 shootout loss to the Florida Everblades (24-8-0-2); Orlando’s unbeaten in regulation streak remains active at eight games (6-0-1-1).

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Luchuk hammered his ninth of the season past Jake Hildebrand at 14:09 of the first period after Mark Auk’s shot from the point rebounded off the end boards to Luchuk.

Michael Huntebrinker equalized for the Everblades with a power-play goal at 17:45.

Luchuk put Orlando ahead 2-1 at 3:22 of the second period, following a face-off win in the offensive zone where linemates Jake Coughler and Tristin Langan each collected assists.

The Everblades answered with another power-play goal from John McCarron at 15:01 of the third period to tie the score.

Florida then secured the extra point in the the shootout when Huntebrinker and Myles Powell scored in the second and third rounds, respectively.

Clint Windsor took the shootout loss with a 33-for-35 effort; Hildebrand went 38-for-40 for Florida in the win.

THREE STARS:1) Michael Huntebrinker - FLA2) Aaron Luchuk - ORL3) Jake Hildebrand - FLA 

NOTABLES:

• Orlando is 6-8-2-1 against Florida in the 2020-21 campaign; the remaining 10 games in the regular season series will be played in Orlando
• The Solar Bears saw its streak without surrendering a power-play goal come to an end at 12 games from Feb. 13 at Greenville until March 9 vs. South Carolina; Orlando killed 42 penalties in that stretch
• Langan assisted on both of Luchuk’s goals, extending his point streak to four games (4g-4a)
• Windsor is riding a personal six-game unbeaten in regulation streak (5-0-1) with a 1.31 goals-against average and a .958 save percentage in that span
• Orlando is still unbeaten in regulation when leading after two periods at 13-0-0-1
• Orlando is 16-1-1-0 when scoring three or more goals and 12-0-0-0 when leading after the second period  

NEXT GAME:

The Solar Bears are back home when they host the Florida Everblades at the AdventHealth Rink at Amway Center on Tuesday, March 16 at 7 p.m.