Solar Bears sweep weekend set with Everblades in 5-2 win

ORLANDO, Fla. — Tristin Langan scored twice to lead the way as the Orlando Solar Bears (16-10-3-0) earned their third consecutive victory of the week over the Florida Everblades (21-8-0-2) in a 5-2 win on Sunday afternoon at the AdventHealth Rink at Amway Center.

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The Everblades scored on their first shot of the game when Evan Neugold wristed the puck past Clint Windsor just 2:31 into the contest, but the Solar Bears responded with a pair of power-play goals to take the 2-1 lead.

Tristin Langan tied the score with his seventh of the season at 14:50 when he received a pass at the right circle and fired it past Evan Buitenhuis.

Jerry D’Amigo then gave Orlando its first lead of the afternoon with his sixth of the season at 17:52 when Aaron Luchuk prevented the puck from exiting the offensive zone and slid it ahead to D’Amigo, who beat Buitenhuis to the blocker side.

Tad Kozun deflected Nolan Valleau’s shot at 8:10 of the third period for his first of the season to give Orlando some breather room, and Langan added his second of the day at 9:17 to extend the lead to 4-1.

Colby Sissons drew Florida back to within two goals at 14:02 with a shot through traffic that beat Windsor, but Jake Coughler capped the day with his team-leading 14th of the season at 18:43 via an empty-net tally.

Windsor picked up the win, his seventh of the season with a 42-for-44 effort; Hildebrand took the loss going 29-of-32.

THREE STARS:1) Tristin Langan - ORL2) Clint Windsor - ORL3) Tad Kozun - ORL 

NOTABLES:

• Orlando is riding a 5-0-1-0 streak, its best stretch without a regulation loss this season
• This is the first time that the Solar Bears have won three in a row against the Everblades in a single season since a three-game stretch from Jan. 26-March 4, 2014
• Luchuk finished the afternoon two assists to extend his point streak to 11 games (5g-10a); Luchuk is now first in Eastern Conference scoring with 28 points (8g-20a) in 29 games
• Mark Auk’s assist on D’Amigo’s goal extended the defenseman’s point streak to six games (1g-7a); he is second in scoring among all ECHL defensemen with 23 points (3g-20a) in 27 combined games with Orlando and Rapid City
• Orlando is 16-1-1-0 when scoring three or more goals and 12-0-0-0 when leading after the second period
• The Solar Bears improved to 6-8-2-0 in the regular season series with Florida

NEXT GAME:

The Solar Bears return to action when they host the South Carolina Stingrays at the AdventHealth Rink at Amway Center on Tuesday, March 9 at 7 p.m.