ORLANDO, Fla. — Behind a season-high 47 shots on goal, the Orlando Solar Bears (21-17-3-1) ended the week with a 4-2 victory over the Florida Everblades (31-11-0-2) on Saturday night at the AdventHealth Rink at Amway Center.
After a first period ended with neither team finding the back of the net, the Solar Bears mustered a season-high 24 shots on goal in the middle frame, but it was the Everblades who struck first with a power-play goal from Colby Sissons 1:15 into the period.
Fabrizio Ricci answered with his first of the season at 7:28, and then Aaron Luchuk gave Orlando its first lead of the night when his shot from the right circle was blocked by Cody Sol but rebounded to Luchuk, who put home his 13th of the season for a power-play tally at 14:02.
Levko Koper evened the score with a shot off the rush at 16:23, but the Solar Bears continued to battle in the third period, as Chris LeBlanc’s blocked shot rebounded out to Orlando’s captain who fired a second attempt past Jake Hildebrand for his seventh of the season and the eventual game-winner.
Tristin Langan added an empty-net goal at 17:54 to seal the game for Orlando.
Windsor went 26-for-28 for the victory; Hildebrand took the loss with a 43-for-46 effort.
THREE STARS:
1) Chris LeBlanc - ORL2) Anthony Repaci - ORL3) Nolan Valleau - ORL
NOTABLES:
- Orlando improved to 7-11-2-1 against Florida this season with the win
- Both teams went 1-for-4 with the man advantage
- LeBlanc finished the night with a goal and an assist, giving him 113 career points (41g-72a) with Orlando to move him ahead of Eric Baier (111) and Jacob Cepis (112) and into a tie with Denver Manderson for second place on the team’s all-time scoring list; LeBlanc’s goal was also his sixth career game-winner with the Solar Bears, tying him with Manderson and T.J. Foster for fourth in club history
NEXT GAME:
The Solar Bears host the Greenville Swamp Rabbits at the AdventHealth Rink at Amway Center on Tuesday, April 6 at 7 p.m.
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