Game Preview: Solar Bears vs. Stingrays | Jan. 10, 2022

ORLANDO, Fla. – The Orlando Solar Bears (16-12-1-0) open up the 2022 portion of their home schedule when they host the South Carolina Stingrays (10-17-3-0) for the second time this season tonight at 7 p.m. at the AdventHealth Rink at Amway Center. The Solar Bears are coming off an eight-day stretch without games after picking up three straight wins, a 5-4 OT comeback win over South Carolina on New Year’s Eve. The Stingrays have dropped 12 of their last 13, picking up points against Orlando and the following day against Jacksonville with a 1-0 win over the Icemen.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:

• The Solar Bears lead the eight-game regular season series with a 2-1-0-0 record.
• Brad Barone will make his fourth consecutive start for the Solar Bears tonight; in his last three outings he has gone 3-0-0 with a .920 save percentage.
• Hunter Fejes has seven points (5g-2a) in his last three games and took home Inglasco/ECHL Player of the Week honors for Dec. 27.
• Tyler Bird is expected to make his return to the lineup tonight after missing the last 16 games with an upper-body injury sustained on Nov. 23 at Atlanta. The forward was off to a hot start at the time of his injury with nine points (6g-3a) in his first eight games of the season. Bird is tied with Luke Boka and Michael Brodzinski for the team lead in scoring against South Carolina with four points (3g-1a) in two games.
• Justin Florek leads South Carolina against Orlando with four points (3g-1a) in three games.

NEXT GAME: The Solar Bears host the Wheeling Nailers for Hockey is for Everyone Night on Friday, Jan. 14 at 7 p.m. at the AdventHealth Rink at Amway Center.