Game Preview: Solar Bears vs. Florida Everblades | March 24, 2022

Thursday, March 24th

ORLANDO, Fla. – The Orlando Solar Bears (29-27-4-0 / .517) open a three-game homestand against the Florida Everblades (34-17-5-4 / .642) tonight at 7 p.m at the AdventHealth Rink at Amway Center. Orlando is coming off a 3-2 loss to the Everblades on Saturday as the club closed out a four-game road trip. The Solar Bears find themselves in need of a win to earn enough points to jump ahead of Greenville back into fourth place after the Swamp Rabbits earned a 2-1 win last night vs. Trois-Rivières.

THIRSTY THURSDAY: Tonight’s game features $5 domestic draft beers.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW:

The Solar Bears and Everblades have played each other 13 times this season out of a 15-game regular season series; Orlando owns a 5-8-0-0 record against Florida.
Goaltender Alexei Melnichuk is expected to start for the Solar Bears tonight, after the netminder was acquired in a trade by the Tampa Bay Lightning on Monday and reassigned to Orlando. Melnichuk appeared in three NHL games last season with the San Jose Sharks.
Odeen Tufto leads the Solar Bears in scoring against Florida with nine points (4g-5a) in seven games.
Brian Bowen and Matt Barry are both expected to make their Solar Bears debuts tonight; Bowen was acquired on Monday in a trade with the Utah Grizzlies, while Barry signed with Orlando after completing his collegiate career at Miami University (Ohio).
The Solar Bears are 16-7-4-0 in games decided by one goal this season.
Orlando is 12-4-2-0 when scoring a goal in the first period on home ice.
Florida’s John McCarron is tied for fifth in the ECHL with 27 goals.

NEXT GAME: The Solar Bears host the Greenville Swamp Rabbits on Friday, March 25 at 7 p.m. at the AdventHealth Rink at Amway Center for Teacher Appreciation Night, presented by First Watch and Deaf/Hard of Hearing Night.