Solar Bears fall 4-1 to Admirals

ORLANDO, Fla. – Tye Felhaber scored for the second straight game and the Orlando Solar Bears (31-29-6-1) outshot the Norfolk Admirals (26-36-2-3) 41-23, but Dylan Wells made 40 saves and Ryan Valentini tallied two goals and two assists to send the Solar Bears to a 4-1 loss on Wednesday night at the AdventHealth Rink at Amway Center.

Felhaber scored midway through the first period to tie the game at 1-1, but Valentini scored his second of the period to send the game to a 2-1 score by the intermission.

Goaltender Alexei Melnichuk was replaced by Brad Barone early in the second period after conceding a goal to Daniel Brickley, who added an empty-net tally in the third period.

As a result of the loss, Orlando (.5149, four games remaining) falls back to fifth place behind Greenville (.5153, seven games remaining) in the South Division, with a Magic Number of 11 points (combined points earned by Orlando and/or lost by Greenville) needed to qualify for the 2022 Kelly Cup Playoffs.

BOX SCORE

1st PeriodNOR Goal: Ryan Valentini (16) at 5:47. Assisted by Cody Milan and Alex Tonge.ORL Goal: Tye Felhaber (6) at 9:29. Assisted by Odeen Tufto and Cole Moberg.NOR Goal: Ryan Valentini (17) at 15:10. Assisted by Cody Milan and Blake Murray.SHOTS: ORL 11, NOR 10

2nd PeriodNOR Goal: Daniel Brickley (5) at 1:31. Assisted by Alex Tonge and Ryan Valentini.SHOTS: ORL 13, NOR 8

3rd PeriodNOR Goal: Daniel Brickley (6) [EN] at 16:14. Assisted by Alex Tonge and Ryan Valentini.SHOTS: ORL 17, FLA 5

GoaltendingORL: Alexei Melnichuk [L], 9-for-12; Brad Barone, 10-for-10NOR: Dylan Wells, 40-for-41

NEXT GAMES: The Solar Bears return to action when they host the Norfolk Admirals on Thursday, April 7, at 7 p.m. at the AdventHealth Rink at Amway Center for 407 Night and Thirsty Thursday, featuring $5 domestic draft beers.