Bears Bites - Week of Dec. 5

ORLANDO, Fla. – The Orlando Solar Bears are on the road this week for back-to-back games against the Atlanta Gladiators on Friday, December 9 and Saturday, December 10.

THIS WEEK’S GAMES:Friday, December 9 at Atlanta Gladiators at 7:00 p.m. Saturday, December 10 at Atlanta Gladiators at 7:00 p.m.

AT A GLANCESEASON RECORD: 6-8-4-1 (.447) LAST WEEK’S RECORD: 1-0-2-0 RECORD IN LAST 10 GAMES: 3-3-3-1 EASTERN CONFERENCE STANDINGS: 12th of 14 

ACTIVE LEADERS: TOP SCORER: Joe Carroll – 14 points MOST GOALS: Joe Carroll – 8 goals MOST ASSISTS: Tristan Langan – 11 assists PIM LEADER: Ross Olsson – 43 PIM PLUS-MINUS LEADER: Multiple – +2 

LAST WEEK’S GAMES: Thursday, December 1 vs. Kalamazoo: 4-3 OTL The Solar Bears never led against Kalamazoo on Thursday night, but battled back three separate times to tie the game. Joe Carroll, Mathieu Foget, and Shawn Szydlowski scored in the game for the Solar Bears. Rookie Daniel D'Amico scored his first two professional goals, including the game-winning goal, to give the K-Wings the victory.

Friday, December 2 at Savannah: 4-0 W A dominating road performance was capped off by a 28-save shutout by Jack LaFontaine to give Orlando their second road victory of the season. Mathieu Foget scored twice, while Ross Olsson added a goal and an assist. Orlando's penalty kill was a perfect six-for-six.

Saturday, December 3 at Jacksonville: 3-2 OTL The Solar Bears were unable to hang on to a late, one-goal lead in the third period, falling by a 3-2 score in overtime. After Derek Lodermeier opened the scoring, Tyler Bird knotted it up and Andrew Sturtz put the Solar Bears in the lead in the second period. Lodermeier tied the game with the Jacksonville net empty. Jacob Panetta score the game-winning goal in overtime. LaFontaine was solid again in goal, making 33 saves in the overtime loss.

The ECHL announced the following changes to the 2022-23 schedule. Atlanta at Orlando, which was postponed on Thursday, November 10 due to Hurricane Nicole, will now be played on Sunday, January 29, 2023 at 3:00 p.m. ET. inside AdventHealth Rink at Amway Center. 

Tickets for the originally scheduled game on Nov. 10, 2022 will be honored on January 29, 2023. 

For ticket information, please contact the Orlando Solar Bears at clientservices@orlandosolarbearshockey.com OR for TicketMaster Buyers: please contact TicketMaster directly at (800) 653-8000.

BITES:

• The Solar Bears have earned at least one point in five consecutive games (2-0-3-0), which is the longest streak of the 2022-23 season, and the longest such streak for the club since Dec. 29, 2021 - Jan. 10, 2022 (4-0-1-0)
• Mathieu Foget had his five-game point streak snapped on Saturday night in Jacksonville, the longest scoring streak for a Solar Bears player this season. (3-4-7)
• Joe Carroll is one of nine rookie players leading their team in scoring (as of 12/5) (Crone - ALN, Ierullo - GRN, McCarty - KAL, Joyaux - NFL, Bertuzzi - NOR, Carroll - ORL, Newton - REA, Guay - SAV, Hughes - SC)
• Jack LaFontaine ranks fifth among ECHL goaltenders in saves (332).
• The Solar Bears are 6-1-1-1 (.777 winning percentage) when scoring first this season.
• Orlando has the second most Major penalties called this season (12). Only Florida, Indy, and Iowa have more. (13)
• The Solar Bears have evenly distributed their goals scored this season between the three regulation periods, scoring 17 times in the first, second, and third periods.

BEARS IN THE NHL:Several former Solar Bears currently occupy spots on NHL rosters for the 2022-23 season – here we will track their progress:

• Connor Ingram - Goaltender - Arizona Coyotes - 7 GP, 1-5-1, .882%
• Darcy Kuemper - Goaltender - Washington Capitals - 20 GP, 8-9-2, .916%
• Mason Marchment - Forward - Dallas Stars - 25 GP, 8g-7a
• Spencer Martin - Goaltender - Vancouver Canucks - 11 GP, 7-2-1, .901%
• Ryan Reaves - Forward - Minnesota Wild - 5 GP, 0g-3a