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Solar Bears close in on playoff spot as calendar changes

Published on December 31, 2012 under ECHL (ECHL) News Release


The Orlando Solar Bears closed out the 2012 portion of their schedule on a three-game winning streak, closing to within a game of the .500 mark at 14-15-4, and with 32 points are just two points out of the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.

Orlando defeated Florida in a pair of meetings at Amway Center last week. In the first match-up of the week on Thursday, Dan Gendur and Scott Tanski scored second-period goals, and the Solar Bears withstood a Florida surge in the third period to hold on for a 2-1 win. John Curry picked up the win, turning aside 28 Florida shots, including saves on 12 of 13 offerings in the final 20 minutes.

On Friday, the Solar Bears matched their offensive high for the season with eight goals in an 8-4 win against the Everblades. Gendur led the way offensively with four goals, while Ryan Reaves (2g), C.J. Severyn (1g-1a), Derick Martin (2a) and Mathew Sisca (2a) each added two points. Orlando's penalty kill unit came up big in the win, not only killing off four of Florida's five power-play chances, but also scoring three times while shorthanded, much to the delight of the 8,608 fans in attendance.

Nick Petersen (12g-14a) and Sisca (8g-18a) share the team lead with 26 points each, while Michael Wilson is tied for second among ECHL defensemen with 19 assists and is tied for sixth among blue-liners with 21 points.

Orlando's attendance has been strong in its expansion season. The Solar Bears rank third in the ECHL with an average of 6,528 per game, and the club has welcomed at least 6,800 fans six times through 15 games.

The Solar Bears open a six-game road trip, and a stretch of nine out of 12 on the road, this week with games at Evansville on Friday, Toledo on Saturday and Fort Wayne on Sunday.

Please note that due to New Year's Day, the ECHL Player and Goaltender of the Week awards will be announced on Wednesday, Jan. 2.

This week in ECHL history

As part of the ECHL's 25th anniversary, each week the League will take a look back at important moments in ECHL history.

Jan. 1, 2005 - Gwinnett's Cam Brown becomes the ECHL's all-time leader in games played when he played in his 679th career game at Augusta.

Divisions

Atlantic Division

- Andrew Rowe has three straight multi-point games (3g-3a).

- The Jackals are 5-1-0 when scoring two or more power play goals.

- Elmira is at Wheeling on Monday, hosts Reading on Friday, visits the Royals on Saturday and hosts Trenton on Sunday.

- Yannick Tifu has a team-leading 10 mulit-point games this season.

- Reading is 10-1-2 in its last 13 road games.

- The Royals visit Elmira on Friday and host the Jackals on Saturday and Wheeling on Sunday.

- Jacob Drewiske is fourth among rookies with a 24.0 percent shooting percentage (6-for-24).

- The Titans are 11-2-3 when scoring first.

- Trenton is at Wheeling on Friday and Saturday and at Elmira on Sunday.

- Luke Pither has scored both overtime goals for the Nailers this season, and has three game winning goals since joining the team.

- Wheeling has scored at least one power-play goal in 12 of its last 13 games.

- The Nailers host Elmira on Monday and Trenton on Friday and Saturday before visiting Reading on Sunday.

North Division

- Mathieu Aubin scored his 100th career goal with the Cyclones on Saturday at Evansville.

- The Cyclones are the league's third-least penalized team with 13.90 penalty minutes per game.

- Cincinnati is at Kalamazoo on Monday and Fort Wayne on Friday, hosts the Komets on Saturday and is at Evansville on Sunday.

- Nathan Moon has nine points (5g-4a) in his last six games.

- Evansville is fifth on the penalty kill on the road at 85.1 percent (63-for-74).

- The IceMen host Gwinnett on Monday and Orlando on Friday, travel to Kalamazoo on Saturday and host Cincinnati on Sunday.

- Brandon Marino had six assists in three games last week.

- The Komets are 14-1-0 when scoring three or more goals.

- Fort Wayne hosts Toledo on Monday, Gwinnett on Wednesday, Cincinnati on Friday, is at Cincinnati on Saturday and hosts Orlando on Sunday.

- Sam Ftorek is one point shy of 600 in his professional career.

- Kalamazoo has played 24 of its first 30 games against North Division opponents.

- The K-Wings host Cincinnati on Monday, Toledo on Friday and Evansville on Saturday before visiting Toledo on Sunday.

- Andrej Nestrasil has two goals and 11 assists during his 10-game point streak.

- The Walleye have outshot their opponents in 13 of the last 14 games.

- Toledo is at Fort Wayne on Monday and Kalamazoo on Friday and hosts Orlando on Saturday and Kalamazoo on Sunday.

South Division

- Bobby Raymond is fourth among defensemen with eight goals.

- The Everblades are sixth with 3.53 goals per game.

- Florida is at Greenville on Friday, Gwinnett on Saturday and South Carolina on Sunday.

- Steven Delisle leads the league in plus-minus at +20.

- Greenville leads the Eastern Conference with 118 goals.

- The Road Warriors host Florida on Friday and South Carolina on Saturday.

- Evan Bloodoff had a career high four points (1g-3a) against South Carolina on Thursday.

- The Gladiators have allowed multiple power-play goals just three times through 33 games.

- Gwinnett is at Evansville on Monday and Fort Wayne on Wednesday before hosting South Carolina on Friday and Florida on Saturday.

- John Curry is tied for fourth with 12 wins.

- The Solar Bears are 10-2-0 when scoring first.

- Orlando travels to Evansville on Friday, Toledo on Saturday and Fort Wayne on Sunday.

- Hunter Bishop leads the Stingrays with 15 goals.

- South Carolina is 12-0-1 when leading after two periods.

- The Stingrays are at Gwinnett on Friday and Greenville on Saturday and host Florida on Sunday.

Mountain Division

- Mark Guggenberger is tied for the league lead with three shutouts and is second with 14 wins

- The Aces have outscored their opposition 29-11 during their current seven-game winning streak.

- Alaska hosts Colorado on Monday and travels to Stockton on Friday and Ontario on Saturday and Sunday.

- Ray Kaunisto is tied for the league lead with three shorthanded assists.

- Colorado is third with 3.63 goals per game.

- The Eagles are at Alaska on Monday, San Francisco on Wednesday and Friday and Stockton on Saturday.

- Josh Robinson is tied for second with a .917 save percentage.

- The Steelheads are 11-4-3 against Pacific Division opponents.

- Idaho is at Bakersfield on Wednesday and hosts the Condors on Friday and Saturday.

- Mitch Wahl is fifth in the league with 27 assists.

- Utah is 6-0-1 when leading after one period.

- The Grizzlies host Stockton on Monday and Wednesday and are at Ontario on Friday and Las Vegas on Saturday and Sunday.

Pacific Division

- Scott Greenham leads the league with four shootout wins.

- The Condors are 6-0-1 when leading after two periods.

- Bakersfield hosts Idaho on Wednesday and visits the Steelheads on Friday and Saturday.

- Adam Hughesman is fifth among rookies with 80 shots on goal.

- Las Vegas is 9-5-4 in one-goal games.

- The Wranglers host Ontario on Tuesday and Wednesday and Utah on Saturday and Sunday.

- Jean-Francois Berube is tied for sixth with a 2.40 goals-against average.

- The Reign are 16-1-2 when scoring first.

- Ontario is at Las Vegas on Tuesday and Wednesday and hosts Utah on Friday and Alaska on Saturday and Sunday.

- Dean Ouellet is tied for first among rookies with 16 goals.

- San Francisco is second on the power play on the road at 22.9 percent (19-for-83).

- The Bulls host Colorado on Wednesday and Friday.

- Justin Maylan is second among rookies with 29 points (12g-17a).

- The Thunder are 10-0-2 when leading after one period.

- Stockton is at Utah on Monday and Wednesday and hosts Alaska on Friday and Colorado on Saturday.

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ECHL Stories from December 31, 2012


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