Solar Bears Use Three Power Play Goals to Earn Point in 4-3 Shootout Loss
January 30, 2013 - ECHL (ECHL)
Orlando Solar Bears News Release
Orlando, FL - The Solar Bears struck for two goals in the third period, but surrendered a goal with 1.1 seconds left in regulation to eventually fall 4-3 in a shootout to the Greenville Road Warriors at the Amway Center on Wednesday night.
The Solar Bears used their home ice to get out to a 1-0 lead in the first period. D Derick Martin moved a pass across the ice to D Alain Goulet with F Michael Neal camped out in front of the net. Neal deflected Goulet's shot past G Scott Stajcer to collect a power play goal at 11:51 of the frame. It was the only goal scored in the opening period, with the Solar Bears holding a 12-10 edge in shots on goal.
Greenville came storming back in the second frame, starting when D Lee Baldwin tied the game at 13:52. Baldwin pulled a puck off the left wall and fired a shot towards G Patrick Killeen. The Solar Bears goaltender made the save, but the rebound bounced off a defenseman and rolled into the net to make the score 1-1. Less than three minutes later, at 16:32, the Solar Bears turned a puck over in the defensive zone and F Brandon Wong made them pay, wristing a shot into the left corner of the net to give Greenville a 2-1 lead heading into the third period.
Neal put home his second goal of the contest 2:39 into the final stanza. A shot from Goutlet at the blue line went wide, but Neal pulled the puck off the boards and knocked it past Stajcer to even the contest at 2-2 with a second power play marker. C Ryan Cruthers then gave the Solar Bears the lead, scoring their third power play goal of the contest when he redirected a shot past Stajcer at 6:35 as Orlando gained a 3-2 lead. Greenville knotted it up with just 1.1 seconds remaining when F Brendan Connolly found F Marc-Olivier Vallerand all alone in front of the net to force extra time with a 3-3 score. A scoreless sudden death period led to a shootout, where F Jordie Johnston snapped a 1-1 tie in the fifth round to lead the Road Warriors to a 4-3 shootout win.
Three Stars: 1. B. Connolly (GRN); 2. M. Neal (ORL); 3. A. Goulet (ORL)
Power Plays: ORL: 3/9; GRN: 0/8
Shots: ORL: 30; GRN: 40
Notes:
The Solar Bears have scored a power play goal in four straight games... C Ryan Cruthers returned from his suspension tonight, scoring a third period goal and extending his goal-streak to five games... The Solar Bears matched their season high for power play goals in a game with three tonight. They scored three goals against the Greenville Road Warriors on Oct. 28 as well... F Michael Neal is on a three game scoring streak with four goals during that span... The Solar Bears are now 6-0-0-1 in their last seven home games.
Get Tickets:
Orlando and Greenville meet up again at 7:00 p.m. at the Amway Center on Friday night. Good seats are still available. Visit www.OrlandoSolarBearsHockey.com.
The Orlando Solar Bears, the ECHL affiliate of the NHL's Minnesota Wild and AHL's Houston Aeros, play all of their home games at the 2012 Street and Smith's Sports Business Journal Sports Facility of the Year, the Amway Center.
Individual tickets for all regular season home games are on sale beginning as low as $15. To purchase your tickets, please visit www.OrlandoSolarBearsHockey.com or the Amway Center Box Office.
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