Crunch Assign Four to Solar Bears Camp
November 30, 2020 - ECHL (ECHL) - Orlando Solar Bears News Release
ORLANDO, Fla. - The Orlando Solar Bears have announced the club has received four players from the pipeline of its NHL affiliate, the 2020 Stanley Cup champion Tampa Bay Lightning, prior to the opening of Orlando's ninth ECHL training camp this morning, as the Syracuse Crunch of the American Hockey League has loaned goaltender Clint Windsor, forwards Peter Abbandonato and Nikita Pavlychev and defenseman Devante Stephens to the Solar Bears.
Windsor, 27, returns to Orlando where he has posted a 19-14-3 record in 38 appearances over the past two seasons, along with four shutouts, a 2.46 goals-against average and a .926 save percentage. The netminder was signed to a two-year AHL contract for the remainder of the 2019-20 and 2020-21 seasons on March 26. Prior to turning pro, Windsor played university hockey for Brock University, and major junior hockey in the OHL for the Ottawa 67's, Mississauga Steelheads, Saginaw Spirit and Barrie Colts.
Abbandonato, 22, returns to Orlando after splitting his rookie season with the Solar Bears and the Crunch, posting totals of 25 points (9g-16a) and 10 penalty minutes in 42 combined games. Abbandonato was signed by Syracuse to a two-year AHL contract on June 20, 2019. Prior to turning pro, the Laval, Quebec native played major junior hockey for the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies in the QMJHL, where he captured two QMJHL titles (2016, 2019) and the Memorial Cup (2019). As an overage player in 2018-19, Abbandonato led the league in scoring with 111 points, received the Frank J. Selke Trophy as the league's most sportsmanlike player and was named to the QMJHL First All-Star Team.
Pavlychev, 23, enters his first professional season after concluding a four-year career at Penn State University, where he recorded 70 points (36g-34a) and 183 penalty minutes in 137 games during his tenure with the Nittany Lions. The 6-foot-7, 225-pound center was signed to a one-year AHL contract on August 18. Pavlychev played his junior hockey in the USHL for the Des Moines Buccaneers. The Yaroslavl, Russia native was originally a seventh-round selection (#197 overall) by the Pittsburgh Penguins in the 2015 NHL Draft.
Stephens, 23, enters his fourth season of professional hockey after splitting last year between Syracuse and the Cincinnati Cyclones following a trade to the Lightning from the Buffalo Sabres. The 6-foot-2, 190-pound blueliner has played in 45 career AHL games with Syracuse and Rochester, recording six assists and 24 penalty minutes. He has also appeared in 105 career ECHL games with Cincinnati, accumulating 34 points (8g-26a) and 94 penalty minutes. Stephens was signed by the Crunch to a one-year AHL contract on Nov. 23. Prior to turning pro, the native of White Rock, British Columbia played three seasons of major junior hockey with the Kelowna Rockets of the WHL, helping Kelowna capture the Ed Chynoweth Cup as WHL champions in 2014-15. Stephens was originally a fifth-round selection (#122 overall) of the Buffalo Sabres in the 2015 NHL Draft.
Orlando Solar Bears 2020 Training Camp Roster (as of Nov. 30, 2020):
Forwards
Abbandonato, Peter [SYR]
Alvaro, Matt [R]
Bird, Tyler
Cammarata, Taylor
Coughler, Jake
Crawford, Isaiah [R-TO]
Gilmour, Alexander [R]
Hope, Kylar [R]
Johnson, Stephen [R]
Kozun, Tad
Langan, Tristin
LeBlanc, Chris
Luchuk, Aaron
May, Johno
Pavlychev, Nikita [R-SYR]
Piotrowski, J.M. [R-TO]
Rockwood, Adam
Skinner, Ethan [R-TO]
Defensemen
Boyd, Rich
Kuqali, Alexander
Lohan, Kevin
McInnis, Luke [R]
McNally, Patrick
Meyer, Paul [R]
Panico, Tommy
Stephens, Devante [SYR]
Goaltenders
Lackey, Michael [R]
Windsor, Clint [SYR]
Key:
[R] = Rookie
[V] = Veteran
[TO] = Tryout
[SYR] = Syracuse Crunch contract
The Solar Bears open the 2020-21 season, presented by XYMOPrint, on the road against the Florida Everblades on Saturday, Dec. 12 at 7 p.m. Orlando's first home game of the 2020-21 season will be played at the AdventHealth Rink at Amway Center on Tuesday, Dec. 29 at 7 p.m.
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