Game Preview: Solar Bears at Everblades
February 5, 2020 - ECHL (ECHL)
Orlando Solar Bears News Release
WHO: Orlando Solar Bears at Florida Everblades
VENUE: Hertz Arena, Estero, Fla.
DATE: Wednesday, Feb. 5 at 7:30 p.m.
WATCH: ECHL.TV
LISTEN: OSB Radio via Facebook, Mixlr, TuneIn and Lightning Power Play
TONIGHT: The Orlando Solar Bears (20-18-5-1) conclude a four-game road trip back in the Sunshine State with their seventh meeting of the season with the Florida Everblades (30-11-2-2). Orlando is 1-3-1-1 in six prior meetings with Florida this season; including tonight's game, the Solar Bears play the Everblades eight times down the stretch, the largest percentage of Orlando's remaining game schedule. This is Orlando's first game against Florida since Nov. 14.
REVAMPED ROSTER: The Solar Bears' roster is significantly altered from when the team previously faced its division rival in November. Gone are Taylor Doherty, Hunter Fejes, Colby McAuley and Mike Monfredo; in their place are Tayler Thompson, Blake Kessel, Johno May and Taylor Cammarata, who have appeared in a combined 76 games and accounted for 35 points.
KESSEL ON CUSP OF 100TH GAME WITH ORLANDO: Blake Kessel's next game will be his 100th with the Solar Bears organization, where he has also enjoyed the longest tenure in his professional career. The veteran blueliner will become just the seventh defenseman in team history to reach the century mark for games with Orlando, and his 43 career assists with the Solar Bears rank third among in team history, behind only Eric Baier (78) and Michael Brodzinski (53).
SHOT DIFFERENTIAL SUBSTANTIALLY IMPROVED: In the first quarter of the season, Orlando averaged only 30.22 shots per game, while facing an average of 36 shots against, with a record of 5-9-3-1 (.389). In the third quarter of the season, Orlando is averaging 33.5 shots per game, while facing an average of 29 shots against, and has gone 5-3-0-0 (.625) in that span.
SOSUNOV BACK IN: Oleg Sosunov is expected to make his return to the lineup for Orlando tonight after missing the last eight games and being placed on the injured reserve retroactive to Jan. 18. The second-year pro appeared in five games for Orlando in the month of January, recording an assist and a plus-minus of +3.
SCOUTING THE OPPONENT: The Everblades enter Wednesday's game on an 8-0-0-0 tear, most recently coming off a 5-2 win at South Carolina on Saturday night. Everblades captain John McCarron leads his team in scoring against Orlando with seven points (2g-5a) in six games. Florida will be missing a key piece of its blue line after defenseman Logan Roe signed a PTO with the Syracuse Crunch earlier this week. The ECHL All-Star defenseman recently led the league in plus-minus in January with a +13 for the month.
NEXT GAMES: The Solar Bears return home to host the South Carolina Stingrays on Thursday, Feb. 6 at 7 p.m. for a Thirsty Thursday, presented by Coors Light, featuring $5 domestic draft beers.
Purchase tickets for Thursday, Feb. 6 vs. South Carolina Stingrays
Purchase Single-Game Tickets:
Single-game tickets for all Solar Bears home games are now on sale at the Amway Center box office and Ticketmaster. CLICK HERE to download the calendar for the 2019-20 season.
Order New Jerseys:
The Orlando Solar Bears will wear new jerseys for the 2019-20 season. An extremely limited quantity of replica jerseys are available for purchase online, with adult sizes available for $149.95 and youth sizes available for $109.95. Fans can visit bit.ly/OSBJerseys to place their order today.
ECHL Stories from February 5, 2020
- Preview: 'Blades, Solar Bears Renew Rivalry on Wednesday - Florida Everblades
- 'Blades Extend Point Streak to Nine in OT Loss to Solar Bears - Florida Everblades
- Thunder Begins Week with Loss to Utah - Wichita Thunder
- K-Wings Fend off Mavs in Return Home - Kalamazoo Wings
- Mavs Drop Mid-Week Contest in Kalamazoo, 3-2 - Kansas City Mavericks
- Quenneville Returns from the AHL - Rapid City Rush
- Desharnais Returns to Wichita - Wichita Thunder
- ECHL Transactions - February 5 - ECHL
- Tim McGauley Named January Player of the Month - Utah Grizzlies
- Utah's McGauley Named Warrior Hockey ECHL Player of the Month - ECHL
- Saulnier Earns Howies Hockey Tape ECHL Rookie of the Month Honors - Rapid City Rush
- Rapid City's Saulnier Named Howies Hockey Tape/ECHL Rookie of the Month - ECHL
- "Red Out" for Jayden DeLuca Foundation Jersey Auction This Weekend - Idaho Steelheads
- ECHL Announces Fines, Suspensions - ECHL
- Game Preview: Solar Bears at Everblades - Orlando Solar Bears
- Johansson Makes NHL Debut with Buffalo Sabres - Cincinnati Cyclones
- Lightning Reassign Mike Condon to Solar Bears - Orlando Solar Bears
- Ustimenko Named Warrior Hockey Goaltender of the Month - Reading Royals
- Reading's Ustimenko Named Warrior Hockey/ECHL Goaltender of the Month - ECHL
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