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ECHL Orlando Solar Bears

Game Preview: Solar Bears vs. Admirals

October 18, 2019 - ECHL (ECHL)
Orlando Solar Bears News Release


WHO: Orlando Solar Bears vs. Norfolk Admirals

VENUE: Jewett Orthopaedic Rink at Amway Center, Orlando, Fla.

DATE: Friday, Oct. 18 at 7 p.m.

WATCH: ECHL.TV

LISTEN: OSB Radio via Facebook, Mixlr and TuneIn

Purchase tickets for tonight's game

TONIGHT: The Orlando Solar Bears (0-1-0-0) seek their first victory of the 2019-20 season against the Norfolk Admirals (0-2-0-0). The Solar Bears play the Admirals a total of eight times this season, with five matches taking place in Orlando.

HEAD-TO-HEAD: Since the Admirals joined the ECHL during the 2015-16 season, the Solar Bears have posted an 11-6-2-2 record against the club. Last season, each team earned three wins against each other through six total games. Trevor Olson led the Solar Bears in scoring against Norfolk in 2018-19 with six points (3g-3a) in five matches.

SAWCHENKO EXPECTED TO START: Goaltender Zach Sawchenko is expected to make his regular season pro debut for the Solar Bears tonight. The goalie got into two periods of action with Orlando during the preseason over the course of two games, stopping 15 of 16 shots (.938 save percentage) in 40 minutes of action. The rookie netminder is coming off a two-year career at the University of Alberta, in which he led the Golden Bears program to back-to-back national championship game appearances and posted a career 28-4-1 record with five shutouts, a goals-against average of 1.79 and save percentage of .919.

FAST START WILL HELP: In both games that Norfolk has played this season, the Admirals found themselves trailing after the first period. Last season, the Solar Bears excelled at putting the opposition on its heels in the game's opening 20 minutes, as Orlando owned an impressive 26-4-2-0 record when scoring first, and a 20-1-2-0 record when leading after the first period.

RETURN OF FEJES KEEPS OFFENSE HOPEFUL: With Wednesday's signing of Hunter Fejes, the Solar Bears gain a potent offensive weapon. The Solar Bears have posted a lifetime 21-9-1-0 (.694) record in games in which Fejes gets on the scoresheet. Fejes has two points (1g-1a) in two career games for the Solar Bears against Norfolk. His goal against the Admirals on Feb. 25, 2018 was also a game-winner for Orlando.

SCOUTING THE OPPONENT: The Admirals underwent some major changes in the offseason, as the team was sold to former Hampton Roads Admirals player Patrick Cavanagh, and the club announced the hiring of former Hampton Roads star and ECHL Hall of Famer Rod Taylor as the new head coach. Norfolk is also the lone independent club without an NHL affiliate this season, after previously holding affiliations with Arizona, Nashville and Edmonton. The Admirals have two former Solar Bears player on their roster, as forward J.C. Campagna (2017-18) was acquired from the Fort Wayne Komets in late August, and defenseman Austin McEneny was dealt by the Solar Bears to the Allen Americans in the preseason before he was then acquired by Norfolk.

NEXT HOME GAME:

The Solar Bears host the Florida Everblades for the first time in the 2019-20 season on Friday, Oct. 25 at the Jewett Orthopaedic Rink at Amway Center. CLICK HERE for tickets to this game.

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.

Check out the Orlando Solar Bears Statistics



ECHL Stories from October 18, 2019


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

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