ECHL Orlando Solar Bears

Game Preview: Solar Bears vs. Gwinnett Gladiators - February 14

Published on February 14, 2014 under ECHL (ECHL)
Orlando Solar Bears News Release


Who: Orlando Solar Bears (Minnesota Wild/Toronto Maple Leafs)

(26-16-1-2, 55pts, t-3rd, Eastern Conference) vs.

Gwinnett Gladiators (Phoenix Coyotes)

(18-26-12, 39pts, 12th, Eastern Conference)

Where: Amway Center - Orlando, FL

When: 7:30 p.m.

Listen Live: iHeartSolarBears.com, 740thegame.com, iheart.com/live/601/ - Pregame starts at 7:15 p.m.

Watch Live: America One

Follow: Game Updates on Twitter at @OSBHockeyGU

Social Media: Follow on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

Matchup:

The Solar Bears continue their five game home stand, as they host the Gwinnett Gladiators tonight. The Solar Bears have won each of their first three games of the five game set, taking down the Gladiators 3-1 on Thursday, February 6, and then defeating the South Carolina Stingrays 5-2 on Tuesday and 2-1 last night. In yesterday's game, Orlando and South Carolina played a scoreless opening period before the Stingrays got on the board 2:14 into the middle frame. Orlando answered right back, as F Mickey Lang scored his fifth goal in two games with a wrist shot from the top of the left circle to even the score at 1-1. The two teams remained tied late in the third period, but with 1:30 remaining D Blake Kessel corralled the puck and snapped a shot off the crossbar and into the net to give the Solar Bears the 2-1 win. The Gladiators are coming off a two game set with the Florida Everblades that saw Gwinnett take a 6-5 OT victory on Saturday before falling 3-0 to Florida on Sunday. Florida got one goal in each period of that contest and limited the Gladiators 21 shots to earn the shutout win. The Solar Bears are 6-2-0-2 against Gwinnett this season, including a 4-0-0-0 record against the Gladiators on home ice.

Solar Bears Notes:

Orlando is 8-0-1 in their last nine home games, tying their longest unbeaten-in-regulation streak on home ice... The Solar Bears have outscored their opponents 53-36 in the first period... F Mickey Lang is on a five game point streak (7 goals, 3 assists), has scored five goals in his last two games, and leads the ECHL with 27 goals this season... D Blake Kessel is on a five game point streak (2 goals, 4 assists) and is tied for sixth among ECHL defensemen with 26 points... Tonight's game marks just the third time this season the Solar Bears have played at home on a Friday night... The Solar Bears are fourth in the league on the penalty kill at 87.1% (149-for-171)... F Mickey Lang leads the Solar Bears with 27 goals and 43 points... D Blake Kessel leads the team with 20 assists... F Mike Ullrich, F Josh Caron, and G John Curry remain in the AHL with the Iowa Wild... G Garret Sparks, F Kory Nagy, and F Mike Duco remain in the AHL with the Toronto Marlies... F Trevor Gillies remains in the AHL with Abbotsford Heat.

Faith and Family Weekend Continues:

The Solar Bears are continuing Faith and Family Weekend tonight at 7:30 p.m. and tomorrow (Saturday) at 7:00 p.m. Both games will have live musical performances, with Good Luck Penny tonight, and C7 tomorrow. Also on Saturday, the first 3,000 fans in attendance will receive a Shades Bobblehead, courtesy of Walgreens. The Solar Bears and the Christian Service Center are holding a food drive prior to the game tonight and tomorrow, and fans are encouraged to donate a non-perishable food item as they enter the building. To get tickets, visit www.OrlandoSolarBearsHockey.com/faith

Marcel Dionne, Mike Ramsey, and Dave Christian to play in BE GREAT! Classic:

Orlando, FL - The Orlando Solar Bears announced yesterday that Hall of Fame forward Marcel Dionne and 1980 Gold Medal Winning Olympians Mike Ramsey and Dave Christian will play in the annual "BE GREAT! Classic for Kids" on Saturday, March 29, at the Amway Center. Dionne is fifth All-Time in the NHL with 1,771 points and was inducted into the NHL Hall of Fame in 1992. Both Ramsey and Christian helped the United States Men's Hockey Team capture a Gold Medal at the 1980 Olympics held in Lake Placid, New York - "The Miracle on Ice". Local hockey players will have the opportunity to purchase a roster spot to skate alongside Dionne, Ramsey and Christian and the net proceeds will benefit the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Florida. For more information, call the Solar Bears at 407-951-8200.

Solar Bears on Local 6:

The Orlando Solar Bears return to the Local 6-WKMG airwaves on Saturday, February 15, as they battle the Gwinnett Gladiators at 7:00 p.m. The broadcast team remains unchanged, with Solar Bears play-by-play announcer Bob Mills and Local 6 Sports Director Dave Pingalore in the booth. Sam Piotrowski continues with rink side reports and interviews during the game. Local 6 sports anchor Jamie Seh will host special intermission segments during the contest.

Orlando will air a third game on Local 6 at a date still to be determined.

Beskorowany, Yuen Head to AHL:

The Orlando Solar Bears announced today that G Tyler Beskorowany was loaned to the St. John's IceCaps and D Zachary Yuen was recalled by the Toronto Maple Leafs to the Toronto Marlies.

Beskorowany has started the last two games for the Solar Bears, winning both contests while stopping 47 of the 50 shots he faced for a .940 save percentage and collecting a 1.50 GAA. Beskorowany has played in 51 games in his AHL career, all for the Texas Stars, going 17-27-1 with a .899 save percentage and 3.10 GAA.

Yuen has skated in each of the last two games for the Solar Bears, earning two assists in Tuesday's 5-2 win over South Carolina. In 33 games for the Solar Bears this season, the Vancouver, BC, native has collected one goal and nine assists.

Gladiators Notes:

F Marshall Everson is third in the ECHL with a 24.5% shooting percentage (12 goals on 49 shots)... D Rob Kwiet is tied for 13th among defensemen with 22 points... F Maxime Legault leads the Gladiators against the Solar Bears with nine points (4 goals, 5 assists) in 10 games... The Gladiators are 13-0-0 when leading after two periods... The Gladiators are 4-5-1 in their last 10 games... F Evan Bloodoff leads the Gladiators with 15 goals and 25 points... D Rob Kwiet leads the Gladiators with 17 assists... Gwinnett is 17th on the power play at 13.9% (25-for-180) and 5th on the penalty kill at 86.4% (153-for-177).

Check out the Orlando Solar Bears Statistics

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