ECHL Orlando Solar Bears

Game Preview: Solar Bears vs. Kalamazoo Wings - March 1

March 1, 2014 - ECHL (ECHL)
Orlando Solar Bears News Release


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

(33-16-1-2, 69pts, 2nd, Eastern Conference) vs.

Kalamazoo Wings (St. Louis Blues/Vancouver Canucks)

(30-18-2-3, 65pts, 4th, Eastern Conference)

Where: Amway Center - Orlando, FL

When: 7:00 p.m.

Listen Live: iHeartSolarBears.com, 740thegame.com, iheart.com/live/601/ - Pregame starts at 6:45 p.m.

Watch Live: America One

Follow: Game Updates on Twitter at @OSBHockeyGU

Social Media: Follow on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram

Matchup:

Orlando and Kalamazoo return to action tonight for their second game in as many games against one another. The Solar Bears took the victory in the opening contest of the three game set. D Blake Kessel started the scoring when he finished off a nice tic-tac-toe passing play to put the Solar Bears ahead 1-0 less than three minutes into the game. After Kalamazoo answered with a goal off a deflection in front of the net, Orlando regained the lead before the break on a rush from D Bryce Aneloski to take a 2-1 advantage into the second. F Michael Catenacci notched the lone goal in the middle stanza, and forward C.J. Severyn struck for Orlando 29 seconds into the third period to push the Solar Bears out to a 4-1 lead. C Justin Taylor answered back for the Wings at 1:50 of the third, followed by a goal from RW Chris Lawrence with 7:01 to play to cut the lead to 4-3. The Wings made a late push with the goaltender pulled but could not find a way to get the puck past G Cody Reichard as Orlando skated away with the 4-3 victory. The win pushed their Solar Bears winning streak to 11 consecutive games.

First Responders Weekend Continues Tonight:

The Solar Bears continue First Responders Weekend tonight with the Game Worn First Responders Jersey Auction and chance for auction winners to take pictures with their player. Tonight's game also features a Solar Bears Key Chain Giveaway to the first 3,000 fans in attendance, courtesy of Auto Justice Attorney, Michael T. Gibson, P.A. The 2nd Annual Guns N' Hoses/Police vs. Fire Charity Hockey Game will take place at 3:30 p.m. this afternoon. If you have a ticket for the Solar Bears game you can use that ticket for complimentary admission to the Guns N' Hoses game.

Solar Bears Notes:

F Taylor Matson was named the Sher-Wood Hockey ECHL Player of the Week after he collected seven points on three goals and four assists in three games last week. It is the second straight week a Solar Bear has won the award as F Mickey Lang won the honor last week. Matson will be recognized prior to tonight's game... The Orlando Solar Bears have won 11 straight games for their longest winning streak in club history. It is the longest winning streak in the ECHL this season... G Cody Reichard has won nine straight starts for the longest winning streak by a Solar Bears goaltender dating back to last season... F Mickey Lang leads the ECHL with 31 goals and nine power play goals and is sixth in the league with 53 points... F Taylor Matson is third among rookies with a 23.2 shooting percentage and fifth among rookies with a +15 rating... D Bryce Aneloski is fourth among rookies with a +17 rating... D Blake Kessel is third among defensemen with 32 points... The Solar Bears are fifth in the league on the penalty kill at 85.9% (170-for-198)... D Blake Kessel leads the team with 24 assists... F Ian Slater, D Eric Baier, and F J.T. Barnett remain on the 21-day injured reserve... G John Curry was recalled the NHL with Minnesota Wild on Thursday... F Mike Ullrich, F Josh Caron, and D Colton Jobke remain in the AHL with the Iowa Wild... G Garret Sparks and F Mike Duco remain in the AHL with the Toronto Marlies... F Trevor Gillies remains in the AHL with Abbotsford Heat... G Tyler Beskorowany remains in the AHL with St. John's IceCaps.

Wings Notes:

D Sam Ftorek is tied for second in the league with eight power play goals. He leads all defensemen with 28 assists and 39 points and is tied for second among defensemen with 11 goals... D Elgin Reid is tied for second among defensemen with 26 assists... F Justin Taylor is tied for third in the league with three shorthanded goals... G Jordan Binnington is tied for fourth in the league with a .922 save percentage, eighth with a 2.35 GAA, and fifth with 18 wins... F Matt Caria is second among rookies with 18 goals and tied for sixth among rookies with 39 points... D Sam Ftorek leads Kalamazoo with 28 assists... F Matt Caria leads Kalamazoo with 18 goals... Caria and Ftorek are tied for the team lead with 39 points... Kalamazoo is 8th on the power play at 16.9% (35-for-207) and 8th on the penalty kill at 85.1% (200-for-235).

Check out the Orlando Solar Bears Statistics



ECHL Stories from March 1, 2014


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