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ECHL Orlando Solar Bears

Orlando Erases Three Goal Deficit in Shootout Loss

January 11, 2014 - ECHL (ECHL)
Orlando Solar Bears News Release


Duluth, GA - The Solar Bears trailed 3-1 after the first period and 5-3 heading into the third but battled back to earn a point in a 6-5 shootout loss to the Gwinnett Gladiators at the Arena at Gwinnett Center on Saturday night. With time ticking down in the third period, D Eric Baier collected a loose puck and wristed it past G Brad Phillips to force extra time, completing the three goal comeback for the Solar Bears.

The first period of the game proved to be a mirror image of yesterday's contest. The Gladiators jumped out to the 1-0 lead 9:29 into the period when F Kurtis Bartliff [image: Eric Baier] took a pass on the left side and rifled a shot into the top right corner to put Gwinnett ahead 1-0. The Gladiators increased their lead to 2-0 when F Josh Currie picked up a pass from F Brett Lyon and fired a wrister from the slot and into the back of the net 1:09 later. After a timeout was called by Head Coach Vince Williams, Orlando came right back when F Michael Catenacci fed a pass to F Zach Harrison who tipped the puck into the top right corner 21 seconds after the Gladiators goal. Another quick strike put Gwinnett back up by two as F Max Legault deflected a shot from D Rob Kwiet over the shoulder of G Michael Gibson for a power play goal at 12:03. The Gladiators took the 3-1 lead into the second frame.

Gwinnett quickly increased their lead to 4-1 when Kwiet converted a 3-on-2 rush for a top shelf goal 1:39 into the middle period. Harrison knocked in his second goal of the game right as a Solar Bears power play expired when he powered the puck along the goal line and slid a shot past G Brad Phillips to bring the score to 4-2. F Marshall Everson restored the Gladiators three goal advantage when he took a pass from F Joey Haddad and put the puck just under the crossbar at 9:29. Following the goal, G Ross MacKinnon took over for Gibson between the pipes. The Solar Bears pulled back to within two in the final five minutes of the second stanza as F Andrew Johnston raced up the ice and snapped a shot on goal. Catenacci poked the rebound over the line and Orlando trailed 5-3 heading to the third.

At 7:13 of the third period, the Solar Bears cut their deficit to 5-4. Defenseman Blake Kessel fed a pass to F Mickey Lang in the high slot and Lang blasted a shot under the crossbar. With time winding down in the third, a pass from F Kory Nagy bounced off the skates of F Mike Ullrich and Eric Baier tied the game at 5-5 with a shot from the blue line with 4:59 to go in regulation. After a scoreless overtime period, Kwiet scored the lone goal of the shootout to propel the Gladiators to a 6-5 win over the Solar Bears.

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ECHL Stories from January 11, 2014


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