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ECHL Orlando Solar Bears

Solar Bears Come up Just Short in 3-2 Loss to Gwinnett

March 17, 2013 - ECHL (ECHL)
Orlando Solar Bears News Release


Duluth, GA - The Solar Bears came back to tie the game at 1-1 and again at 2-2, but were unable to take the lead and eventually fell to the Gladiators 3-2 at the Arena at Gwinnett Center on Sunday afternoon.

The Gladiators got on the board first with a late first period power play. After the puck was dumped into the Orlando end, the Gladiators forced a turnover and gave F Andy Brandt a chance to collect the loose puck. Brandt fired a shot into the top left corner of the net at 18:04 to put Gwinnett ahead 1-0. The Solar Bears answered 29 seconds later, when F Michael Neal bounced a pass off the left wall, springing F Nick McParland on a 2-on-1 rush. McParland raced in along the left side and beat G Mark Visentin to tie the contest at 1-1, which is where it stood at the end of the period.

After neither side was able to score in the middle frame, the Gladiators snapped the 1-1 tie in the third. F Doug Jones stickhandled into the slot and slid a shot past G Patrick Killeen to give Gwinnett the 2-1 lead. McParland struck back for Orlando at 5:39, when he potted his second goal of the night on a pass from F Brett Hartung to even the score at 2-2. The tie game did not last long, as Brandt scored his second goal of the game when he banged home a rebound 2:06 later to put Gwinnett up 3-2. Orlando continued to pressure towards the end of the game, but came up just short as Gwinnett held on for the 3-2 victory.

Three Stars: 1. A. Brandt (GWT); 2. D. Jones (GWT); 3. N. McParland (ORL)

Power Plays: ORL: 0/2; GWT: 1/3

Shots: ORL: 28; GWT: 27

Notes:

F Scott Tanski missed his second straight game, and is questionable for Wednesday's matchup against Greenville... F Nick McParland made his Solar Bears debut tonight and scored two goals for Orlando... The Solar Bears had two players score their first professional goals this weekend, as F Ryan Berard tallied his first on Thursday and McParland scored his first two goals today. They join F Justin Levac, D Edward Levens, D Josh Caron, F Derrick Burnett, and D Sean Lorenz as Solar Bears who have score their first career goals this season... Orlando played their final game of the year against Gwinnett, and nine of the 12 games between the two squads were decided by a single goal.

McParland Joins Solar Bears:

The Orlando Solar Bears announced today that they have agreed to terms with F Nick McParland.

McParland (6'1", 201 lbs.) joins the Solar Bears after a four-year career at Lake Superior State University (NCAA). In 142 games with LSSU, McParland notched 48 goals and 74 assists for 122 points. His best statistical season came last year (2011-12), where as a junior is scored 14 goals and added on 13 assists for 27 points in 39 games. That season, the Screiber, Ontario, native led Lake Superior State in goals and finished second in points. McParland made his Orlando Solar Bears debut this afternoon against the Gladiators.

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