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ECHL Orlando Solar Bears

Solar Bears Throttle Swamp Rabbits, 5-1

December 13, 2019 - ECHL (ECHL)
Orlando Solar Bears News Release


GREENVILLE, S.C. - Michael Brodzinski and Chris LeBlanc recorded their first three-point games of the season and Johno May dished out two assists in his debut with his new team as the Orlando Solar Bears (9-10-4-1) hammered the Greenville Swamp Rabbits (12-12-0-1) by a 5-1 score on Friday night at Bon Secours Wellness Arena.

The Solar Bears drew the first lead of the game when Kevin Lohan knocked the puck behind the net from the slot, allowing Trevor Olson to scoop it up and stuff it past Callum Booth on a wrap-around at the left post at 16:45 of the first period for his fifth goal of the season.

The Swamp Rabbits answered when Jacob Pritchard sped up the left side of the ice and roofed a shot over the shoulder of Zachary Fucale at 19:49 to even the score at 1-1.

The Solar Bears pulled ahead in the second period when May intercepted a pass in the neutral zone and carried the puck into the Greenville zone on a 2-on-1 with Jimmy Lodge. May's initial shot was stopped by the pads of Booth, but the rebound popped out to Lodge who fired the puck into an open net for his second of the season at 8:26.

Orlando rode a three-goal surge in the final frame to close out the scoring, as Brodzinski continued the scoring binge with his second of the season following a face-off win from LeBlanc back to May, who found Brodzinski for a wrist shot that beat Booth at 3:44.

Brodzinski then lobbed a rainbow pass out of the defensive zone ahead to Mikhail Shalagin, who raced down the loose puck at the Greenville blue line and flipped the puck behind Booth at 11:59 for his fourth of the season.

After Greenville's Nathan Perkovich and Travis Howe were ejected from the game at 13:43 and Matt Marcinew was sent off for tripping at 16:46, the Solar Bears capitalized on the two-man advantage. LeBlanc finished a tic-tac-toe play with Brodzinski and Hunter Fejes to bury his sixth of the season past an out-of-position Booth at 17:02.

Fucale earned his fifth win of the season with 28 saves on 29 shots against; Booth took the loss with 29 stops on 34 shots against.

THREE STARS:

1) Michael Brodzinski - ORL

2) Johno May - ORL

3) Zachary Fucale - ORL

NOTABLES:

The win, along with Atlanta's loss tonight to Jacksonville, pushes Orlando back into fourth place in the South Division. The Solar Bears sit two points behind Greenville for third with one game in hand

LeBlanc (1g-2a tonight) is now tied with Tristin Langan for the team lead in goals with six; the third-year pro also has six points (2g-4a) over his last six games

Fejes' assist on LeBlanc's goal in his return from his try-out with the Manitoba Moose extends his point streak with the Solar Bears to four games (2g-3a) dating back to Nov. 14 vs. Florida

Brodzinski now has eight points (1g-7a) over his last six games

May recorded his two assists in his first game with Orlando after he was acquired earlier in the day from Greenville in exchange for Mike Monfredo and future considerations

Orlando went 1-for-4 on the power play and 4-for-4 on the penalty kill

NEXT GAME:

The Solar Bears continue their road trip when they visit the Jacksonville Icemen at VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena on Saturday, Dec. 14 at 7 p.m. The Solar Bears return home to face the Kansas City Mavericks for the first time since the 2016-17 season on Wednesday, Dec. 18 at 7 p.m. for a Wine Down Wednesday; fans can take advantage of $5 wine specials during the game.

Check out the Orlando Solar Bears Statistics

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