ORLANDO, FLA – With less than three minutes remaining in regulation on Saturday night, the Norfolk Admirals looked like they were about to defeat the Orlando Solar Bears for the fourth time in six meetings this season.
Then the roof caved in and the Admirals had victory snatched away from them.
Orlando defenseman Michael Brodzinski scored two power play goals in the final minute, setting the stage for Solar Bears forward Taylor Cammarata to net the overtime winner as the host team collected a stunning 5-4 victory in overtime at the Amway Center. Sebastian Vidmar had a goal and an assist while goalie Jake Theut made 47 saves to lead Norfolk.
Orlando came through the first period with a 2-1 lead thanks to a pair of goals by rookie Jake Coughler. He opened the scoring at the 1:11 mark with his 11th of the season by poking in a loose puck in the crease and closed the frame with his 12th on a pretty cut-in and shot from the faceoff circle. In between, Vidmar took a stretch pass and buried a shot past Solar Bears starting goali Mike Condon for his 6th of the year.
The Admirals flexed their muscles in the middle stanza and potted three to take a 4-2 lead. Johnny Coughlin scored his 9th of the season at the 7:24 mark to even the score. Then J.C. Campagna, a former Solar Bears, cashed in on an Orlando turnover for his 10th at 11:24 and River Rymsha tallied his 6th on a pretty tic-tac-toe passing play at 15:18 to give his team a two goal cushion heading to the third period.
Theut, who gave up four goals to the Solar Bears Friday night, faced a barrage of shots from the home team in the final twenty minutes. Orlando put a grand total of 24 shots on the Norfolk netminder in the frame and Theut appeared to be about to exact revenge on his opponent.
With Orlando facing a late penalty kill, things looked good for the Admirals until a pair of penalties left Norfolk down two men, three when the Solar Bears pulled goalie Clint Windsor, who had replaced Condon after the visitors’ fourth tally back in the second period.
The six-on-three advantage worked when Brodzinski fired a shot through a screen that found the back of the net at the 19:12 mark to pull the home team within one. Then just 24 seconds later and again with Windsor out to create a six-on-four power play, Brodzinski caromed the disc off a Norfolk skate for his 6th of the season and a tie score.
In the extra period, Solar Bears defenseman Cody Donaghey made the key play. He dug the puck out of the corner and curled up the boards. From there he fed Cammarata who threaded a shot past Theut for the game-winner and his 12th of the year and 6th as a Solar Bear.
The Admirals are now off until Saturday, February 22nd when they visit the Florida Everblades for a 7 p.m. puck drop.
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