ESTERO, FLA – It would be safe to say that the Orlando Solar Bears were looking forward to Friday night’s end to the team’s season-long seven game road trip. Even at 5-1 in the first six contests, the Solar Bears were confident that they could do better and win just one more game.
There was just one problem: the Florida Everblades wanted the win just a bit more.
Brendan O’Donnell and Maxime St. Cyr had a goal and an assist each and goalie Anthony Peters stopped all but one shot as the Everblades (29-11-0-1, 59 points) dominated the Solar Bears (17-16-2-3, 39 points) 4-1 at the Germain Arena. The win was Florida’s sixth in eight meetings against its in-state rival as the two battle for “The Sunshine Cup”.
As impressive as the Solar Bears had been for most of the trip, Friday’s game was far from comforting as several of the young team’s early season woes haunted it. Lack of offense, turnovers, mental lapses and a defense that allowed nearly 50 shots on net all played a part in the loss.
With both teams well rested after a four day break, the 6,015 fans who attended the contest expected an up-tempo, high octane battle. What transpired was a game that was even for twenty minutes before the Everblades took over the final two periods with three unanswered goals and a 39-13 shot advantage.
Facing each other for the third time in five meetings, Orlando goalie Rob Madore and Florida’s Peters hoped to put on a show for the fans but the Everblades got to Madore on their first recorded shot. It came 3:06 into the contest when after playing give and go with Ryan Martindale, rookie Matt Willows buried a shot past Madore for his 15th goal of the season.
Peters had more early luck keeping the visitors off the board, snuffing out Oelando’s first four shots. His luck ran out at the 7:47 mark of the opening frame when Brady Vail drove deep into the Florida end and threaded a pass to the slot where Jack Rodewald went five hole for his sixth of the year.
The two squads battled fairly evenly after that, finishing the frame tied and within two shots of each other as Orlando had eleven shots to Florida’s nine. Little did the Solar Bears know that it would be as close as they would get the rest of the night.
The Everblades came out for the second period with one thought in mind: taking control of the contest. Madore had his hands full as Florida unleashed its offense and quickly began piling up shots on net. Orlando’s netminder made several stunning saves including holding the post with his skate on a wraparound chance by Corey Cowick and his glove on Gabriel Desjardines.
Peters was not as busy at the opposite end of the ice but he was just as spectacular. On two separate occasions, the Everblades goalie had to face Orlando rookie sniper T.J. Foster on clean break-ins and each time the goalie won the battle.
Florida took the lead for good with 4:17 left in the middle stanza. Another burst of Everblades pressure led to a shot by Corey Syvret that Madore stopped but the rebound got away. Standing right outside the crease, O’Donnell was able to slide the puck under the diving goalie and across the line for his second tally of the season.
Not too long after the goal, the visitors thought they had evened the score when Mark Louis’ drive hit the glass behind the goal and popped back in front where Rodewald batted it in. Referee Ryan Murphy immediately waved it off, saying that Rodewald had hit the puck with his stick above the crossbar. Orlando disputed the call but Murphy’s ruling stood.
Holding the lead and a 31-15 shot advantage heading into the final twenty minutes, the Everblades looked for the kill shot early. They thought they had it but referee Murphy waved off an apparent score when he determined that the puck went in when the net lifted off the ice, allowing the puck to slide under the side of the cage.
Unfazed by the disallowed score, Florida continued to press and put the game away with two goals in a span of four minutes midway through the frame. The first came when Kevin Lynch forced a turnover by Madore behind the net. Lynch quickly got control and made a pass to Brant Harris who popped it into the open net for his 14th of the year. Later, a defensive zone turnover forced by O’Donnell led to an open shot by St. Cyr who went high to the blocker side for his fifth and the final nail in Orlando’s coffin.
Madore was the lone bright spot for the Solar Bears, recording 45 saves in the contest while Peters made 23 saves to earn the victory. Neither team was awarded a power play in the game.
Orlando will now play a stretch of 14 out of the next 15 games at home beginning Wednesday as the Manchester Monarchs visit the Amway Center.
Contact the author at Don.money@prohockeynews.com
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