GWINNETT, GA – So far this season, the Orlando Solar Bears have done a good job staying within range of their opponents, allowing them to have a shot at earning points in all but one game. Thursday night, they finally found an opponent they couldn’t come back on.
Sparked by a three-goal third period, the host Gwinnett Gladiators took over first place in the ECHL South Division with a resounding 4-1 win over the Solar Bears at the Arena at Gwinnett Center. Kyle Lawson and Evan Bloodoff each picked up a goal and an assist against their new divisional rivals in support of goalie Mike Lee, who backed up his Reebok Hockey Goaltender of the Week award from last week with a 27-save effort.
Facing each other for the first time and with the top spot up for grabs, the offenses started off looking like it was going to be a bad night for the netminders. Just 2:23 into the contest, Lawson let go with a drive from the point that somehow eluded traffic in from of the Orlando net. Solar Bears goalie Mike Brodeur, making his second start of the season, never saw the puck until it was behind him and Gwinnett had the lead.
It didn’t take long for the visitors to answer and it was their big scorer who tied the score. Following a diving clear by defenseman Sean Lorenz, Scott Tanski and Nick Petersen broke out on an odd-man rush. Tanski made a pass and Petersen, who was named Reebok Hockey Player of the Month for October, roofed a shot over Lee to knot the scoreboard at 1-1 at the 3:25 mark. Neither team found the back of the net over the final sixteen minutes of the period as both Brodeur and Lee settled down after the two quick tallies.
The middle stanza featured the goalies. Brodeur and Lee were each perfect handling shots in the second, Brodeur stopping three while Lee fended off eight.
Still tied after forty minutes, the Gladiators took control of the game in the early stages of the third period. Bloodoff scored what turned out to be the game-winning goal 2:51 into the stanza, using another screen of players to beat Brodeur with a wrist shot. Less than four minutes later, traffic in front of the Orlando net proved to be their undoing. A shot from Dallas Jackson at the point caromed off of Tyler Murovich and onto the stick of Chris Clackson. Brodeur had gone down to block the original shot and couldn’t recover quick enough to stop Clackson’s follow-up that gave Gwinnett a commanding 3-1 lead.
The Solar Bears, hoping for a repeat of their stirring comeback against Florida in the franchise’s first game, pressed the Gladiators end hoping to get a goal that would light a fire. Lee was having none of that, holding Orlando at bay. Doug Jones, who was named ECHL Rookie of the Month for October, drove the dagger into the Solar Bears hopes with a goal at the 12:35 mark to complete the scoring.
Orlando (4-2-1-1) now trails Gwinnett (5-3-1-0) by one point in the standings. The Solar Bears will have a chance to catch and pass the Gladiators Friday night when they travel to Greenville to face the Road Warriors (4-3-0-0) who trail them by two points.
Contact the author at don.money@prohockeynews.com
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