ORLANDO, FLA – After suffering a power outage on offense in southwest Florida on Friday, the Newfoundland Growlers headed north to Orlando on Saturday to face the home standing Solar Bears. Unfortunately for the visitors from the north, they were not able to jump start their scoring as the Solar Bears scored four unanswered goals to take a 5-1 victory at the Amway Center.
Justin Brazeau scored the lone Growlers goal on a first period power play and goalie Angus Redmond made 20 saves in the loss.
Driven by the emotions from its large Hockey Fights Cancer night crowd, Orlando took and early lead when team captain Chris LeBlanc fired a wrist shot past Redmond for his 13th goal of the year at the 5:05 mark.
Newfoundland (37-17-0-1) responded a little under seven minutes later thanks to a man advantage opportunity. The Growlers controlled the faceoff and in the blink of an eye, Brazeau redirected a pass from Zach O’Brien past Solar Bears goalie Clint Windsor for his 21st of the season to even the score.
The Solar Bears (26-25-5-1) took control of the contest in the second period, scoring twice in a span of 2:10 to go back in front. The first came when Taylor Cammarata tipped in a shot by Trevor Olson for his 14th at 14:07. Then at 16:17, Cammarata and Olson drew the helpers on defenseman Michael Brodzinski’s 8th goal to push Orlando’s lead to 3-1.
Orlando put the game away in the final frame, again going quick strike for two more tallies. Johno May netted his 17th of the season on a power play with just under four minutes remaining before Danny Hanlon collected his first professional goal off the rebound of a shot by Dylan Fitze 79 seconds later to close the book on the scoring.
Newfoundland finished the game going 1-for-6 on the power play while Orlando went 1-for-3 with the man advantage.
The Growlers will complete their Florida swing with a Sunday afternoon contest against the Jacksonville Icemen. Puck drop is set for 4:30 p.m. Newfoundland time (3 p.m. Eastern time).
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