DULUTH, GA – In its first 22 games of the 2015-2016 season, the Orlando Solar Bears went to either overtime or a shootout on seven occasions, tying the team with Toledo for most games going beyond regulation. Saturday night at the Infinite Energy Arena, the Solar Bears added to that total but only came away with one point to show for their effort.
Former Solar Bear Tyler Murovich exacted a bit of payback on his former team, scoring 1:15 into overtime to give his Atlanta Gladiators (13-8-1-0, 27 points) a 2-1 victory over Orlando (10-8-2-3, 25 points). It was the Gladiators second straight win over their South division rival and third in four meetings so far this season.
Murovich took advantage of a misplay by the Solar Bears in their defensive end, taking the puck and firing a hard shot over the blocker glove of Orlando goalie Ryan Massa. Massa, who was playing in his third game in as many nights, fended off 37 of the 39 shots the Gladiators fired on him to give the Solar Bears a chance to win.
The Gladiators jumped on the scoreboard 6:41 into the opening period. Murovich carried the puck through the neutral zone into the Orlando defensive end. He drove below the goal line before backhanding a pass to the top of the crease where teammate Daniel Bahntge was left wide open to jam the puck past Massa for his fourth goal of the season.
Orlando, which had been controlling play until the Bahntge score, relied on Massa to survive the wave of momentum that Atlanta gained with the goal. Thanks to the work of their netminder and a shot off the crossbar, the Solar Bears were able to weather the storm.
The Solar Bears found an answer when Brady Vail carried the puck into the Gladiators end and whipped a shot from the circle to the right of Atlanta goalie Kent Patterson. The shot went past Patterson into the net and came back out so quickly that the game officials did not see it. After a discussion with the goal judge, the shot was ruled to be Vail’s ninth goal of the season and the score tied at one.
The second period was all Gladiators as they took advantage of two power plays to pile twelve shots on Massa. The Solar Bears rookie netminder stayed calm and cool, making several huge saves including a set in rapid succession with first his catching glove denying Max Everson and then his blocker turning away an attempt by Derek Nesbitt.
While Massa was busy, Patterson had a quiet middle frame as he faced just five Orlando shots. He stopped them all and with Massa doing the same at the other end, the teams headed to the second intermission even at 1-1.
Defenseman Brad Richard helped out Massa early in the third, sweeping a loose puck out of the Orlando crease area to prevent what could have been the go-ahead score. It was the only time Massa needed any help as he once again stood on his head to keep the Gladiators off the board. With the bulk of the pressure at the other end, Patterson – another former Solar Bear – had his second straight relatively easy frame as Orlando put six shots on the Atlanta net.
The host Gladiators came out in overtime looking to end the game quickly. Massa was tested twice in the first minute of the extra period, the first time by Brock Higgs and then moments later by Everson, but made both stops to keep the game going. Not too long later, the forechecking pressure applied on Orlando’s Jack Rodewald by Patrick D’Amico forced a bad pass into the slot where Murovich was waiting to pounce and exact his own version of karma on his former team with his sixth goal of the season.
Patterson finished the game with 19 saves to pick up his second straight win over the Solar Bears. Neither team’s power play was effective as Orlando went 0-for-1 while Atlanta finished 0-for-4.
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