DULUTH, GA – Generally when hockey games are played before the holiday season hits, teams are still finding their styles so they can be high-scoring affairs. In those games, one can feel for the goalies who spend their nights under siege. Then again, you might see the occasional defensive battle more suited for playoff time.
Tuesday night at the Gas South Arena, an announced crowd of 2,307 were treated to one of those goalie battles.
Luke Boka scored 39 seconds into overtime – the lone goal of the game – and Brad Barone outdueled Tyler Parks as the Orlando Solar Bears (7-5-1-0) downed the Atlanta Gladiators (6-4-1-0) 1-0. The victory allowed the Solar Bears to leapfrog Norfolk into second place in the ECHL’s South division.
Barone, who has been nothing short of outstanding of late, stopped all 32 shots he faced to earn his fourth win of the season and first shutout in a Solar Bears uniform. With the shutout, Barone’s save percentage improved to .941, the fourth best in the entire league.
Boka’s game-winning tally in the three-on-three extra period was facilitated by defenseman Michael Brodzinski. Leaving a Gladiators opponent in his wake, Brodzinski took the puck from his own end into the Atlanta end joined by Aaron Luchuk on the near boards and Boka on his right. Brodzinski backed the defense in while Boka cut behind him, giving the option of a drop pass into a wide open high slot. Boka took the feed, took a couple more strides and ripped a shot past Parks’ catching glove for his third goal of his rookie season.
Up until that point, the game was a back and forth battle. Both goalies were plenty busy in the opening frame with a combined total of 31 shots between the two teams being recorded. Atlanta had the slight advantage with 17 shots on Barone while Orlando put 14 on Parks in the first.
As the scoreless period of time went into the second period, tempers began to flare. The first session came 6:13 in when Orlando’s Montana Onyebuchi and Atlanta’s Malcolm Hayes tangled with each other, earning both double minors for roughing. Then at the 11:42 mark, Solar Bears defenseman Chad Duchesne and Gladiators forward Luke Nogard dropped the gloves for a spirited battle.
Nogard drew an extra minor for cross-checking, giving the visitors a power play. It was during that penalty kill that Barone made two of his best saves. The Gladiators Cody Sylvester got loose for a short-handed breakaway that Barone denied by doing the splits and flashing his left leg out to make the save. Barone’s leg then made a second stop instantly after when Michael Pelech tried to jam the rebound in.
Parks made his best stop of regulation late in the third period. The Solar Bears Cole Moberg was open on the back side when a pass found him. Moberg quickly fired but Parks got across to make the save, keeping the game scoreless and eventually forcing overtime.
Orlando is off until Thanksgiving morning when it hosts Norfolk in the first of a four-game series. Game time is set for 11 a.m.
Notes: Final shots were 32-27 in favor of Atlanta… The Solar Bears went 0-for-2 on the power play while the Gladiators went 0-for-3…Brodzinski’s assist extended his point streak to six games (3 goals, 6 assists).
Contact the author at don.money@prohockeynews.com
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