ORLANDO, FLA – Needing just one point to lock up a post-season berth for the second consecutive year, the Orlando Solar Bears wanted badly to get that point at home. They also needed to let their opponents, the Florida Everblades, know that Orlando will not be an easy out in the playoffs.
Coach Vince Williams (center back) and the Solar Bears qualified for the playoffs Thursday night (Photo courtesy of F. Medina & G. Bassing/Orlando Solar Bears)
Mission accomplished.
Goalie Garret Sparks stopped all 33 shots he faced and defenseman Max Nicastro’s first period goal stood up as the winner as the Solar Bears (37-23-6-4, 84 points) shut out the Everblades 1-0 in front of a loud and happy announced crowd of 7,181 at the Amway Center Thursday night. The win sets up and all-Sunshine state first round playoff series between Orlando and Florida that will begin on April 17th.
“It definately takes a lot of weight off our shoulders and makes preparing for the playoffs that much easier,” Sparks said about getting the win at home. “Obviously we played them hard tonight and they’re going to expect that for the next however many games. I’m just really happy that we sent a message tonight that we’re not going to go down without a fight.”
Beating the division champion Everblades (47-16-2-5, 101 points) was big on so many levels. First, it allowed Orlando to not have to worry about needing to fight to qualify in the two remaining games on Florida’s home ice this weekend. Secondly, it gave the Solar Bears five wins and eleven out of a possible sixteen points in their final eight games at home. Lastly – and more importantly – it confirmed that the team is heading in the right direction at the right time.
“It certainly wasn’t easy competition [in] the last few games. All these games leading up to this one gave us an opportunity to come in tonight and feel comfortable with the way we can play,” Solar Bears head coach Vince Williams said.
The goaltending matchup of Sparks and Florida’s Allen York was the key battle and the featured event on the undercard of storylines. York had already beaten Orlando five times during the season while Sparks saw action in two games, allowing just one goal in almost twenty-eight total minutes of work.
Neither netminder blinked until the 13:16 mark of the opening frame. That was when Nicastro intercepted a loose puck out near the blueline. Seeing an open lane in front of him, Nicastro skated in a few feet and fired a wrist shot that beat York. It was his seventh score in 30 games with the Solar Bears and could not have come at a better time. It was also the second straight game in which and Orlando defenseman scored the game-winner.
“We’re just getting opportunities [and] putting pucks to the net,” Nicastro said about the blueliners’ scoring. “Finding the back of the net is huge. We like seeing each other score.”
Garret Sparks earned his fifth shutout of the season Thursday night (Photo courtesy of F. Medina & G. Bassing/Orlando Solar Bears)
Both defenses locked in after the goal, keeping good scoring chances to a minimum. With the contest somewhat void of the usual big hits and general chippiness of a Florida-Orlando game, there were stretches of play that seemed tedious. There were however moments like when Sparks made back-to-back saves on Alex Lavoie and Kevin Czuczman late in the second period that woke everyone up.
It took the home team eight minutes of play in the third period to get its first shot on York (29 saves). By the midpoint of the frame, the teams had combined for just seven shots on goal proving just how defensive-minded both sides were. Even a rash of penalties that created a two-man advantage for the Solar Bears did not produce a large spike in the offense.
A late penalty to Jake Cepis gave Florida one last golden opportunity to tie the score. The Everblades jammed Sparks’ crease but like he had so many times during the season, the Toronto prospect used every tool in his arsenal to keep the puck out of the net.
With the crowd standing for most of the final minute, the decibel level in the Amway Center continued to rise as the remaining seconds ticked away. As the final buzzer sounded, the entire Solar Bears team surrounded Sparks, relieved that goal number one (making the playoffs) had been met but knowing that more work still lies ahead, starting Friday night in Estero.
“You can’t let ff the gas but you can be excited. It’s a big achievement in a very tough division,” Williams said. “It’s a great opportunity for guys who were here last year to have another taste of the playoffs and for the guys that haven’t played in the playoffs it’s an even better opportunity. We want to finish strong and want momentum going into the series.”
As for messages sent, Nicastro said that how the Solar Bears handled the Everblades – who had won eight of the first twelve meetings between the two rivals – was a loud one.
“We played great defense tonight. They did too but we really shut them down,” Nicastro said. “Hopefully we’ll bring that same intensity (in the playoffs).”
The best-of-seven series between Orlando and Florida will see games one and two played in Estero on April 17th and 18th before the teams shift back to Orlando for games three and four on April 21st and 23rd and a potential game five on April 25th. If games six or seven are needed they will be played back in Estero on April 27th and April 29th.
Follow us on Twitter @prohockeynews
You must be logged in to post a comment.