McAuley's hat trick leads Orlando past Newfoundland

Solar Bears win 4-2

ST. JOHN'S, Newfoundland – Colby McAuley made an immediate impact in his return to the lineup, as he scored less than a minute into the game and potted two more for a hat trick, as the Orlando Solar Bears (32-21-4-0) doubled up the Newfoundland Growlers (39-17-4-0) by a 4-2 score on Saturday night at Mile One Centre.

McAuley, fresh off his reassignment from the San Jose Barracuda earlier in the week, opened the scoring just 32 seconds into the contest when he teamed up with Mitch Hults and Troy Bourke on a breakout, and blew past a defender through the right circle before beating Eamon McAdam for his eighth of the season.

The Growlers tied the score at 1-1 in the second period when Adam Pardy fed Derian Plouffe from the left corner, and Plouffe snapped a shot past Connor Ingram at 2:45.

McAuley helped Orlando re-take the lead at 8:50 when Bourke chased the puck down behind the Newfoundland net and flipped a pass back to McAuley at the left circle. McAuley then wired a shot past McAdam for his second of the evening.

Trevor Olson netted a power-play goal at 13:43 as Bourke made his way up the right wall, pivoted, and fed Olson in the slot for a one-timer to make it 3-1 with Olson’s 15th of the season.

The Growlers pulled back to within a goal of the Solar Bears at 14:08 of the third period, as Garret Johnston’s shot from the left point found the back of the net past a screened Ingram.

McAuley completed the hat trick performance moments later when the forward pounced on a Newfoundland turnover committed in the Orlando zone, and promptly made his way to the opposite end of the ice and stuffed the puck past a sprawled McAdam at 15:46.

Ingram picked up his first win with Orlando by making 25 saves on 27 shots against; McAdam took the loss with 21 stops on 25 shots against.

THREE STARS

1) Colby McAuley – ORL
2) Mitch Hults – ORL
3) Brady Ferguson – NFL

NOTABLES:

•    Orlando improved to 2-2-0-0 in the regular season series with the Growlers. The final regular season contest between the two clubs will be held tomorrow afternoon.
•    The Solar Bears are now 22-0-0-0 when leading after two periods.
•    Hults finished the night with two assists in his 100th career professional game, and now has a two-game assist streak (3a).
•    Olson’s goal was his fourth game-winner of the season, giving him sole possession of the team lead. The Solar Bears are now 12-0-1-0 in games in which the rookie finds the back of the net.
 


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