Orlando uses OT to skate past Newfoundland

Solar Bears grab 6-5 win

ORLANDO, Fla. – Chris LeBlanc scored twice, including the game-winner, to lift the Orlando Solar Bears (9-7-2-0) to a 6-5 overtime win over the Newfoundland Growlers (14-6-1-0) on Saturday night at the ARS.com Rink at Amway Center.

Giorgio Estephan opened the scoring for the Growlers with a power-play goal at the 6:11 mark of the first period.

Recommended Videos



The Solar Bears responded with two goals to take a 2-1 lead into the dressing room at the intermission, as Curt Gogol redirected Rob Mann’s point shot past Michael Garteig at 16:53 for his first of the season. Gogol added another tally at 18:52 after his backhand pass deflected over the shoulder of Garteig.

Newfoundland reeled off three goals in the second period to put Orlando in a 4-2 deficit, as Brady Ferguson (4:12), Scott Pooley (9:10) and Marcus Power (10:04) managed to beat Corbin Boes.

The Solar Bears pulled back to within a goal of the Growlers when Jonne Tammela carried the puck through the slot and backhanded a shot off the pads of Garteig before Brady Shaw buried the rebound at 10:46.

Tammela netted his first of the season at 2:58 of the third frame when he brought the puck behind the Newfoundland net and wrapped the puck around the right post to tie the score at 4-4.

LeBlanc made it 5-4 with his second of the season at 3:16 when Michael Brodzinski fed LeBlanc from the Orlando goal line for a breakaway, allowing LeBlanc to speed in on Garteig before deking to his forehand and beating the goaltender.

Hudson Elynuik tied the score at 5-5 as the Growlers forward drove wide on Mann and jammed the puck past Boes at 7:21.

Regulation ended with the score tied, sending Orlando to its fifth overtime contest of the season and its first on home ice.

LeBlanc won it for the Solar Bears in the extra session during a sequence of sustained pressure in the slot, as the puck came to a standstill after glancing off of Brodzinski’s skate. As multiple players swung through Garteig’s field of vision, LeBlanc fired a shot inside the left post at 1:40 to give Orlando the win.

Boes picked up the win with 25 saves on 30 shots against; Garteig took the overtime loss with 32 stops on 38 shots against.

NOTABLES

•    The win gave Orlando a 5-4-2-0 record for the month of November.
•    The Solar Bears are now tied with Idaho and Rapid City for the league lead in overtime wins with three.
•    Tammela led Orlando with seven shots on goal.

THREE STARS

1) Chris LeBlanc – ORL
2) Brady Shaw – ORL
3) Curt Gogol – ORL
 


Recommended Videos