Hockey

Lang scores four to lead Solar Bears to 5-2 victory

ORLANDO, Fla. — Mickey Lang scored four goals and F Jacob Cepis picked up four assists to lead the Solar Bears to a 5-2 win over the South Carolina Stingrays at the Amway Center on Tuesday night.



A wild first period saw the South Carolina Stingrays grab an early lead. F Wayne Simpson stole a puck at his own blue line and made a headman pass to F Peter Boyd, who raced in a breakaway and slipped a backhand shot through the legs of G Tyler Beskorowany 1:04 into the game. The Solar Bears answered just over two minutes later when forward C.J. Severyn worked a backhand pass to Lang, who snapped a one-time shot into the net to tie the game with a power play goal. Lang added his second goal of the first period when he recovered a rebound on the left side of the attacking zone and whipped a wrist shot past G Jeff Jakaitis at 12:25 to put the Solar Bears ahead 2-1. F Tyler Murovich capped off the first period scoring with 54 seconds left when he one-timed a pass from F Scott Tanski inside the right post. Orlando led 3-1 after 20 minutes of play.

A scoreless second period led the game into the third frame with Orlando continuing to lead 3-1. The scoring exploded again just past the halfway point of the third. Lang knocked in his hat trick goal at 10:24 when he took a pass from Cepis, fended off a defender, and slipped the puck past Jakaits. Less than two minutes later, Lang registered his fourth goal of the contest when he blasted a one-timer into the back of the net. It was also his second power play goal of the game. South Carolina tacked on the game's final goal on slap shot from the blue line from D Drew Baker with 5:35 to play, but it was as close as the Stingrays would get as Orlando earned a 5-2 win.

Three Stars: 1. M. Lang (ORL); 2. J. Cepis (ORL); 3. T. Matson (ORL)
Power Plays: ORL: 2/3; SC: 1/4
Shots: ORL: 28; SC: 27

Notes:
F Mickey Lang became the first Solar Bear this season to record a hat trick... F Jacob Cepis became the first Solar Bear this season to pick up four assists in a single game... Both Lang and Cepis picked up four points tonight and now share the Solar Bears record for most points in a single game this season... D Cody Wild played in his 300th professional game tonight... The Solar Bears surrendered just one shot on goal during the second period, despite being shorthanded for a 4:00 double minor early in the period... The Solar Bears earned their first victory over the Stingrays this season... G Tyler Beskorowany earned a victory in his first start for Orlando.