Solar Bears earn point in 4-3 OT loss to Wings

ORLANDO, Fla. — Zach Harrison tied the contest up at 3-3 early in the third to force overtime, but Kalamazoo earned the extra point with a goal 1:14 into the sudden death period as the Wings defeated the Solar Bears 4-3 at the Amway Center on Monday night.

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For the second straight game, Kalamazoo grabbed the opening goal. F Matt Firman took the puck through the neutral zone, raced to the top of the left circle, and fired the puck inside the left post to put the Wings ahead 1-0 at 8:29. F Tyler Murovich evened up the scoring 3:29 later, right after a power play expired. D Connor Goggin blasted a shot from the left circle that trickled through the pads of G Joel Martin and Murovich tapped it over the line, sending the game locked up at 1-1 into the first intermission.

Once again, the Wings took took the lead. A penalty shot 4:42 into the second period led to RW David Pacan snapping the puck into the bottom right corner of the net, putting Kalamazoo ahead 2-1. The Solar Bears answered back on the power play at 6:50 when forward C.J. Severyn found F Mickey Lang open in front of the net and Lang quickly fired a shot into the back of the cage for his 33rd goal of the season. Late in the second period, Kalamazoo broke the tie game with a shorthanded goal. D Kalvin Sagert picked up the puck in the slot and cruised in front of the net, slipping a backhander under the pads of G Cody Reichard to grant the Wings a 3-2 lead heading into the third.

The Solar Bears battled back in the third period to tie the game at 3-3. F Zach Harrison took the puck through the neutral zone, sped into the attacking end, and fired a backhand shot through the legs of Martin to tie the game at 4:26. The goal would force overtime, where D Brett Ponich took a backdoor pass from D Sam Ftorek and blasted a one-timer into the cage to lift the Wings to a 4-3 overtime win. Reichard finished the night 33 saves, including a highlight reel stop to keep the game tied 3-3 in the third period.

Three Stars: 1. B. Ponich (KAL); 2. C. Reichard (ORL); 3. Z. Harrison (ORL)
Power Plays: ORL: 1/3; KAL: 0/2
Shots: ORL: 28; KAL: 37

Notes:
The Solar Bears closed out their three game home stand tonight. Orlando will play their next nine games on the road... Tonight's contest was the fourth time this season a game has been decided in overtime at home. The Solar Bears have not gone into a shootout on home ice this season... D Blake Kessel extended his point streak to four games (1 goal, 3 assists)... F Zach Harrison extended his point streak to three games (1 goal, 2 assists)... G Cody Reichard is now unbeaten in his last 10 starts (9-0-1).

WFTV