GREENVILLE, SC — The Solar Bears fought back from a three-goal deficit to earn a 4-3 overtime victory over the Greenville Road Warriors at the BI-LO Center on Friday Night.
The Road Warriors jumped out to an early lead in the first period. While on the power play, F Scott Pitt picked up a rebound and was able to push the puck over the pad of Solar Bears G John Curry at 3:45. Pitt added his second of the period, this time redirecting a shot from the blue line at 8:56, and Greenville took the 2-0 lead into the first intermission.
Early penalty trouble saw the Solar Bears facing a 5-on-3 in the second period. Orlando killed off the initial two-man advantage, but on the ensuing 5-on-4 LW Kendall McArdle bumped the Road Warriors lead to 3-0 finishing off a back door pass. Less than two minutes later, at 8:44, F Scott Tanski crashed the front of the net and forced a bouncing puck past G Scott Stajcer to put the Solar Bears on the board. Orlando trailed 3-1 after two periods of play.
The Solar Bears continued to battle back, as D Mike Liambas slammed home a pass from RW Kevin Baker 6:30 into the third period, bringing the Solar Bears back to within a goal. A late period power play set the stage for F Ryan Ginand, who wristed a shot from the right circle with just 55 seconds left in regulation to tie the game at 3-3 and force overtime. Orlando needed just 42 seconds of extra time before LW Nick Petersen gathered the puck in the top of the slot and blasted it into the top corner of the net to secure a 4-3 overtime victory.
Three Stars: 1. S. Pitt (GRN); 2. S. Stajcer (GRN); 3. R. Kwiet (GRN)
Power Plays: ORL: 1/5; GRN: 2/7
Shots: ORL: 32; GRN: 31
Notes:
The Solar Bears have now played all nine of their games against South Division opponents... Five of Orlando's first nine games have gone past regulation... F Olivier Fortier led Orlando with three assists... LW Nick Petersen has now collected at least one point in eight of the nine games he has played... The Solar Bears finish a four game road trip in South Carolina tomorrow.
WFTV
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