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Solar Bears Den: Not So Peachy

Orlando finishes the month of January by going 1-2 against the Georgia teams. Also, an old friend returns.

After starting 2023 with 7 wins in their first 10 games, the Orlando Solar Bears looked to finish the month of January on a high note, with three games against their friends in the Peach State.

Unfortunately, the offense dried up this weekend for the team, and they could only manage two out of a possible six points.

However, there were some developments on the goaltending front:

Finding Some Spark(s):

On Tuesday, Orlando announced the return of a familiar face to the pipes, signing goaltender Garret Sparks to a standard contract. If you recall, Sparks spent part of the COVID-shortened 2020-21 season in Florida with the Solar Bears, appearing in 6 games with a 4-1-1 mark before being picked up by Stockton for the shortened 2021 AHL campaign. He spent the 2021-22 season in the Kings organization, going 5-5-0 in 12 games for Ontario and two appearances in Los Angeles.

Suspension Over!

Jack LaFontaine’s six-game AHL sentence was officially finished off this week after the Crunch recalled him on Friday and he served the final two games on Friday and Saturday. He was reassigned to Orlando prior to Sunday’s game.

Feist Returns:

A week after returning to Syracuse, Tyson Feist was reassigned to the Solar Bears on Saturday. He did not make an appearance in his latest stint with the Crunch.

Thursday, 1/26: Savannah 5, Orlando 2

Orlando finished off their five-game homestand on Thursday with the start of a home-and-home set against the Ghost Pirates.

Savannah was quick to get on the board in the opening period, taking a 1-0 lead just 51 seconds after puck drop. Shawn Szydlowski answered with his 9th goal of the season—and 200th of his professional career—at the 5:25 mark to tie the game at 1-all.

Alex Swetikoff put Savannah back ahead by a goal at the 9:09 mark of the first.

Orlando re-tied the game at the 1:26 mark of the second, as Luke Boka scored his third of the season.

That was the closest Orlando would get, as the Ghost Pirates scored the next three unanswered. With Dmitry Semykin serving a major penalty for charging, Swetlikoff connected for his second of the evening to put Savannah ahead 3-2.

Sacha Roy’s first goal of the season at the 6:05 mark of the third gave the Ghost Pirates some insurance, then Swetlikoff finished off the hat trick by sending it into an empty net with 15 seconds remaining for the final 5-2 score.

LaFontaine stopped 26 of 30 shots in the loss.

Friday, 1/27: Orlando 3, Savannah 1

The Solar Bears and Ghost Pirates headed north on Interstate 95 to Georgia on Friday to complete the home-and-home set.

Savannah jumped out to a 1-0 lead 10:09 into the first on a Vincent Marleau goal. Orlando was quick to respond, tying the game at 1 at the 12:08 mark on Ross Olsson’s 14th goal of the season.

After a scoreless second, Orlando put the game away in the third. Szydlowski became the fourth Solar Bear to break double digits in goals, scoring his 10th with 3:22 remaining in regulation to put the Solar Bears up 2-1.

Tristin Langan finished off the Ghost Pirates with an empty net goal with 1:47 remaining for a 3-1 final.

Jimmy Poreda turned in another outstanding effort, stopping 24 of 25 shots for his fourth win of the season. Tyler Bird added two assists.

Sunday, 1/29: Atlanta 5, Orlando 1

The Solar Bears returned home on Sunday afternoon to finish off January against the Gladiators.

After a scoreless first, the teams exchanged goals late in the second. Noah Laaouan got the Gladiators on the board with 1:06 remaining in the period with a power play goal. Just as time was expiring in the second, Olsson responded with his 15th to tie things up at 1.

Atlanta took the game over early in the third, scoring twice in the first 55 seconds of the period to jump out to a 3-1 lead. That was the start of a four-goal period for the visitors, as Kaid Oliver made it 4-1 at the 5:03 mark. Michal Mrazik finished the Solar Bears off with an empty net goal with 3:15 remaining for the final 5-1 margin.

LaFontaine stopped 42 of 46 shots in defeat.

Upcoming:

Orlando hits the road for a pair to begin the month of February, heading north to Jacksonville on Wednesday, then back to Savannah on Friday. The team then returns to the Amway Center on Saturday to host the Everblades.

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