South Carolina picked up a point but fell short in overtime against the Solar Bears.
Three different Orlando Solar Bears lit the lamp in North Charleston Saturday night for a 3-2 overtime win over the South Carolina Stingrays.
The Solar Bears were 12-2-2 over their last 16 games, and this road victory was a big one.
Aaron Luchuk got the scoring started for Orlando with 9:10 left in the opening period. Luchuk received a pass from behind the net and put in a shot past Stingrays goaltender Garin Bjorklund for a 1-0 lead.
The Solar Bears would double that lead 10:11 into the middle frame. Jared Lee took the puck on a net-front feed and shoveled it past Bjorklund for the score.
The Stingrays responded two minutes later to cut the deficit to 2-1. Erik Middendorf managed to keep the puck alive before finding Andrew Perrott at the blue line. Josh Wilkins deflected Perrott’s shot past Solar Bears netminder Ty Taylor, who just signed with the club Feb. 6.
It was Wilkins’ 13th of the year, with Middendorf picking up an assist along with Perrott.
In the third period, South Carolina tied the score 2-2 with 14 minutes remaining. After a faceoff win from Jamie Engelbert, Zac Funk got the loose puck and beat Taylor glove-side.
The goal was Funk’s third in six games as a Stingray after being reassigned by the Hershey Bears. Engelbert got the lone assist.
After the Solar Bears went on a power play in overtime, Anthony Bardaro tipped in a Hudson Thornton shot for the 3-2 victory.