Game Day: Admirals and Solar Bears Face Off in Orlando

Game #27

Admirals (8-17-1-0) vs Solar Bears (11-12-4-0)

Amway Center

7:00 pm

Last Time Out:

The Solar Bears got the first four and final three goals on Teddy Bear Toss Night as the Admirals fell 7-2. Grant Besse and Tommy Schutt scored for the Admirals in the loss. Norfolk was held scoreless on the man-advantage, while Orlando finished the night two-for-seven. The 44 shots put on net by the Admirals set a season high.

Goals from six different skaters headlined the night for the Solar Bears, as six different skaters tallied multi-point nights as well. Orlando’s Joshua Winquist led the way with two goals and three points total.

Head to Head:

Norfolk and Orlando split the first two meetings of the season over the weekend at the Scope. Overall the Solar Bears have won six of the ten meetings between the teams, however they’ve won four of five at Amway Center in Orlando. Last season the Admirals traveled to Amway Center for three games in four days in mid-February. Orlando took the first two games, before dropping the finale to the Admirals. The shootout victory in the finale on February 19 was the first and only victory for the Admirals in Orlando.

After being held scoreless on Friday Orlando’s Joshua Winquist picked up three points (2g, 1a) on Saturday. Winquist is one of four players who have recorded three points in the two games against the Admirals. Max Novak leads all scorers with four points (2g, 2a). Brodie Dupont leads the Admirals with three points (2g, 1a), including Friday’s game-sealing goal. Patrick D’Amico (2g) and Domenic Alberga (2a) are the only other Admirals who notched multiple points over the weekend.

Cal Heeter got the start for the Solar Bears both nights against the Admirals, while both Ty Reichenbach and Jamie Murray appeared for the Admirals.

New Faces:

The Norfolk lineup will feature a trio of new faces on Wednesday night in Orlando after a busy start to the week. Norfolk traded defenseman Tim Daly to Jacksonville in exchange for Chase Harrison on Sunday afternoon. Harrison, 21, is in his first professional season after a four-year junior career with the Regina Pats (WHL). The Winnipeg, MB native has skated in 23 games with the Icemen, netting three points, all assists.

The Admirals also signed a pair of players on Tuesday morning. Defenseman Mitch Mueller, who attended training camp with the Admirals and forward Mitch Vandergunst both joined the team ahead of the road trip to Orlando. Mueller, in his second professional season, has skated in 16 games with the Roanoke Rail Yard Dawgs (SPHL) accumulating nine points and 25 penalty minutes.  Vandergunst, who attended training camp with Wheeling, has a pair of assists this season in nine games, split between Roanoke and Pensacola.

In addition to the signings Norfolk saw defenseman TJ Melancon sign a PTO with Belleville, and forward Thomas Frazee was recalled to San Antonio.

Schutt’s Scoring Shorthanded:

Rookie Tommy Schutt picked up his second short-handed tally of the season on Saturday night, tying him for second among ECHL skaters in shorthanded goals. The former Quinnipiac Bobcat has scored two of his four goals this season shorthanded. A total of 12 skaters have scored shorthanded on two different occasions this season. Tulsa’s Conner Bleackley (3) is the only skater with more than two shorthanded goals so far this season.