S U N D A Y
The Newfoundland Growlers lost back-to-back games for only the third time this season, dropping a 4-3 shootout heart breaker to the Orlando Solar Bears Sunday afternoon at Mile One Centre.
Josh Kestner opened the scoring 6:49 into the game redirecting an Adam Pardy point shot past Connor Ingram who got the nod between the Solar Bears pipes for the third straight game for an early 1-0 lead. The Growlers came out of the locker room hungry for revenge, not allowing a shot on goal until the 8:45 mark of the first period.
Colby McAuley continued his hot play from last night tying the game with 7.5 seconds left in the period for a 1-1 score after the opening 20.
Mitch Frye kept the momentum going from the late period goal into the second, scoring just 1:59 in on the power play giving the visitors a 2-1 lead. Troy Bourke followed that up at 7:21 of the second period on a shot that Michael Garteig got a piece of but trickled behind him giving Orlando a two-goal lead which they carried into the locker room after 40 minutes of play.
Brady Ferguson roofed one up over a sprawling Ingram on the power play at 15:21 of the third period, and Josh Kestner followed that up just a minute and a half later tying the game at 3-3 lifting the roof off Mile One Centre and sending the game an overtime period that solved nothing so a shootout was required.
Brady Ferguson and Mitch Hults traded goals in the second round, while Scott Pooley and Otto Somppi traded goals in the third round. Troy Bourke scored the winner in the fourth round sending the visitors back to Orlando with four-of-six points this weekend.
S A T U R D A Y
The Newfoundland Growlers came up short dropping a 4-2 decision to the Orlando Solar Bears Saturday night at Mile One Centre before 5778 fans .
The Solar Bears struck first for the second night in a row, as Colby McAuley opened the scoring just 32 seconds in cutting across the crease and sliding it past Eamon McAdam on Orlando’s first shot on goal. McAuley scored the lone first period goal in a chippy opening frame that saw each team take four penalties.
Derian Plouffe evened the game up at 2:45 into the middle frame after finishing off a nice rush by Adam Pardy and banging it past Ingram for his 12th of the season. Colby McAuley re-stored the Solar Bears lead at 11:10 of the second period picking up his second of the night for a 2-1 score.
Trevor Olson extended Orlando’s lead to two with 6:17 remaining in the second after one-timing a cross-ice pass from Mitch Hults putting the visitors up 3-1, which they carried into the locker room after 40 minutes of play.
Josh Kestner looked to have closed to gap to one just under three minutes in, but was robbed in the slot by Ingram. Garrett Johnston brought the Growlers to within one with 5:52 to play, roofing his first as a Growler for a 3-2 game.
Colby McAuley sealed the deal and completed the hat trick with 4:14 remaining in the game for a 4-2 final score.
F R I D A Y
The Newfoundland Growlers came up with a 5-1 win over the Orlando Solar Bears Friday night at Mile One Centre before 3993 fans at Mile One.
Scott Pooley scored twice his 25th and 26th of the season, for the Growlers and Brady Ferguson also had two goals for the home team .
Marcus Power became the third Growler to hit the 20-goal plateau this season with his goal. Brady Ferguson added another also his 20th.
