NHL
Orlando Solar Bears Fight Their Way To A 3-1 Playoff Series Lead
Published
9 years agoon
By
FNN SPORTS
ORLANDO, Fla. (FNN SPORTS) – The Orlando Solar Bears entered Game 4 of their opening round ECHL playoff series game against the Florida Everblades attempting to take a commanding 3-1 lead in their best of 7 series at Amway Center Saturday night. Thanks to a big crowd of 8,243 and the effort of goalkeeper Ryan Massa, who saved all 42 shots that he faced, the Solar Bears won by a score of 3-0. The Bears have a chance to win their first-ever ECHL series in franchise history on Sunday as they play Game 5 at Amway Center at 4pm.
Justin Buzzeo got the opening goal when he beat Florida goalkeeper Anthony Peters to give the Solar Bears a 1-0 lead. Buzzeo got some open space and was able to put the puck over the keeper’s left shoulder to give him his second goal of the series seven minutes into the period. Even with the goal, Florida outshot Orlando 14-7 mainly because the Solar Bears committed three penalties, causing them to be shorthanded three times in the period.
Orlando couldn’t score with on a 5-on-3 power play in the second period. The Bears were more active as they continued to put pressure on Peters all throughout the 20 minute period. They both got 11 shots and the Everblades were up 25-18 after the second period.
In the game’s final period, Derik Angeli redirected a Shane Conacher shot from the side of the Everblades net to give the Bears a 2-0 lead with 12:48 seconds left in the 3rd period.
Forward Chris Crane led the Bears as he assisted on both goals and helped lead the team to overcome being outshot 42-34, but the big story was Massa’s play. He shut down every single chance Florida had to get on the scoreboard, then he helped lead the Solar Bears in a brawl that had himself and nine other players given game misconduct penalties in the game’s final minute.
The last minute of the game provided a preview of tomorrow’s Game 5. All of the members of both teams got into a fight that had 11 players receive game misconduct penalties and ejections. As of the writing of this article, the ECHL League office has not made a decision about possible suspensions when it comes to the players involved.
3 STARS OF THE GAME:
- Ryan Massa – Orlando
- Justin Buzzeo – Orlando
- Chris Crane – Orlando
GOALS
Orlando:
- 1st Period: Justin Buzzeo (2nd of the playoffs) | Assists: Daniel Maggio and Chris Crane – 7:28
- 3rd Period: Derik Angeli (1st of the playoffs) | Assists: Shane Conacher and Chris Crane (2) – 7:18
- 3rd Period: Taylor Doherty (3rd of the playoffs) | No assists; empty net goal
PENALTIES
Orlando:
1st Period
- Crane: 2 min. – slashing – 9:20
- Doughtery: 2 min. – high sticking -14:48
- Manderson: 2 min. – tripping – 16:24
2nd Period
- Moore: 2 min. – unsportsmanlike conduct – 0:07
- Perry: 2 min. – charging – 17:38
3rd Period
- Baier: 2 min. – roughing, 5 min. – fighting major and 10 min. – game misconduct – 19:14
- Bubela: 5 min. – fighting major and 10 min – game misconduct – 19:14
- Buzzeo: 5 min. – fighting major and 10 min – game misconduct – 19:14
- Marchment: 5 min. – fighting major – 19:14
- Massa: 5 min. – fighting major and 10 min. – game misconduct – 19:14
- Moore: 10 min. – misconduct – 19:14
Florida:
1st Period
- None
2nd Period
- Heard: 2 min. – unsportsmanlike conduct – 0:07
- Kamarass: 2 min. – holding – 8:50
- Analeoski: 2 min. – holding – 10:17
3rd Period
- Harris: 2 min. – high sticking – 11:11
- Baker: 5 min. – fighting major and 10 min. – game misconduct – 19:14
- Heard: 5 min. – fighting major, 2 min. – instigating, 10 min. – game misconduct and 10 min. – throwing equipment – 19:14
- McCarron: 5 min. – fighting major and 10 min. – game misconduct – 19:14
- Nedelijkovic: 5 min. – fighting major and 10 min. – game misconduct – 19:14
- Raine: 5 min. – fighting major and 10 min. – game misconduct – 19:14
_____________________________________
Danny Thompson is a contributing sports writer for Florida National News. info@floridanationalnews.com
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NHL
Lightning Sign D Mikhail Sergachev, F Anthony Cirelli and D Erik Cernak to Eight-Year Contract Extensions
Published
4 years agoon
July 13, 2022
TAMPA BAY – The Tampa Bay Lightning have signed defenseman Mikhail Sergachev, forward Anthony Cirelli and defenseman Erik Cernak each to an eight-year contract extension, vice president and general manager Julien BriseBois announced today.
Sergachev, 24, has skated in 362 career regular season games, 358 of them with the Lightning, notching 36 goals and 174 points. He ranks fifth all-time in Tampa Bay franchise history among defensemen for goals and scoring and fourth for assists (138). The former ninth overall pick (of Montreal) in the 2016 NHL Draft has also played in 92 postseason games and posted eight goals and 30 points. He ranks second in Lightning history among defensemen for playoff games, goals, assists (22) and scoring. Sergachev’s eight-year contract is worth an AAV of $8.5 million.
Cirelli, 24, has skated in 294 career NHL games, all with the Lightning, recording 66 goals and 159 points. During the 2021-22 season, Cirelli posted 17-26—43 points in 76 games played, one point shy of his career high 16-28—44 pts. from the 2019-20 season. He led Tampa Bay forwards for blocked shots (67), ranked sixth in the NHL for penalties drawn (42) and finished fifth in Selke Trophy voting in 2021-22. In postseason play, Cirelli has notched 14 goals and 34 points in 92 games, ranking 11th all-time in Lightning playoff history for scoring. Cirelli’s eight-year contract is worth an AAV of $6.25 million.
Cernak, 25, has skated in 226 career NHL games, all with the Lightning, posting 16 goals, 59 points and a plus-51 rating. During the 2021-22 regular season, the Kosice, Slovakia native notched a goal and 13 points and led the Lightning for hits (165) in 55 games. Cernak has played in 73 career postseason games, recording two goals and 19 points. He netted the Stanley Cup-opening goal in Game 1 of the 2021 Cup Final versus Montreal, becoming the first Tampa Bay player to net his first career playoff goal in a Stanley Cup Final. A second round selection of the Los Angeles Kings (43rd overall) in the 2015 NHL Draft, Cernak was traded to the Lightning on February 26, 2017. Cernak’s eight-year contract is worth an AAV of $5.2 million.
NHL
NHL: Lightning Re-Sign Forward Simon Ryfors to a One-Year, Two-Way Contract
Published
4 years agoon
June 20, 2022By
FNN SPORTS
TAMPA BAY –The Tampa Bay Lightning have re-signed forward Simon Ryfors to a one-year, two-way contract, vice president and general manager Julien BriseBois announced.
Ryfors, 24, played in 72 games during the regular season for the Syracuse Crunch, Tampa Bay’s American Hockey League affiliate, posting 11 goals and 35 points, ranking tied for seventh on the Crunch for scoring. He also skated in five Calder Cup Playoff games with the Crunch and notched a goal, assist and a plus-four rating.
The Stockholm, Sweden native originally signed with the Lightning organization on May 12, 2021. Prior to that, he skated seven seasons with Rogle BK of the SHL, tallying 41 goals and 93 points to go along with 165 penalty minutes in 250 games. He set career bests in the SHL in 2020-21 for goals (25), assists (20) and points (45).
NHL
Lightning Acquire F Brandon Hagel, Two 4th Round Picks from Chicago
Published
4 years agoon
March 18, 2022By
FNN SPORTS
TAMPA BAY, Fla. (FNN SPORTS) – Source: Tampa Bay Lightning // The Tampa Bay Lightning have acquired forward Brandon Hagel, Chicago’s fourth-round selection in 2022 and fourth-round pick in 2024 from the Blackhawks in exchange for forwards Taylor Raddysh and Boris Katchouk, Tampa’s first-round selection in 2023 and first-round selection in 2024, vice president and general manager Julien BriseBois announced today. Both first-round picks the Lightning are sending to Chicago are top 10 protected.
Hagel, 23, has played in 55 games so far this season for Chicago, recording 21 goals and 37 points. Hagel ranks second on the Blackhawks for goals and game-winning goals (3) and fourth for scoring and power-play goals (4). In 108 games with Chicago over three seasons, Hagel has posted 30 goals and 61 points. He made his NHL debut March 11, 2020 versus San Jose, the only game he played during the 2019-20 season. Hagel is under contract through the 2023-2024 season with a salary cap number of $1,500,000.
