ECHL South Division Semifinals – Game 4 Recap: Orlando Solar Bears vs South Carolina Stingrays

Game four of the Kelly Cup Playoffs got underway for the South Carolina Stingrays and Orlando Solar Bears in Florida. Game Three was the Solar Bears’ comeback kid moment; they took down the Stingrays 4-2. With Monday’s win, the South Carolina Stingrays still lead the series 2-1. Five games needed, with a possible six if the Stingrays want to win more than the Brabham Cup this season.

FIRST PERIOD

Orlando takes the face-off and puts in the work this period, keeping Jon Gillies between the pipes with eight saves. South Carolina keeps control of the minor hiccups from game three. Manages to fend off Orlando with Mitchell Gibson back in the barn with 12 saves. Both teams seemed to work out their issues from previous meetings and play a solid 20 minutes. No penalties and just a few getting acquainted moments, and the period closes out with no score.

SECOND PERIOD

South Carolina takes the face-off, and things start to get handsy, frustrations taking hold. Stingray’s Justin Nachbaur puts Orlando on the first power play of the night with a cross-checking penalty. Solar Bears, however, let the Stingrays regain full strength when Mark Auk makes it 1-0. Andrew Perrott would not let that stand, making it a tied game. Jackson Van De Leest and Kelly Bent drop gloves next snap, Bent goes down, coming away with knuckles a hot mess. Both get five minutes fighting major. Ara Nazarian cross-checks Micah Miller, and they start throwing hands. Nazarian gets a cross-checking minor and a roughing minor call, putting South Carolina on the power play. Miller gets a roughing minor penalty. Kyler Kupka on the power play and South Carolina takes the lead. Aaron Luchuk makes it a tied game with a minute left in the period.

THIRD PERIOD

Solar Bears take the face-off, and we see solid back-and-forth hockey for the period’s first five minutes. Alex Frye put the Stingrays on the power play, however, they were not able to make anything happen. This period would not heat up until the last few minutes of the game, with it tied at two. With a nasty check by Orlando’s Reece Newkirk against Tyler Weiss, things start to get wicked. Two minutes left, both teams with a lot of dirty playing, going hard to take the game to overtime

Overtime

South Carolina takes the face-off and immediately tries to make something of it. Unable to do so, we see both teams hustling with wicked skating and hits aplenty. Ten minutes of solid hockey, shots left and right. The Solar Bears at 10:24, take the game 3-2 in overtime with a goal by Ara Nazarian. Jon Gillies makes 42 saves and Mitchell Gibson 27.

Three Stars of the Game (All from the Orlando Solar Bears)

First Star: Ara Nazarian
Second Star: Aaron Luchuk
Third Star: Jon Gillies

Up Next

While this game wasn’t as vicious as some of the series. Both teams brought it together and fought hard. With the Series tied at two, it really is anyone’s for the taking. Game five will be on Thursday, April 24th, at 7:00 PM EST in Orlando. South Carolina will host game six in Charleston, Sunday, April 27th, 6:05 PM EST. Game six will determine if a game seven will be necessary.