Orlando, FL – The Orlando Solar Bears defeated the Atlanta Gladiators 1-0 on Tuesday morning at Kia Center in the Solar Bears’ School Day Game. Orlando netminder Ryan Bednard recorded a 29 save shutout to lift the Solar Bears past the Gladiators in a physical morning matchup.
Following their big 5-2 win over the Stingrays at North Charleston Coliseum on Sunday, the Gladiators got up early for a 10:30 AM game in Orlando in their first meeting with the Solar Bears this season. Atlanta entered the matchup with a record of 2-4-1, while Orlando was in search of its first win at 0-3-1. Ethan Haider started in net for the Gladiators, while Ryan Bednard was in goal for the Solar Bears.
The first period was scoreless, with the Gladiators spending much of the period in the Solar Bears end testing Bednard. Atlanta had one opportunity on the power play but came up empty handed. By the period’s end, the Gladiators had outshot the Solar Bears 13-7.
Milo Rolens produced the game’s first and only goal 10:20 into the second period for Orlando. The Gladiators turned the puck over behind their own net which led to a quick series of passes from an Orlando forecheck led by Cooper Flinton and Tyler Bird, who found Rolens in front of the net for his first of the season. The Solar Bears put Haider to work in the middle frame, outshooting the Gladiators 14-4.
Atlanta had opportunities to score in the second period, the best of which was a 5 on 3 power play that was cut short due to a high-sticking minor on Mike McNamee. The Gladiators came up empty handed on the man advantage and Bednard shut down any chance of a comeback, stopping all 29 shots he faced to complete his first shutout of the season. Overall, the Gladiators were outshot 30-29 and went 0/3 on the power play and 2/2 on the penalty kill. Haider stopped 29/30 in the loss.
The loss drops the Gladiators record to 2-5-1. Their longest road trip of the season continues on to Savannah when the Gladiators meet the Ghost Pirates at Enmarket Arena on Thursday, November 5. It’s another school day game for the Gladiators, with puck drop set for 10:30 AM. Watch the action live on FloHockey at flohockey.tv, or listen in on the Gladiators YouTube channel.
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