As 2015 turned into 2016, the Orlando Solar Bears were desperate to see some new opponents.
They had gotten beaten and bruised against Southeast Division opponents and totaled just seven points in 15 games largely against the South Carolina Stingrays, Greenville Swamp Rabbits and Florida Everblades. A turnaround seemed pretty far away.
Getting out of the division and turning the calendar seemed to do the trick.
Continuing this long road trip, the Orlando Solar Bears picked up their fourth straight win and sixth win in their last seven games with a 6-2 win over the Kalamazoo Wings on Tuesday at the Wings Events Center, building momentum with another offensive onslaught.
Orlando got two goals each from T.J. Foster and Eric Faille, taking a 4-2 lead into the third period before adding two more in the final 20 minutes.
The recently acquired Nicklas Lindberg scored his first goal nearly two minutes into the third period to put the game away and give the Solar Bears a three-goal lead. Lindberg also added an assist.
Fellow newcomer Rylan Schwartz had three assists, continuing his stellar play along the starting line of Eric Faille and T.J. Foster. That line helped break the 1-1 tie in the first period with back-to-back goals.
The goal brought Faille’s team-leading total to 16 and Foster scored his 13th and 14th goals of the year.
The offense has been a revelation for Orlando. The Solar Bears have scored at least four goals in the last four games after doing so just twice in the previous 12 games.
The struggle to get the puck in the net had brought up questions during the team’s recent homestand whether players were fitting into the system or executing it at a high level. Maybe the opponent needed to change.
The trip through the midwest and Michigan continues Friday when the team takes on the Fort Wayne Komets. The Solar Bears still have a ways to go to climb out of the basement of the division, but picking up some wins and some confidence certainly appears to be helping.
