The problems of the first half of the season all seemed to return for the Orlando Solar Bears through the second period of their game in Fort Wayne against the Fort Wayne Komets.
All of a sudden, the Solar Bears could not possess the puck and maintain possession. They gave up power plays. They failed to take advantage of their own special teams opportunities. They left their goalie under a barrage of shots.
The only offense Orlando could muster were two unassisted goals off of turnovers. The Solar Bears were held off the scoreboard and gave up numerous opportunities including two power play goals and a shorthanded goal in a 5-2 loss to the Fort Wayne Komets at Memorial Coliseum on Friday.
The Komets went 2 for 4 on power players, adding a short-handed goal, as they scored four unanswered goals after the Solar Bears took a 1-0 lead.
Brett Perlini scored on the power play midway through the second period to give Fort Wayne a 3-1 lead. About four minutes later, Nikita Kashirsky scored a shorthanded goal, putting a dagger through the young Solar Bears’ win streak to give them a 4-1 lead.
Orlando’s offense just was not capable of sustaining much of an attack. The Solar Bears totaled 29 shots and just seven in the final period when they were desperate for goals to close the gap.
The Solar Bears started both the second and third periods on power plays and could not convert. They were 0 for 4 for the game, failing to take advantage of the opportunities the Komets were able to take advantage of.
The puck certainly bounced the Solar Bears’ way on a few occasions. Both of Orlando’s goals came off of turnovers in the attacking zone that Rylan Schwartz was able to finish off unassisted. Schwartz extended his five-game point streak with his sixth and seventh goal of the season.
Fort Wayne though was clearly on the attack. The Komets fired 39 shots on goal, pestering Rob Madore into 34 saves. Madore did his best to keep the game close, but the attack had become too much.
Mike Embach and Alex Belzile each scored a goal and added two assists. Belzile’s goal with seven minutes to play in the first period gave Fort Wayne the 2-1 lead and the lead for good.
Schwartz and defenseman Max Nicastro led the team with four shots each.
