ORLANDO – Scott Tanski gave the Orlando Solar Bears the winning goal during overtime, leading the team to a close victory against the Wheeling Nailers.
“You never know if you are going to score,” said Tanski. “It feels great to be able to give the team a win after we battled.”
Tanski, with assists by Derick Martin and Michael Neal, scored the third goal of the night for the Solar Bears at 2:27 during overtime.
“It was amazing because he scored,” said Tanski’s biggest fans, John Moore and Nick Szwmula, better know as “the Tanski twins.”
“You feel it,” said “the twins” about Tanski’s goal. “You feel it in your heart, you feel it in your hair.”
Ryan Cruthers scored the second goal of the night for the Solar Bears, making it his 100th professional goal.
“It’s nice, its been a long time coming,” said Cruthers. “It was nice to get that monkey off my back.”
The goal came with two assists by C.J. Severyn and Mathew Sisca at 17:25 of the second period.
“I think the guys really played well, they didn’t have as good a first period as we’d hoped,” said head coach Drake Berehowsky. “They showed a lot of resilience and I thought we got better.”
Both goals by the Nailers and the first goal for the Solar Bears were scored within a 42 second span on the first period.
At 11:35 Peter Lenes scored for the Nailers with assists by Chris Barton and Zach Hansen.
Rob Mignardi scored for the Solar Bears at 12:08 with assists by Ryan Blair and Mike Sgroi.
Lenes scored again at 12:17 with assists by Scott Zurevinski and Paul Crowder.
The Orlando Solar Bears will face the Wheeling Nailers again on Monday, Jan. 21.
Game Notes:
Orlando 1 1 0 1 – 3
Florida 2 0 0 0 – 2
Shots on goal: ORL 4 13 11 1 – 29, FLA 11 7 6 3 – 27
1st period:
1:39 – 2.00 M Penalty. Alain Goulet, ORL (hooking)
8:18 – 2.00 M Penalty. Paul Crowder, WHL (slashing)
10:03 – 2.00 M Penalty. Ryan Blair, ORL (hooking)
11:35 – Goal. Peter Lenes, WHL; Assists: Chris Barton, Zach Hansen
12:08 – Goal. Rob Mignardi, ORL; Assists: Ryan Blair, Mike Sgroi
12:17 – Goal. Peter Lenes, WHL; Assists: Scott Zurevinski, Paul Crowder
18:38 – 2.00 M Penalty. Reid McNeil, WHL (cross-checking minor)
2nd period:
12:08 – 2.00 M Penalty. Zack Torquato, WHL (Roughing)
17:25 – Goal. Ryan Cruthers, ORL; Assists: C.J. Severyn, Mathew Sisca; 2.00 M Penalty. Scott Darling, WHL (Unsportsmanlike conduct)
3rd period:
0:51 – 2.00 M Penalty. Derick Martin, ORL (hooking)
Over time:
2:27 – Goal. Scott Tanski, ORL; Assists: Derick Martin, Michael Neal
