ORLANDO, F.L. – The South Carolina Stingrays dropped the second game of a three-game road trip to the Orlando Solar Bears, 6-1, on Sunday afternoon at the Kia Center.
Orlando (18-21-4-1) struck early and never looked back. Tyler Bird scored just 10 seconds into the first period to give the Solar Bears a 1-0 lead. Less than seven minutes later, Cole Kodsi doubled Orlando’s advantage on a breakaway before Spencer Kersten added a power-play tally to make it 3-0 less than 11 minutes into the game.
South Carolina (27-15-1-0) could not muster a response in the first period, and Orlando extended its lead in the second. Anthony Bardaro jammed home the Solar Bears’ fourth goal of the day with 5:06 remaining in the frame, sending Orlando into the third period with a 4-0 advantage.
Early in the final frame, the Stingrays found a spark. Connor Mayer set up Simon Pinard on a 2-on-1, and Pinard rifled home his 16th goal of the season to cut the deficit to three, 4-1, just 4:50 into the third period.
Less than a minute later, Orlando was awarded a penalty shot, which Andrew Bruder converted to restore the four-goal lead at 5-1. Kodsi then added his second goal of the day with 11:05 remaining in regulation to give the Solar Bears a five-goal cushion and cap a 6-1 victory over South Carolina.
The Stingrays wrap up their three-game road trip on Thursday against the Savannah Ghost Pirates. Puck drop is slated for 7 p.m. at Enmarket Arena in Savannah, Georgia.