GAME PREVIEW: South Division Semifinals Game 4

GAME PREVIEW

2024 KELLY CUP PLAYOFFS: SOUTH DIVISION SEMIFINALS GAME 4

Orlando Leads Series 2-1

• Game 1 (April 21, 2024): Orlando 1, Greenville 0 (OT)
• Game 2 (April 22, 2024): Greenville 4, Orlando 2
• Game 3 (April 26, 2024): Orlando 2, Greenville 2 (OT)
• Game 4 (April 27, 2024): Greenville @ Orlando
• Game 5 (April 28, 2024): Greenville @ Orlando
• Game 6* (April 30, 2024): Orlando @ Greenville
• Game 7* (May 1, 2024) Orlando @ Greenville
  *if necessary

Darik Angeli’s net-front finish at 12:06 of overtime gave the Orlando Solar Bears the 2-1 win in Game 3 of the South Division Semifinals over the Greenville Swamp Rabbits. The Solar Bears lead the series 2-1, with Game 4 late Saturday night.

GAME RECAP

NOTES AND NUMBERS

OVER IT: For a second time in three games, the Swamp Rabbits and Solar Bears settled the game past 60 minutes, and for a second time, the Solar Bears pulled out the win. Darik Angeli’s winner at 12:06 of OT gave Orlando a 2-1 lead in the series. The loss puts the Swamp Rabbits to 8-9 all-time in playoff games decided past 60 minutes of overtime, and makes overtime defeats in five of their last six playoff games over the last three postseasons.

RIGHT ON Q: In a playoff where its all hands on deck for the Swamp Rabbits, Quinn Olson has wasted no time in making himself at home. Olson capitalized on the power play in Game 3 for the Swamp Rabbits only goal, giving the series the only goal scored in the opening 20 minutes in a game this series. Olson’s first professional goal game six days ago in Game 2, when he sealed the win for the Swamp Rabbits with less than two minutes remaining. He’s in the midst of a three-way tie for the team’s scoring lead, possessing three points along with Josh McKechney and Carter Souch. Hailing from Calgary, Alberta, Olson turned pro with the Ontario Reign following the end of his college career at the University of Minnesota-Duluth, earning 27 goals, 69 assists, and 96 points over 175 games.

<INSERT POSITIVE PENALTY KILL NOTES HERE>:  You know it’s a good day to write Game Notes when the Swamp Rabbits penalty kill doesn’t lose its spot in the pecking order. Once again, it came to play last night, going 4/4 in Game 3 of the South Division Semifinals against Orlando. That puts the Swamp Rabbits PK in the series to 9/9, and its current killing streak to 23 opposing power plays in a row over eight consecutive games, including the final five of the regular season. The Swamp Rabbits finished the 2023-24 campaign tied for 7th in the “Premier ‘AA’ Hockey League” at 81.7%

GAME 4: The Swamp Rabbits find themselves trailing the series once again, and now head into Game 4 of the South Division Semifinals looking to deadlock for a second time. In a similar situation against Jacksonville a year ago, the Swamp Rabbits, trailing 2-1 in the series, picked up a crucial Game 4 win to split their series. The Swamp Rabbits current roster holds 11 players that played in that exact situation last season, including captain Ben Freeman, who scored the game-winner to split the 2023 South Division Semifinals.