Orlando Solar Bears Add Spencer Kersten and Chris Harpur on Loan; Fall 4-1 to Savannah
The Orlando Solar Bears have taken on forward Spencer Kersten and defenseman Chris Harpur on loan from the Syracuse Crunch, adding two players to their active roster. The roster moves coincide with a 4-1 loss to the Savannah Ghost Pirates on Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026, a defeat that left Orlando facing an immediate schedule of games the following day.
Development details: Orlando Solar Bears roster moves
The Syracuse Crunch loaned forward Spencer Kersten and defenseman Chris Harpur to the Orlando Solar Bears, a pair of official transactions that bring one forward and one defenseman to Orlando's lineup. Two additions were recorded, with positions explicitly listed as forward for Kersten and defenseman for Harpur. These loans represent concrete roster actions between the two clubs.
Context and escalation
On Saturday, Feb. 21, 2026, the Savannah Ghost Pirates defeated the Orlando Solar Bears 4-1. The Ghost Pirates’ goal scorers in that game were Noah Carroll, Dennis Cesana, Will Riedell and Reece Vitelli, four individual goal contributions that produced the final margin. The win extended Savannah’s run to five straight victories, underscoring a current stretch of strong results for the visiting club.
The timing links two strands of activity: Orlando registering roster movement through the two loans, and the club competing in back-to-back weekend games. Both teams were scheduled to return to the ice the next day, Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026, with the Solar Bears set to face Florida at 2 p. m. CST and the Ghost Pirates matched up with Atlanta at 2 p. m. CST.
Immediate impact
The immediate, measurable effects are clear. Orlando suffered a 4-1 loss on Feb. 21, and the arrival of Kersten and Harpur increases the Solar Bears’ active personnel by two players, covering both forward and defensive roles. Savannah’s four different goal scorers produced a decisive margin and the continuation of a five-game winning streak, which has shifted momentum in that matchup’s short term.
At the organizational level, the Syracuse Crunch’s loans deliver specific assets to Orlando: one forward and one defenseman. That cause-and-effect — loans leading to added roster depth — is straightforward and verifiable from the transactions and the positional listings announced.
What makes this notable is that the club’s additions address both ends of the ice while the team returns to competition within a 24-hour window, giving the Solar Bears renewed lineup options immediately ahead of a scheduled game.
Forward outlook
Confirmed next steps are limited to scheduled games and the completed loan transactions. Both teams were slated to play on Sunday, Feb. 22, 2026: Orlando versus Florida at 2 p. m. CST and Savannah versus Atlanta at 2 p. m. CST. The two loans of Spencer Kersten and Chris Harpur stand as current roster changes for the Orlando Solar Bears; no additional dates or durations for those loans were provided.
With the Solar Bears carrying a one-game deficit from the Feb. 21 meeting and having added a forward and a defenseman, the club enters its next outing with renewed personnel options and an immediate benchmark to address in the form of consecutive games over the weekend.
