Photo: Grand Rapid Griffins

After a loss in Milwaukee on Friday night, the Bears continued their road trip against the defending Calder Cup champions, the Grand Rapids Griffins on Saturday night. Hershey came into Saturday night’s game still searching for that first win and they got it, in a big way, with a hat trick by Chandler Stephenson, the first of his career, with a 4-2 win. 

Bears lines:
Bourque-Stephenson-Mitchell
Simpson-Boyd-Barber
Gazley-Albert-Langlois
O’Brien-Sill-Peluso
Siegenhaler-Williams
Johansen-Lewington
Labrie-Hobbs

Adam Carlson would get the nod for Hershey in goal as he matched up against Jared Coreau. For Carlson, it would be his AHL debut.

Griffins lines:
Tangradi-Street-Svechnikov
Holmstrom-Carey-Ford
Elson-Turgeon-Campbell
Esposito-Elkins-Shine
Lashoff-Russo
Renouf-Hronek
Hicketts-Mcilrath

FIRST PERIOD
The Griffins struck first 6:17 into the contest with a goal by Colin Campbell as he buried in a rebound off the boards. The hosts would lead 1-0 heading into the first intermission. The opening period featured three penalties, two of them committed by Hershey. Garrett Mitchell was called for holding nearly seven minutes in and Lucas Johansen was called for hooking halfway through the first. The Bears offense had a frustrating opening period, only being able to muster three shots. The Griffins meanwhile put up 11.

SECOND PERIOD
Late in the second period with under six minutes to go, Connor Hobbs dropped the gloves with Dominik Shine. Hobbs threw in several good punches and both would get sent to the box for five-minute fighting majors.

The Bears were only held to four shots in the second period but one of those shots was good enough to tie the game. But it seemed unlikely they would score at first, as Hershey was whistled for a penalty. Colby Williams was called for high-sticking and received a four-minute double minor. With the Bears on the PK, Chandler Stephenson got the puck on the other side of the ice and beat the defense for a breakaway goal to tie things up at one.

THIRD PERIOD
The Bears began the third by getting a good two-on-one breakaway. Chris Bourque dished it off to Garrett Mitchell and he buried it in to give the Bears a 2-1 lead.

Hershey would get a power play 42 seconds later and Stephenson would cash in for his second goal of the game and his fourth of the season to put the Bears up 3-1.

Grand Rapids would fight back into this game, crashing the net and ultimately pushing one through after the net came off. The goal got reviewed but the call ultimately stood. Matt Ford was credited with the tally at 7:02.

The Bears would answer just over 10 minutes later as Stephenson notched his third goal of the game on a breakaway layup for a hat trick that put the Bears back up 4-2. That would go on to be the final.

Carlson was impressive. He made several timely saves throughout the night. In all, he stopped 24 of 26 shots for his first AHL win and first victory in a Bears uniform. Here are the video highlights, courtesy of the Grand Rapids Griffins:

The AHL box score can be found here.
Hershey Bears recap is here.
Game photos can be found here.

SCENES FROM GRAND RAPIDS

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Bears VP of Hockey Ops & former Griffin, Bryan Helmer, was part of tonight’s @griffinshockey ceremonial puck drop #HBH pic.twitter.com/3JEQRc5YKh

— Hershey Bears (@TheHersheyBears) October 21, 2017

Svechnikov passed us a puck @griffinshockey #GoGRG pic.twitter.com/xHICxg3Xa2

— breezybreanne (@breezybreanne) October 21, 2017

First @griffinshockey game in 15 years! Glad to be back in this city!!! #GoGRG pic.twitter.com/XD2EKDzR93

— Bri Boehning (@Bri_kate) October 21, 2017

By Michael Marzzacco
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