Photo: Tori Hartman
The Hershey Bears fell to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms 7-2 Friday night at the PPL Center in Allentown, Pennsylvania. The loss dropped the Bears record to 9-10-0-3. The Bears return home to host the Milwaukee Admirals Saturday night at the Giant Center. Puck drop is 7:00 pm.
Pheonix Copley (5-2-2, 2.28 GAA, .914 sv%) got the start in goal for the Bears. Alex Lyon (7-6-1, 3.41 GAA, .893 sv%) started between the pipes for the Phantoms. The Bears starting forward lines and defensive pairs:
Bourque-Boyd-Simpson
Gazley-Langlois-Barber
O’Brien-Albert-Bau
M. Mitchell-Sill-G.Mitchell
Siegenthaler-Williams
Johansen-Ness
Labrie-Lewington
Bears Scratches – Connor Hobbs (wrist injury), Hampus Gustafsson, Anthony Peluso and Tommy Hughes. Kristoffers Bindulis was re-assigned to the South Carolina Stingrays earlier in the day.
FIRST PERIOD
The Bears went to the power play just 13 seconds into the game, when Lehigh Valley sent a puck over the glass in their own zone for a delay of game call, but the Bears were unable to cash-in.
Play was fairly even for the middle of the opening frame, with the Bears leading in shots on goal 7-4 at the 10 minute mark. The Bears returned to the power play with 9:52 left in the first period, but once again Hershey would be unable to capitalize on the man-advantage.
The Phantoms would tilt the ice in the late-stages of the first period, ultimately notching the game’s first tally with 22 seconds left in the opening frame. Greg Carey was credited with the goal that deflected in off of Aaron Ness.
The period would conclude with the Phantoms leading 1-0. The Bears led in shots on goal 12-9 for,the opening 20 minutes.
SECOND PERIOD
The Bears would tie the game with a goal by Garrett Mitchell at 2:54 of the middle frame. This was the Captain’s first game back after sitting out a number of games with an injury.
The Phantoms would then tally three unanswered goals in just 2:11 of play. The Phantoms would regain the lead on the end of a Bears turnover in front of their own net. Tyrell Goulbourne would steal the puck and finish for the Phantoms 2-1 lead at the 8:21 mark of the middle frame.
Phil Varone would give the Phantoms a 3-1 lead after another Bears turnover at center ice at 9:33 of the second period.
The Phantoms would make it 4-1 with a goal by Corban Knight at 10:32 of the middle frame.
The period would end with the Phantoms leading 4-1. The Phantoms outshot the Bears 19-3 formthe middle frame, and led 28-15 after two periods of play.
THIRD PERIOD
The Phantoms would add a fourth unanswered goal, this time by Nicolas Aube-Kubel at 6:32, making it 5-1, before the Bears would return to the score sheet.
Liam O’Brien would make it 5-2 at the 10:44 mark of the final frame, but that would be it for the Bears. The Phantoms would add two empty net goals to make the final 7-2.
Lehigh Valley outshot the Bears 41-23 for the game. The AHL box score can be found here.
Photos from tonight’s game are here.
By Jon Sorensen
SCENES FROM ALLENTOWN
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