Bears Fall to Thunderbirds in Heartbreaking Fashion in Overtime

Posted on January 10, 2018 by
Screen Shot 2018-01-10 at 9.52.02 PM
Photo: JustSports Photography

After the excitement of rallying in the third period to force overtime, the Hershey Bears faltered on a controversial goal in overtime 2-1 to the Springfield Thunderbirds at Giant Center. The Bears record drops to 17-16-3-3. Hershey will hit the road on Saturday night to take on the Lehigh Valley Phantoms for a home-and-home set that will come back to Giant Center on Sunday evening. Bears recap is here.

BEARS LINES

Bourque-Boyd-Bau
Walker-Graovac-Barber
Gazley-Albert-Simpson
M.Mitchell-Still-O’Brien
Ness-Hobbs
Johansen-Lewington
Siebenthaler-Williams

Pheonix Copley got the start in goal.

FIRST PERIOD
The Bears came out roaring, firing the puck at the net and had a couple of power play opportunities but couldn’t prevail. Blaine Byron was called for hooking at 2:06, sending the Bears to the game’s first power play.

The Bears fired the first six shots of the contest and led in shots 6-0 five minutes into the game. Hershey got another power play when Anthony Greco was called for high sticking at 7:35. Off a miscue, Alex Grenier grabbed the puck and raced along the right side of the boards and fired the puck into the net from a sharp angle for a shorthanded goal to put the visitors ahead 1-0.

At 13:50, Jayce Hawryluk got whistled for cross checking. The Bears were looking to redeem themselves on the next power play opportunity but came up empty.  Springfield got their first power play of the night when Aaron Ness was called for hooking at 15:56, but the Bears penalty kill came through.

Springfield led Hershey 1-0 after 20. The Bears outshot the Thunderbirds 10-8.

SECOND PERIOD
The Bears and Thunderbird were even in shots at five apiece through the first ten minutes. The Bears got their fourth power play of the night when Byron went to the box at 15:16 for tripping. Hershey once again came up empty and only registered one shot on the man advantage. Connor Hobbs was called for hooking at 18:23 sending the Bears to the penalty kill to end the second period and begin the third.

Springfield outshot Hershey in the second period 9-7. The score remained 1-0 Thunderbirds heading into the final period.

THIRD PERIOD
The Bears killed off the penalty to begin the third period. Down 1-0, the Bears were looking to tie it to force overtime. Byron was whistled for interference at 5:15 in the third, sending Hershey to their fifth power play of the night. The Bears got three shots off but couldn’t score.

Siegenthaler was called for tripping at 10:47, sending Hershey to the penalty kill. Hershey held them off.

The Bears came back and tied the game at 14:38 on a goal by Dustin Gazley. Coming down the ice, John Albert fed a backhand pass to Gazley and he buried it in for his fourth goal of the season.

That tally would ultimately force overtime with the game square at one. The Bears outshot the Thunderbirds 17-4 in the third.

OVERTIME
The Bears would falter three minutes into overtime on a controversial goal by Springfield. After Bears goaltender Pheonix Copley tried to cover the puck, the ref didn’t blow the whistle and play kept going on. Bobby Farnham kneed Copley in the head to steal the puck. Farnham then passed the puck from behind the net to Rob Hamilton, who fed it back to Farnham and he put it in to give the Thunderbirds the 2-1 win.

By Michael Marzzacco

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2 Responses to Bears Fall to Thunderbirds in Heartbreaking Fashion in Overtime

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