Hershey Bears End Nine-Game Winless Streak in a Shootout Over Charlotte Checkers 6-5

Posted on February 3, 2018 by
Screen Shot 2018-02-03 at 10.29.17 PM
Photos: JustSports

The Hershey Bears got a thrilling 6-5 win in shootout fashion on Saturday night, defeating the Charlotte Checkers at Giant Center. Hershey took a 3-0 lead before Charlotte scored three unanswered goals. After the Bears regained the lead, Charlotte scored two straight and looked to be handing Hershey another loss before Travis Boyd forced overtime with a goal late in the third period. This win snaps the Bears nine-game winless streak, improving their record to 18-22-3-4. 

BEARS LINES

Forwards
Bourque-Boyd-Bau
Walker-Graovac-Barber
Gazley-Albert-Simpson
M. Mitchell-Sill-G. Mitchell
Defense
Ness-Hobbs
Siegenthaler-Lewington
Johansen-Williams

Starting goalie: Vitek Vanecek

Scratches: Jeremy Langlois (upper body), Liam O’Brien (upper body), Hubert Labrie and Anthony Peluso (veteran)

FIRST PERIOD
The Bears struck first just 49 seconds into the contest, on their first shot of the game, with a goal by Nathan Walker, his third of the season.

Hershey was outshot 5-2 through the first five minutes of the game. At 8:35 in the opening period, Brenden Kichton took a cheap shot at Riley Barber. Connor Hobbs stuck up for Barber by fighting Kichton. The Bears killed off the Checkers power play.

Later in the first, the Bears got their first power play chance after Philip Samuelsson was called for hooking at 15:35. The Bears came up short but would get another chance as Patrick Brown went to the box for slashing. Hershey capitalized on the man-advantage. Travis Boyd whiffed a sweet pass to Barber and he buried it to give the Bears a 2-0 lead.

The Bears led 2-0 after the first 20 minutes and outshot the Checkers 12-7.

SECOND PERIOD
Garrett Mitchell put the Bears up 3-0 with his sixth goal of the season at 4:15 with a rocket slapshot.

Through the first five minutes of the second, the Checkers outshout the Bears 6-1. The Checkers got on the board with a goal by Roland McKeown at 7:47.

The Bears went on the penalty kill at 10:44 as Colby Williams was called for slashing. Three seconds later right off the face-off, Trevor Carrick made it a one-goal deficit.

The Checkers would tie it at three at 14:54 with a goal by Lucas Wallmark.

Frustrations began to boil over as the Mitchell brothers (actually not related) got in on the fighting action 50 seconds later. First Garrett Mitchell and Clark Bishop dropped the gloves.

Then Mason Mitchell and Trevor Carrick went at it.

Both Mason Mitchell and Carrick received game misconducts for secondary altercation. At 18:04 Warren Foegele went to the box for hooking. The Bears converted on the power play to take the lead with Riley Barber’s 15th goal of the season.

That lead would be short-lived as Julien Gauthier tied it back up at four.

The Bears were outshot a whooping 17-3 in the middle period. Both teams headed to the dressing room with the score knotted at four.

THIRD PERIOD
The Checkers had two power play opportunities to start the final period. At 4:48 Nathan Walker was called for holding. At 8:20, John Albert was whistled for slashing. Hershey was able to kill off both penalties. Charlotte would take the lead at 10:43 with a goal by Aleksi Saarela.

The Bears went to power play looking to tie things back up as Roland McKeown was called for slashing. Travis Boyd came up clutch with his 10th goal of the year with a great fake. The tally came with 3:48 left

The Bears would get a chance to win the game when Josiah Didier was called for a delay of game with 45 seconds to go. The Bears couldn’t break through and the game headed to overtime with the score tied at five. The Checkers outshot the Bears in the third 10-6.

OVERTIME
The Bears would begin overtime with 1:16 left on the power play. At 3:44 Colby Williams was called for slashing and then at 4:53 Andre Miller went to the box for holding. Nobody would score and only two shots were taken, both by the Bears. This exciting game headsd to the shootout. The Bears were outshot 34-24 in total.

SHOOTOUT
In the first round Wayne Simpson lost control of the puck while Valentin Zykov scored to put the visitors ahead.

In the second round, Chris Bourque scored while Vitek Vanecek stopped Aleksi Saarela.

Both Mathias Bau and Lucas Wallmark were stopped in the third round. In the fourth Riley Barber and Andrew Miller were stopped. In the fifth, Travis Boyd scored to put the Bears ahead.

Then it was all up to Vanecek. He stopped Janne Kuokkanen to win the game and end the nine game winless streak.

Vanecek improves his record to 8-6-1-2. The Bears next game is on Super Bowl Sunday as these same teams will go head to head. Puck drop is at 2 p.m. from Giant Center.

AHL box score here.

Troy Mann’s postgame press conference

Game highlights

By Michael Marzzacco

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2 Responses to Hershey Bears End Nine-Game Winless Streak in a Shootout Over Charlotte Checkers 6-5

  1. Pingback: Hershey Bears Snap Winless Streak with Win Against Charlotte (Photos) | NoVa Caps

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