Photo: Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins

The Hershey Bears fell to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins 6-4 Sunday afternoon in Wilkes-Barre. The Bears would get goals from O’Brien, Whitney and Siegenthaler to take a 3-1 lead into the first intermission. The Pens would score twice in the middle frame to tie the game 3-3 at the second intermission, and score three times in the final frame to win it 6-4. The Bears return to the ice Saturday against the Wolf Pack in Hartford. Puck drop is 3:00 p.m. 

STARTERS
Pheonix Copley (14-15-6, 2.76 GAA, .901 sv%) got the start in goal for the Bears. Anthony Peters (10-7-3, 2.69 GAA, .905 sv%) started in goal for the Penguins. The starting forward lines and defensive pairs for the Bears:

O’Brien-Graovac-Simpson
Walker-Langlois-Bourque
Whtiney-Magauley-Gazley
Sill-Gustafsson-G.Mitchell
Ness-Johansen
Siegenthaler-Bowey
Bindulis-Williams

Scratches – Mathias Bau, Connor Hobbs, Riley Barber, Mason Mitchell, Anthony Peluso, Tyler Lewington and Adam Chapie.

FIRST PERIOD
The Bears got it started quickly with a goal from Liam O’Brien just 1:02 into the contest. Wayne Simpson and Tyler Graovac were credited with the helpers.

The Bears would quickly add another, this time Joe Whitney at 4:57 of the opening frame. Wayne Simpson and Tim Magauley were credited with the assists.

Pens netminder Anthony Peters was pulled from the game after stopping just one of the first three shots he faced. He was replaced by Etienne Marcoux.

The Penguins would cut into the Bears lead with a goal from Joseph Cramarossa at 11:51 of the first period.

But just over four minutes later, Jonas Siegenthaler would restore the two goal lead with a tally at 15:53 of the first period, making it 3-1. This was Siegenthaler’s 4th goal of the season. Dustin Gazley and Zach Sill would provide the helpers.

Both teams combined for four goal in the opening period, but the Bears got the last laugh! Watch @josieg97 give Hershey a 3-1 lead into the dressing room after 20 minutes #HBH pic.twitter.com/e01sbtGGdK

— Hershey Bears (@TheHersheyBears) March 18, 2018

The period would end with the Bears holding a 3-1 lead. the Pens led in shots on goal 12-7 for the first 20 minutes. The Pens were 0 for 3 and the Bears 0 for 0 on the power play.

SECOND PERIOD
The Pens would make good use of the middle frame, scoring twice to tie things up at the second intermission.

Tom Sestito would make it 3-2 with a tally at 11:58 of the middle frame. Then former Caps 2012 draft pick Thomas DiPauli would tie the game with a goal as time was expiring in the middle frame to make it 3-3.

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton once again outshot the Bears 12-7 for the middle frame, and led 24-14 after two periods of play.

THIRD PERIOD
Former Bear Christian Thomas gave the Pens the lead early in the final frame with a goal at 2:38, making it 4-3.

Thomas DiPauli would score his second tally of the game to give the Pens a 5-3 lead at 7:31 of the third period.

Jonas Siegenthaler would score his second of the contest to make it 5-4 at 10:14 of the final frame. Wayne Simpson and Tyler Graovac were credited with the assists.

Liam O’Brien and Jarred Tinordi would drop the gloves in the final period:

Unfortuneatly the Bears could do no further damage. The Pens would retake a two-goal lead with a goal from Teddy Blueger at 15:19, to make it 6-4 and that would be the final.

Shots on goal were 8-8 for the final frame and 32-22 for the game, in favor of the Penguins. The Penguins were 0 for 5 and the Bears 0 for 1 on the man advantage.

By Jon Sorensen