Photo: Micheline V/Rochester Americans
The Hershey Bears beat the Rochester Americans 4-2 on Friday night at Blue Cross Arena in Rochester. The win raised the Bears record to 5-6-0-1. After starting the season 0-5-0, the Bears are now 5-1-1 in their last seven games. The Americans record drops to 7-3-0-1. The same two teams are back in action Saturday night at Giant Center in Hershey. Puck drop is set for 7:00 PM.
The Bears continued their red-hot play with goals from Sgarbossa, Barber and Jonsson-Fjallby to take a 3-0 lead into the first intermission. After a scoreless middle frame, the Americans would get on the scoreboard early in the final frame and add a second goal late in the final frame to make it 3-2. Liam ‘O’Brien would add an empty net goal for the 4-2 final.
STARTERS
Ilya Samsonov (1-3-0, 3.70 GAA, .860 sv%) started between the pipes for the visiting Bears. Scott Wedgewood (5-2-0, 2.86 GAA .909 SV%) started in goal for the Americans. The starting forward lines and defensive pairs for the Bears:
Travis Boyd, re-assigned to Hershey earlier in the week, made his first start of the season. Tobias Geisser returned to the lineup after being out since October 13. Vitek Vanecek sustained an upper body injury in the last game and has been ruled out for all three games this weekend. Parker Milner was called up earlier in the week.
FIRST PERIOD
The Amerks were whistled for a delay of game penalty just five second into the contest, leading to a Bears power play. Travis Boyd would waste no time, firing a shot on goal, that was deflected by Mike Sgarbossa for the game’s first tally at 0:57. Travis Boyd and Lucas Johansen we’re credited with the helpers.
To recap, the Americans were called for delay of game only five seconds into the game. Less than a minute later, Mike Sgarbossa gives the Bears a 1-0 lead on the power play!
1-0 Hershey with 13:50 left in the 1st period #HBH pic.twitter.com/lw4SeBauUQ
— Hershey Bears (@TheHersheyBears) November 2, 2018
Riley Barber would make it 2-0 with a snipe from the right point at 16:44 of the opening frame. Mike Sgarbossa would get credit for the lone assist. This was Barber’s third goal in as many games.
Axel Jonsson-Fjallby would stretch the Bears lead to 3-0 with a beauty of a finish at 18:24 of the first period. Max Kammerer was credited with the assist.
OH MY GOODNESS THIS WAS DIRTY @axelfjallby #HBH pic.twitter.com/XgVDzFLiQe
— Hershey Bears (@TheHersheyBears) November 2, 2018
Things got chippy following Axel’s tally, with two separate fights breaking out. Liam O’Brien and Connor Hobbs would drop the gloves for the Bears. Connor Hobbs would get a game misconduct.
🎼”Wish we could turn back time, to the good old days”🎼
Because it probably look something like this #HBH pic.twitter.com/zoICq7SdE2
— Hershey Bears (@TheHersheyBears) November 3, 2018
The first period would end with the Bears leading 3-0. Bears led in shots on goal 9-5.
SECOND PERIOD
The Americans replaced Scott Wedgewood with Adam Wilcox in goal to start the middle frame. Both sides had numerous scoring chances, but neither side would find the back of the net, with the score remaining 3-0 at the second intermission.
The Amerks outshot the Bears 12-8 for the second period, and led 18-17 after 30 minutes of play. The Bears were 0 for 1 and the Americans 0 for 5 on the power play after 40 minutes of play.
THIRD PERIOD
The Americans would strike early in the final frame with a goal from C.J Smith at 5:47 of the third period.
.@_CJ_Smith_‘s 5⃣th of the season 🙌 pic.twitter.com/46V7yp87dL
— Rochester Americans (@AmerksHockey) November 3, 2018
The Amerks would pull their goalie with three minutes left in the game, and it would pay quick dividends, as Victor Olofsson scored at 17:18 of the final frame.
We’re within 1⃣ pic.twitter.com/Ov4QC0ifhh
— Rochester Americans (@AmerksHockey) November 3, 2018
But the Bears would add an empty net goal from Liam O’Brien and hang on for the 4-2 win.
SHAVINGS
- This was the 457th meeting between the two teams since 1956. The oldest rivalry in the AHL.
- Ilya Samsonov stopped 34 of 36 shots.
- The Amerks outshot the Bears 36-24.
- Bears end Amerks 8-game point streak.
- Garrett Pilon led the Bears in SOG with 4. Riley Barber and Brian Pinho each had 3 SOG.
- The Bears were 1 for 2 and the Amerks 0 for 5 on the power play.
- This was Jonas Siegenthaler’s 100th AHL game.
- Attendance: 6,013
- The AHL box score is here.
SCENES FROM ROCHESTER
Nice game for Ilya. (Don’t forget to edit this and tag him, too)
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