Photo: Tori Hartman

The Hershey Bears beat the Lehigh Valley Phantoms 3-2 in a shootout Saturday night at Giant Center in Hershey. The win improves the Bears record to 28-20-0-3 (59 points) on the season. The win is the Bears eighth-straight and gives them points in 14 consecutive games. The two teams complete their home-and-home set on Sunday at the PPL Center in Allentown. Puck drop is set for 5:05 PM.

SUMMARY
The Phantoms opened the scoring with a 5-on-3 goal at 4:38 of the opening frame, for a 1-0 lead at the first intermission. The Bears would answer with a power play goal from Mike Sgarbossa midway through the second period, and add another power play goal from Jayson Megna late in the second period for a 2-1 Bears lead at the second intermission. The Phantoms would tie the game with a power play goal at 18:51 of the final frame, sending the game to overtime. After a scoreless extra frame, Mike Sgarbossa would pot the only goal in the shootout for the Bears 3-2 win.

Game photos are here.

STARTERS
Ilya Samsonov (12-11-1-2, 2.92 GAA, .889 sv%) got the start between the pipes for the Bears. Alex Lyon (11-10-1-1, 2.55 GAA, .921 sv%) got the start for the Phantoms. The starting forward lines and defensive pairs for the Bears:

O’Brien – Sgarbossa – Barber
Gersich– Megna – Pinho
Malenstyn – Pilon – Walker
Whitney – Gustafsson – Ikonen

Ness – Lewington
Geisser – Sproul
Johansen – Siegenthaler

Scratches: Colby Williams (lower body), Kris Bindulis (upper body) and Joey Leach (wrist injury – long-term) were the injury scratches. Connor Hobbs, Max Kammerer and Mason Mitchell were the healthy scratches.

FIRST PERIOD
The Phantoms were benefactors of two early Bears’ penalties, the first by Jonas Siegenthaler (Slashing) at 3:40, and the second by Tyler Lewington (Delay of game) at 3:48, giving the Phantoms a 5-on-3 for 1:52 of the first period, and the Phantoms would capitalize. Corban Knight would lace a shot from the top of the slot, beating Samsonov glove-side at 4:38.

The Bears would kill the remainder of the penalty, and a third penalty called for too many men, keeping the score at 1-0 midway through the first period.

The period would end with the Phantoms leading 1-0. Shots on goal were even at 10-10. The Phantoms were 1 for 3 and the Bears were 0 for 1 on the power play in the first 20 minutes.

SECOND PERIOD
The Bears would tie the game with a power play goal from Mike Sgarbossa at 11:50 of the middle frame. The goal ended a drought of 33 consecutive scoreless power plays against Lehigh Valley. Riley Barber (21) and Aaron Ness (33) were credited with the helpers.

The Bears would grab their first lead of the game with another power play goal. This time Jayson Megna would deflect a shot from the right point by Riley Barber at 18:42 of the second period. Riley Barber (22) and Aaron Ness (34) had the assists.

The second period would end with the Bears leading 2-1. The Bears outshot the Phantoms 15-9 for the second period, and led 25-19 after two periods. The Phantoms were 1 for 3 and the Bears 2 for 4 on the power play after two periods.

THIRD PERIOD
The Phantoms would tie the game with a goal from Corban Knight at 18:51 of the final frame. It was Knight’s second goal of the game, and sent the game to overtime.

OVERTIME/SHOOTOUT
The overtime was scoreless, sending the game to a shootout.

Mike Sgarbossa would tally the only goal in the shootout. Riley Barber and Nathan Walker were denied. Ilya Samsonov was perfect in the shootout.

HIGHLIGHTS

SHAVINGS

• Stars of the game: 1) Mike Sgarbossa, 2) Corban Knight and 3) Aaron Ness.
• Bears have won eight straight games, and have points in 14 consecutive games.
• Bears are 6-3 in the shootout this season.
• Bears are one point behind the Phantoms (60 points) in the standings.
• The point streak is the second longest in team history.
• The Bears first power play goal in the second period ended a drought of 33 consecutive scoreless power plays against the Phantoms.
• The Bears outshot the Phantoms 35-30.
• Ilya Samsonov stopped 28 of 30 shots for .933 save percentage.
• Aaron Ness and Riley Barber each had two points.
• Ryan Sproul and Riley Barber led the Bears in shots with 5.
• The Phantoms were 2 for 4 and the Bears 2 for 6 on the power play.
• Attendance: 10,587
• The AHL box score is here.

SCENES FROM HERSHEY

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