Bears Beat IceHogs 3-2 In Shootout; Extend Winning Streak to 11 Games and Points Streak to 17 Games

Photo: Tori Hartman

The Hershey Bears beat the Rockford IceHogs 3-2 in a shootout Saturday night at Giant Center in Hershey. The win improves the Bears record to 31-20-0-3 (65 points) on the season. The victory extends the Bears winning streak to 11 games and also extends their points streak to 17 games. The Bears wrap-up their three-game weekend set on Sunday against the Sound Tigers in Bridgeport. Puck drop is set for 3:00 PM.

The IceHogs would strike first with a power play goal just 1:21 into the first period. The Bears would tie it up with a goal from Ryan Sproul at 14:47 of the first, but the IceHogs would restore their lead with a goal at 17:45 for a 2-1 lead at the first intermission. After a scoreless second period, Garrett Pilon notched the game-tying tally just 1:28 into the final frame, making it 2-2. The Bears would win it in the shootout.

Photos from the game are here.

STARTERS
Ilya Samsonov (13-11-1-2, 2.88 GAA, .891 sv%) started between the pipes for the Bears. Anton Forsberg (12-10-1-0, 2.60 GAA, .921 sv%) got the start in goal for the visiting IceHogs. 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.

Devante Smith-Pelly was assigned to the Bears on Thursday after clearing waivers. According to the Bears, Smith-Pelly is expected to join the team following tonight’s game and travel with the Bears to Bridgeport for Sunday’s game against the Sound Tigers.

FIRST PERIOD
The IceHogs were awarded the game’s first power play when Jonas Siegenthaler was called for holding just 33 seconds into the game, and they would quickly capitalize. Peter Holland would notch the game’s first tally at 1:21 of the first frame.

The Bears would get their first power play at 5:05 when Shane Gersich was tackled (again) for driving into the zone, but the Bears were unable to capitalize on the man advantage.

The Bears would tie the game with a goal from Ryan Sproul at 14:47 of the first period. Sproul would lift the puck towards the goal, and Forsberg would eventually kick the puck across the line. The goal was unassisted.

But the IceHogs would get the lead right back. Jacob Nilsson would beat Samsonov high glove side from close range for the IceHogs second goal of the game at 17:45 of the first period, making it 2-1.

The period would end with the IceHogs leading 2-1. The Bears led in SOG 11-8 for the first period.

SECOND PERIOD
The Bears and IceHogs would skate to a scoreless draw in the middle frame. Hershey outshot Rockford 8-4 for the second period, and led 19-12 after 40 minutes of play. Rockford was 1 for 3 and Hershey 0 for 3 on the power play after two periods.

THIRD PERIOD
The Bears would tie it up with a goal from Garrett Pilon at 1:28 of the final frame. Beck Malenstyn (7) was credited with the lone assist.

The third period would end, tied 2-2.

OVERTIME/SHOOTOUT
The overtime period ended scoreless. The Bears would win it in the shootout. Ilya Samsonov stopped 2 of 3 attempts. The Bears scored on two of three attempts (Barber and Walker).

HIGHLIGHTS