Photo: Tori Hartman

The Hershey Bears fell to the Toronto Marlies 5-4 in overtime Friday night at Giant Center in Hershey. The overtime loss drops the Bears record to 34-22-3-4 (75 points) on the season. The Bears wrap-up their weekend set of games on Saturday when they host the Bridgeport Sound Tigers at Giant Center. Puck drop is set for 7:00 PM.

STARTERS
Vitek Vanecek (16-9-4-1, 2.78 GAA, .903 sv%) started in goal for the Bears. Michael Hutchinson (12-6-5-2, 2.82 GAA, .910 sv%) got the start between the pipes for the defending Calder Cup champion Marlies. The starting forward lines and defensive pairs for the Bears:

O’Brien– Sgarbossa – Barber
Walker– Megna – Smith-Pelly
Gersich – Pilon – Pinho
Malenstyn– Gustafsson – Whitney

Ness – Lewington
Geisser – Sproul
Johansen – Siegenthaler

Scratches: Kris Bindulis (upper body) and Joey Leach (wrist injury) were the injury scratches.  Connor Hobbs, Max Kammerer, and Juuso Ikonen were the healthy scratches. Mason Mitchell was re-assigned to South Carolina on Monday.

FIRST PERIOD
The Bears and Marlies skated to a scoreless draw in the opening frame. The Marlies outshot the Bears 13-6 for the first period. The Marlies were 0 for 3 and the Bears 0 for 1 on the power play in the first 20 minutes.

SECOND PERIOD
The Marlies would pot the game’s first tally with a power play goal from Adam Brooks at 7:28 of the second period.

But the Bears would get it right back. Garrett Pilon would enter the Marlies zone, dangle and dish to Jayson Megna who wired one from the left circle for the game-tying score. Garrett Pilon (20) and Tyler Lewington (11) were credited with the helpers.

But the Marlies would also answer. Jeremy Bracco would notch the go ahead goal at 10:33 of the second period.

The Bears would answer right back. Nathan Walker would pot the game tying tally at 12:13 of the second period. Jayson Megna (19) and Devante Smith-Pelly (5) were credited with the helpers.

The Marlies would climb back in front with a goal from Michael Carcone at 14:03 of the second period, making it 3-2, Marlies.

The Marlies would make it 4-2 with a goal from Jordan Subban at 15:02 of the second period.

The second period would end with the Marlies leading 4-2. The Bears led in shots 11-9 for the middle frame. The Marlies were 2 for 7 and the Bears 0 for 3 on the power play after 40 minutes.

Liam O’brien was tossed from the game after a scrap and tossing of his helmet midway through the middle frame.

THIRD PERIOD
The Bears would cut the Marlies lead to 4-3 with a redirected goal from Garrett Pilon at 10:34 of the final frame. Nathan Walker (17) and Ryan Sproul (14) were credited with the assists.

Devante Smith-Pelly would tie the game with his fifth goal in the last three games at 12:05 of the final frame. The goal was unassisted.

Regulation would end, tied 4-4.

OVERTIME
The Marlies would win it in overtime. Bears goaltender Vitek Vanecek would lose his stick in the play prior to the shot as the result of a collision with a Marlies player.

SHAVINGS

• Devante Smith-Pelly scored his fifth goal in the last three games.
• The Marlies were 3 for 9 and the Bears 0 for 4 on the power play.
• This was Jayson Megna’s 300th career AHL game.
• The AHL box score is here.

HIGHLIGHTS