Photo: JustSports/Hershey Bears
The Hershey Bears beat the Bridgeport Sound Tigers 2-1 Tuesday night at the Giant Center in Hershey. The win gives the Bears a 2-1 lead in the best-of-five series. Game 4 is set for Thursday at Giant Center. The Bears will advance to the Atlantic Division finals with a win on Thursday.
STARTERS
Ilya Samsonov (0-1-0-0, 1.92 GAA, .942 sv%) got the start between the pipes for Hershey. Christopher Gibson (1-0-0-0, 1.28 GAA, .935 sv%) got the start in goal for the visiting Sound Tigers. The starting forward lines and defensive pairs for the Bears:
O’Brien – Sgarbossa – Barber
Walker – Megna– Whitney
Gersich – Pilon – Pinho
Steman – McCarthy – Malenstyn
Johansen – Lewington
Geisser – Sproul
Leach – Hobbs
Scratches: Aaron Ness (upper body) and Kris Bindulis (upper body) were the injury scratches. Joe Snively (School), Jusso Ikonen, Max Kammerer, Colby Williams and Bobby Nardell0 were the healthy scratches in Game 3.
FIRST PERIOD
The Bears would start the scoring with a nice dish from Riley Barber to Liam O’Brien for the finish at 11:22 of the first period. Riley Barber (2) and Ilya Samsonov (1) were credited with the helpers. This was Samsonov’s first AHL point.
The Bears open the scoring with a nice dish from Riley Barber to Liam O’Brien for the finish at 11:22 of the first period. pic.twitter.com/F7gn9Wtsew
— NoVa Caps (@NoVa_Caps) April 23, 2019
The Sound Tigers would answer with their first 5-on-5 goal of the series from Josh Ho-Sang at 17:38 of the first period.
Ho-Sang ties it on Bridgeport’s third shot of the game. 1-1 with 2:00 left in first. pic.twitter.com/hU1LpuvrGA
— NoVa Caps (@NoVa_Caps) April 23, 2019
The first period would end with the game tied 1-1. The Bears outshot the Sound Tigers a whopping 18-4 in the first frame. The Sound Tigers were 0 for 2 and the Bears 0 for 1 on the power play in the first 20 minutes.
SECOND PERIOD
The Bears and Sound Tigers skated to a scoreless draw in the middle frame. The Sound Tigers stepped up their shot production, leading 13-8 for the second period. The Bears lead 26-17 after 40 minutes. Both teams were 0 for 3 on the power play after two periods of play.
THIRD PERIOD
The Bears would retake the lead with a goal from Ryan Sproul at 2:50 of the final frame, making it 2-1. Garrett Pilon (1) and Beck Malenstyn (1) were credited with the helpers.
Ryan Sproul lets one fly from Lancaster, giving the Bears a 2-1 lead with 13:00 left in third period. pic.twitter.com/PvKNhNPf5Z
— NoVa Caps (@NoVa_Caps) April 24, 2019
The Bears would hold on for the 2-1 win. Bridgeport lead in shots 10-8 for the final frame.
SHAVINGS
- Stars of the game: 1) Ryan Sproul, 2) Liam O’Brien and 3) Ilya Samsonov.
- Bears oushot the Sound Tigers 34-27.
- Ilya Samsonov stopped 26 of 27 shots for a .963 game save percentage.
- Tyler Lewington and Jayson Megna lead the Bears in shots with 5.
- The Sound Tigers were 0 for 3 and the Bears 0 for 4 on the power play.
- The Bears have allowed just one 5-on-5 goal in the first three games.
- Ilya Samsonov’s assist on the Bears first goal was his first AHL point.
- Liam O’Brien’s goal was his first since March 1st.
- Attendance: 7,152
- The AHL box score for this game is here.
HIGHLIGHTS
SCENES FROM HERSHEY
https://www.instagram.com/bower75/p/BwnXSi8hzyz/?utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=m1n4g9o9xygy