Photo: Caroline O’Connor/Great Save Productions/Hershey Bears
The Lehigh Valley Phantoms downed the Hershey Bears 3-0 Saturday evening at Giant Center in Hershey. The Phantoms would strike first just four minutes into the contest for a 1-0 lead at the first intermission. After a scoreless middle frame, the Phantoms would add a late goal and an empty net goal in the third period for the 3-0 final. The loss drops the Bears record to 28-15-2-3 (61 points) on the season. Hartford also lost tonight, so the Bears remain tied with the Wolf Pack for first place in the Atlantic Division. Hartford still has two games in hand.
STARTERS
Vitek Vanecek (13-8-1-1, 2.45 GAA, .907 sv%) started between the pipes for the Bears. J.F. Berube (9-9-4-2, 2.57 GAA, .907 sv%) got the start in goal for the visiting Phantoms. The starting forward lines and defensive pairs for the Bears:
Lineup for 2/1/2020 vs. Lehigh Valley ⬇️ HBH pic.twitter.com/Mu3YiOC0xW
— Hershey Bears (@TheHersheyBears) February 1, 2020
Scratches: Mike Sgarbossa (lower-body injury, day-to-day), Joe Snively (upper-body injury, week-to-week), Steve Whitney (upper body injury, week-to-week), Lucas Johansen, Brett Leason, and Connor Hobbs (shoulder surgery this week, out indefinitely) were the injury scratches. Matt Weis, Kale Kessy and Eddie Whitchow were the healthy scratches.
FIRST PERIOD
The Phantoms would strike first with a deflected goal by Chris Stewart (1) at 4:11 of the first frame. Stewart deflected a shot from the right point by Maksim Sushko.
The Phantoms would be the benefactors of the game’s first power play following a delay of game penalty on Shane Gersich at 17:07 of the first frame, but the Phantoms were unable to capitalize.
The Bears would get their first power play with 35 seconds remaining in the opening frame, but were unable to convert before the end of the period.
The first period would conclude with the Phantoms leading 1-0. Lehigh Valley led in shots 8-5 for the first period.
SECOND PERIOD
The Bears opened the middle frame with 1:25 remaining on a power play but were unable to convert. The Bears would return to the power play at 5:24 of the middle frame, but once again, were unable to capitalize.
The second period would ultimately go scoreless. Hershey outshot Lehigh Valley 9-8 for the middle frame, with the Phantoms leading in shots 16-14 after two periods. The Phantoms were 0 for 2 and the Bears 0 for 3 on the power play after two periods.
THIRD PERIOD
The Phantoms would a late goal from David Kase at 17:43 of the final frame for a 2-0 Phantoms lead.
The Phantoms would add an empty net goal for the 3-0 final.
SHAVINGS
- AHL box score
- Attendance: 10,363
- Lehigh Valley led in shots 30-18.
- Vitek Vanecek stopped 27 of 29 shots faced for a .931 game save percentage.
- Phil Maillet led the Bears in shots with 4.
- Both teams were 0 for 4 on the power play.
- First time Bears were shutout on home ice since November 15.
SCENES FROM HERSHEY
A rare stinker from the Bears. Spencer Carbery has done another outstanding job this season in preparing his Hershey Bears for day-to-day combat!
Let’s squash the LBS Penguins next Friday!