The Hershey Bears downed the Lehigh Valey Phantoms 4-1 Saturday afternoon at the Giant Center in Hershey. Washington Capitals prospect Axel Jonsson-Fjallby scored two goals in the win. The victory improves the Bears record to 6-2-2-0 (14 points) on the season.
STARTERS
Zach Fucale (2-0-0-1, 0.50 GAA, .982 sv%) got his fourth start of the season between the pipes for the Bears. Felix Sandstrom (1-0-1-0, 3.98 GAA, .871 sv%) started in goal for the visiting Phantoms. The starting forward lines and defensive pairs for the Bears:
Scratches: Lucas Johansen (upper body injury), Martin Fehervary (upper body injury), Eddie Whittchow (lower body injury), Macoy Erkamps (lower body injury), Blake Pietila, Tyler Nanne, Mason Morelli, Caleb Herbert.
The Bears signed defenseman Andrew Nielsen to a PTO on Friday. He will have to quarantine before he can play. More here.
FIRST PERIOD
The Bears opened the scoring with a long-distance ripper from Axel Jonsson-Fjallby (3) at 18:22 of the first frame. Rob O’Gara (2) and Connor McMichael (3) had the helpers.
Axel Jonsson-Fjallby rips one from just inside the blueline. Bears lead 1-0. #ALLCAP #CapsProspect pic.twitter.com/rANb6QxBO6
— NoVa Caps (@NoVa_Caps) March 6, 2021
That would be all of the scoring in the first frame. Bears led in shots 6-3 for the first period. The Bears were 0 for 1 and the Phantoms 0 for 0 on the power play in the first 20 minutes.
SECOND PERIOD
The Bears would make it 2-0 on Axel Jonsson-Fjallby’s second goal of the game, this time from much closer range, at 1:45 of the middle frame. Brett Leason (2) and Riley Sutter (3) had the assists.
Axel Jonsson-Fjallby with his second goal of the game. This one much closer. Bears lead 2-0. #CapsProspect #ALLCAPS #flOMG pic.twitter.com/p0eMYjW2nC
— NoVa Caps (@NoVa_Caps) March 6, 2021
The Bears quickly stretched their lead to 3-0 with a goal from Mike Sgarbossa (5) at 2:52 of the second period. Garrett Pilon (8) and Joe Snively (4) had the helpers.
Zane McIntyre would replace Sandstrom in goal for the Phantoms after the third goal.
The Bears would stretch their lead to 4-0 with a goal from Kale Kessy (1) at 3:46 of the middle frame. Cameron Schilling (4) and Brett Leason (3) had the assists.
The period would conclude with the Bears leading 4-0. The Bears led in shots 11-9 in the second period, and 17-12 after two periods. The Phantoms were 0 for 1 and the Bears were 0 for 2 on the power play after two periods.
THIRD PERIOD
The Phantoms would score their lone goal of the game with 1:11 left in regulation to make it 4-1, the final.
The Bears are back on the ice on Sunday when they host the Binghamton Devils at Giant Center. Puck drop is set for 4:00 PM.
SHAVINGS
- AHL box score
- Attendance: 1,264
- Stars of the game: 1) Axel Jonsson-Fjallby, 2) Kale Kessy and 3) Zach Fucale.
- Zach Fucale stopped 17 of 18 shots.
- Fucale has stopped 73 of 75 shots he’s faced in his last three starts.
- Axel Jonsson-Fjallby and Garrett Pilon led the Bears in shots with 5 each.
- Brett Leason had two assists.
- Bears led in shots 23-18.
- Bears were 0 for 3 and the Phantoms 1 for 3 on the power play.
By Jon Sorensen
