Bears Squander 4-1 Lead, Fall To Devils, 6-5: Garrett Pilon And Joe Snively Score Third Goals Of The Season

The Hershey Bears fell to the Binghamton Devils 6-5, Friday night at the RWJ Barnabas Health Hockey House in Newark, New Jersey. The loss drops the Bears record to 7-4-2-0 (16 points) on the season.

The Bears would get goals from Matt Moulson, Paul LaDue, Garrett Pilon and Joe Snively to stake a 4-1 lead midway through the second period, but the Devils would answer with three unanswered goals late in the period to tie it, 4-4, at the second intermission.

The Devils would grab an early lead in the final frame with their 4th unanswered goal to make it 5-4 and add a power play goal midway through the final frame to make it 6-4.

The Bears would finally answer with a goal from Kody Clark (5) to make it 6-5, but that would be it for the scoring, as the Bears fall, 6-5.

STARTERS
Pheonix Copley (2-1-1-0, 2.70 GAA, .885 SV%) got the start between the pipes for the visiting Bears. Gilles Senn (0-4-0-0, 3.99 GAA, .892 sv%) got the start in goal for the B-Devils. The starting forward lines and defensive pairs for the Bears:

Scratches: Lucas Johansen (upper body injury), Macoy Erkamps (lower body injury), Tyler Nanne (injury), Mason Morelli, Kale Kessy, Zach Fucale, Andrew Nielsen, Rob O’Gara.

The Bears recalled goaltender Hunter Shepard from the South Carolina Stingrays earlier this week. He is in quarantine. The Bears also signed goaltender Billy Christopoulos to a PTO earlier this week. He served as the backup to Copley in this game.

FIRST PERIOD
The Devils struck first with eight seconds remaining in the game’s first power play. Graeme Clarke (3) scored from the right dot at 4:39 of the opening frame. Former Hershey Bear and Washington Capital Connor Carrick (1) and Nate Schnarr (1) had the assists.

The Bears would answer with a goal from captain Matt Moulson (3) at 7:32 of the first period. Shane Gersich (3) and Will Graber (2) had the helpers.

The first period would conclude with the game tied 1-1. The Bears led in shots, 9-7. Hershey was 0 for 3 and Binghamton 1 for 1 on the power play in the first frame.

SECOND PERIOD
The Bears were awarded a 5-on-3 power play in the first minute of the middle frame. They were unable to convert at 5-on-3, but Paul LaDue would notch his first tally as a Bear during 5-on-4 play, giving the Bears a 2-1 lead at 2:33 of the middle frame. Martin Fehervary (3) and Kody Clark (2) had the assists.

The Bears made it 3-1 with a beautiful redirect by Garrett Pilon (3) at 12:35 of the second period. Will Graber (3) and Mike Sgarbossa (4) had the assists.

Garrett Pilon (3) with a sweet redirect gives Bears 3-1 lead. #CapsProspect #ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/kd62H2ysR3

— NoVa Caps (@NoVa_Caps) March 20, 2021

Joe Snively (3) made it 4-1 with a nice wrap-around at 15:29 of the second period. Mike Sgarbossa (5) and Garrett Pilon (10) had the assists.

Joe Snively (3) with a nice wrap-around makes it 4-0 Bears. #CapsProspect #ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/316da8u3og

— NoVa Caps (@NoVa_Caps) March 20, 2021

Down 4-1, the Devils rallied all the way back following a timeout by the team. Jesper Boqvist made it 4-2 at 15:54.

Fabian Zetterlund (2) would make it 4-3 with a power play tally at 17:48.

Jesper Boqvist tied the game 4-4 with his second goal of the period at 19:05 of the middle frame.

The Bears led in shots 17-5 in the middle frame and 26-12 after two periods. Hershey was 1 for 5 and Binghamton 2 for 3 on the power play after two periods.

THIRD PERIOD
The Devils would take the lead early in the final frame with a goal from Fabian Zetterlund (3) at 3:28 of the final frame.