Photo: The Hershey Bears
The Hershey Bears downed the Hartford Wolf Pack, 5-0 Saturday night at Giant Center in Hershey. Axel Jonsson-Fjallby scored the first goal of the game, sending the teddy bears flying and added two late scores for the hat trick in the victory. The win improves the Bears record to 19-11-3-2 (43 points) on the season.
The Bears opened the scoring on a snipe by Axel Jonsson-Fjallby early in the first frame and added a score from Brian Pinho with less than two minutes remaining in the period for a 2-0 lead at the first intermission.
After a scoreless second period, Joe Snively scored his 12th of the season to stretch the Bears lead to 3-0 and Axel Jonsson-Fjallby added his second goal of the game for a 4-0 lead midway through the final frame. Jonsson-Fjallby would complete the hat trick late in the contest for the 5-0 win.
STARTERS
The Bears started goaltender Pheonix Copley (9-7-2-1, 2.75 GAA, .897 sv%) in net, while the Wolf Pack countered with Keith Kinkaid (12-1-2-1, 2.54 GAA, .914 sv%) in goal. The starting forward lines and defensive pairs for the Bears:
Injuries: Matt Moulson (upper-body injury) and Bobby Nardella (lower-body injury).
Scratches: Macoy Erkamps, Christopher Brown, Colby McAuley, Kody Clark and Marcus Vela were the scratches.
COVID Protocol: Mason Morelli
FIRST PERIOD
The Bears opened the scoring on a nasty snipe by Axel Jonsson-Fjallby (11) at 6:13 of the first frame. Shane Gersich (10) and Alex Alexeyev (6) had the assists. The goal launched the Bears annual teddy bears toss.
Axel Jonsson-Fjallby with a nasty snipe and it’s raining teddy bears in Hershey, PA! #ALLCAPS #HBH pic.twitter.com/i1Ak6im7hs
— NoVa Caps (@NoVa_Caps) January 23, 2022
Brian Pinho made it 2-0 with his second goal of the season at 18:04 of the first frame. Garrett Pilon (13) and Joe Snively (22) had the helpers.
Brian Pinho cleans up the loose change. Bears lead 2-0 late in first period. #HBH #ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/7j1AvGmItb
— Jon Sorensen (@jon_m_sorensen) January 23, 2022
The period concluded with the Bears leading 2-0. The Bears led in shots 13-7 in the first 20 minutes. Hartford was 0 for 1 and Hershey 1 for 3 on the power play in the opening frame.
SECOND PERIOD
The Bears and Wolf Pack skated to a scoreless draw in the middle frame.
Shots on goal were tied 8-8.
THIRD PERIOD
The Bears made it 3-0 with an early goal from Joe Snively (12) just 23 seconds into the final period. The goal was unassisted.
Joe Snively tucks one home to make it 3-0. #HBH #ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/G8McLsvqU6
— Jon Sorensen (@jon_m_sorensen) January 23, 2022
Axel Jonsson-Fjallby would score his second goal of the night and 12th of the season to stretch the Bears lead to 4-0 at 3:11 of the third period. Tobias Geisser (6) and Garrett Pilon (14) had the helpers.
Axel Jonsson-Fjallby with his second goal of the game, makes it 4-0. #HBH #ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/yGtkQOqP5t
— Jon Sorensen (@jon_m_sorensen) January 23, 2022
Axel Jonsson-Fjallby (13) would complete the hat trick at 13:06 of the final frame. The goal was setup by a beautiful stretch pass from Garrett Pilon (15). Joe Snively (23) had the second assist.
Axel jonsson-Fjallby with the hat trick! Bears lead 3-0. #HBH #ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/KCCNQ6I1xF
— Jon Sorensen (@jon_m_sorensen) January 23, 2022
That would be the final.
SHAVINGS
- AHL box score
- Attendance: 10,515
- Hershey led in shots 36-23.
- Ryan Dmowski led all Bears with 6 shots.
- Stars of the game: 1) Axel Jonsson-Fjallby, 2) Joe Snively and 3) Garrett Pilon
He made it rain twice 🧸🧢 pic.twitter.com/j347FmDX1c
— Hershey Bears (@TheHersheyBears) January 23, 2022
SCENES FROM CHOCOLATE TOWN
Axel making a statement.