Photo: The Hershey Bears
The Hershey Bears fell to the Hartford Wolf Pack, 3-2 (SO) Wednesday evening at Giant Center in Hershey. The loss drops the Bears record to 21-13-3-3 (48 points) on the season.
The Wolf Pack opened the scoring midway through the first frame, but the Bears would answer with a goal from Tobias Geisser for a 1-1 tie at the first intermission. Beck Malenstyn gave the Bears their first lead of the game early in the middle frame, but the Wolf Pack would tie it late in regulation, sending the game to extra time. After a scoreless overtime, the Wolf Pack would win it in the shootout.
STARTERS
The Bears started goaltender Zach Fucale (6-4-3-0, 2.87 GAA, .880 sv%) in net, while the Wolf Pack countered with Keith Kinkaid (14-2-2-1, 2.55 GAA, .913 sv%) in goal. The starting forward lines and defensive pairs for the Bears:
Injuries: Alex Alexeyev (upper-body injury), Garrett Pilon (upper-body injury), Mike Sgarbossa (upper-body injury), Matt Moulson (back surgery), Macoy Erkamps (upper-body injury) and Bobby Nardella (lower-body injury).
Signed: The Bears signed defenseman Tariq Hammond to a professional tryout agreement on Sunday.
Re-assignments: Joe Snively was recalled by the Capitals and Mike Sgarbossa re-assigned to the Bears on January 27. Ryan Dmowski was re-assigned to South Carolina on January 26.
FIRST PERIOD
The Wolf Pack opened he scoring with a tally from Tanner Fritz (7) at 13:53 of the first frame. Tarmo Reunanen (14) and Lauri Pajuniemi (10) had the helpers.
The Bears would answer just before the end of the period with a goal from Tobias Geisser (3) at 18:00 of the first period. Brian Pinho (7) and Cody Franson (14) had the assists.
Tobias Geisser continues to heat up. Ties game 1-1. #HBH #ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/NXJXLgnCzS
— Jon Sorensen (@jon_m_sorensen) February 3, 2022
The first period would conclude with the game tied 1-1. Hartord led in shots 11-8. Hershey was 0 for 1 on the power play while the Wolf Pack did not have a man advantage in the initial stanza.
SECOND PERIOD
The Bears grabbed their first lead of the game with a goal from Beck malenstyn (3) at 10:23 of the middle frame. Kody Clark (6) and Eddie Wittchow (3) had the assists.
Beck “The Check” Malenstyn gives the Bears a 2-1 lead. #WreckItBeck #BeckTheCheck #HBH #ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/QcMSs7Fr7t
— Jon Sorensen (@jon_m_sorensen) February 3, 2022
The second period would end with the Bears leading 2-1.
THIRD PERIOD
The final frame was mostly scoreless until the Wolf Pack finally found the back of the net with 4:20 left in regulation, tying the game 2-2. Jonny Brodzinski (14) would notch the tying tally. Hunter Skinner (3) and Mike O’Leary (4) had the helpers.
Regulation would end with the game tied, 2-2.
OVERTIME/SHOOTOUT
The extra frame would go scoreless. Hartford won it in the shootout.
The Bears are back in action on Friday for the first of a weekend set against the Monsters in Cleveland. Puck drop is set for 7:00 PM.
SHAVINGS
- AHL box score
- Attendance: 8,863
SCENES FROM HERSHEY
