Photo: The Hershey Bears
The Hershey Bears fell to the Utica Comets, 3-1 Sunday night at Giant Center in Hershey. The loss drops the Bears record to 26-19-3-3 (58 points) on the season.
Following scoreless first and second periods, the Comets finally dented the twine just 16 seconds into the third period and added a goal midway through the final period for a 2-0 lead. The Bears would finally get on the scoreboard with a power play goal from Jake Massie to make it 2-1, with eight minutes remaining in regulation. The Comets would add an empty net goal for the 3-1 final. Vitek Vanecek stopped 21 or 23 shots faced.
STARTERS
The Bears started goaltender Vitek Vanecek (0-0-0-0, 0.00 GAA, .000 sv%) in net while the Comets countered with Akira Schmid (13-3-2-2, 2.17 GAA, .927 sv%) in goal. The starting forward lines and defensive pairs for the Bears:
Injuries: Lucas Johansen (upper-body injury), Brian Pinho (upper-body injury), Garrett Pilon (upper-body injury), Mike Sgarbossa (upper-body injury), Matt Moulson (back surgery), Kody Clark (lower-body injury) and Bobby Nardella (lower-body injury).
Re-assigned: Vitek Vanecek (conditioning) and Pheonix Copley were re-assigned to Hershey on Sunday. Brett Leason was re-assigned to the Bears on Thursday.
Vitek Vanecek leads em’ out! This will be his first game since Feb 1, when he was injured in the first period against the Penguins. #ALLCAPS #HBH pic.twitter.com/pLu7PT2nol
— NoVa Caps (@NoVa_Caps) February 27, 2022
Scratches: Macoy Erkamps, Drake Rymsha, Hunter Shepard and Pheonix Copley.
FIRST PERIOD
The Bears and Comets skated to a scoreless draw in the first period.
Hershey led in shots 8-5. Utica was 0 for 1 on the power play. The Bears received their first power play with 0.2 seconds remaining in the first period.
SECOND PERIOD
The second period would also go scoreless, as both goaltenders were strong in net.
Hershey led in shots 17-11 in the second period and 26-16 after two periods.
Both teams were 0 for 2 on the power play after two periods.
THIRD PERIOD
The Comets would finally break the ice just 16 seconds into the final period. Joe Gambardella (10) would notch the game’s first tally. Samuel Laberge (6) had the lone assist.
Comets score 16 seconds into third period, lead 1-0. #HBH #ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/BoBTd7EaNs
— Capitals Prospects (@jon_m_sorensen) February 27, 2022
Utica would make it 2-0 midway through the final period. A shot from the point would bounce around in front of the net and go in off of Dylan McIlrath’s skate at 8:53.
Utica makes it 2-0. Bad break, puck deflects off of Dylan McIlrath’s skate. #ALLCAPS #HBH pic.twitter.com/0diZ7scVAn
— Capitals Prospects (@jon_m_sorensen) February 28, 2022
The Bears would finally get on the scoreboard with a goal from Jake Massie (1) at 11:58. Brett Leason (1) and Alex Alexeyev (12) had the helpers.
Jake Massie gets the Bears on the board with a PPG. Comets lead 2-1 in third period. #HBH pic.twitter.com/07fsSMDmYa
— Capitals Prospects (@jon_m_sorensen) February 28, 2022
The Comets would add an empty net goal for the 3-1 final.
The Bears return to action on Wednesday when they host the Charlotte Checkers at Giant Center. Puck drop is set for 7:00 PM.
SHAVINGS
- AHL box score
- Attendance: 9,282
Offense continues to struggle. But they have so many injuries to key forwards it’s easy,to see why. They need to get healthy.