The Hershey Bears downed the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, 2-1, in Game 2 of their best-of-three first round series of the Calder Cup Playoffs on Sunday at Giant Center. The Bears’ victory forces a decisive Game 3 on Monday in Wilkes-Barre.
The Bears opened the scoring on a deflection by Beck Malenstyn for a power play tally early in the first period, giving the Bears a 1-0 lead at the first intermission.
The Bears made it 2-0 on a shot from the point by Dyland McIlrath midway through the middle frame, but the Penguins would answer 30 seconds later for a 2-1 score at the second break.
The third period would go scoreless.
STARTERS
Pheonix Copley (0-1-0, 2.05 GAA, .933 sv%) got the start in goal for the Bears. The Penguins countered with Tommy Napier (1-0-0, 0.00 GAA, 1.000 sv%) in net. The starting forward lines and defensive pairs for the Bears:
Injuries: Joe Snively (injury), Kody Clark (injury), Shane Gersich (lower body injury), Ethan Frank (lower body injury), Brian Pinho (shoulder surgery), Matt Moulson (back surgery), Julian Napravnik (lower body injury) and Riley Sutter (upper body injury).
Scratches: Macoy Erkamps, Christopher Brown, Jake Massie, Vincent Iorio, Bear Hughes, Benton Maass, Kevin Fitzgerald, and Clay Stevenson.
Debut: Capitals prospect Bogdan Trineyev made his AHL debut.
FIRST PERIOD
The Bears opened the scoring on a deflection of a Bobby Nardella shot from the point by Beck Malenstyn (1) at 4:07 of the first frame. The power play tally was assisted by Bobby Nardella (1) and Mason Morelli.
Bobby Nardella lets one rip and a leaping Beck Malenstyn deflects for the game’s first goal. Bears lead 1-0. #HBH #ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/uiDVubuEB9
— Capitals Prospects (@jon_m_sorensen) May 8, 2022
That would be all of the scoring in the first period. The Bears led in shots, 12-6. Hershey was 1 for 3 and Wilkes-Barre 0 for 1 on the power play in the first 20 minutes.
SECOND PERIOD
The Bears stretched their lead to 2-0 with a goal from Dylan McIlrath at 10:16 of the second period. Tobias Geisser (1) and Eddie Wittchow (1) had the assists.
Dylan McIlrath from WAY outside gives the Bears a 2-0 lead. Bears need to win to force a decisive Game 3 on Monday. #HBH #ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/em9eGcldKZ
— Capitals Prospects (@jon_m_sorensen) May 8, 2022
The Penguins answered 30 seconds later with a redirect by Felix Robert (1) at 10:46 of the second period. Alexander Nylander (1) and Radim Zohorna (2) had the helpers.
Pens quickly answer with a tally from Felix Robert (1). Bears lead 2-1 midway through middle frame. #HBH pic.twitter.com/LHGIqWWzLh
— Capitals Prospects (@jon_m_sorensen) May 8, 2022
The second period concluded with the Bears holding on to the 2-1 lead. Hershey led in shots 12-10 in the second period and 24-16 after two periods. The Penguins were 0 for 2 and the Bears 1 for 3 on the power play after 40 minutes.
THIRD PERIOD
The Bears and Penguins skated to a scoreless draw in the final frame.
The Bears led in shots 8-7 in the final frame.
Game 3 is set for Monday night in Wilkes-Barre. Puck drop is set for 7:00 PM.
SHAVINGS
- AHL box score
- Attendance: 8,843
- Bears led in shots 32-23.
- Brett Leason led all Bears in shots with 6.
- Pheonix Copley stopped 22 of 23 for a .956 game save percentage.
- Wilkes-Barre was 0 for 2 and Hershey was 1 for 3 on the power play.
- Stars of the game: 1) Dylan McIlrath, 2) Beck Malenstyn and 3) Pheonix Copley.