Photo: Lehigh Valley Phantoms

The Hershey Bears downed the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, 5-2, Wednesday night at the PPL Center in Allentown, PA. Joe Snively and Mason Morelli each recorded two goals and Connor McMichael scored his 9th goal since re-joining the Bears in the decisive victory. The Bears record improves to 27-8-4-1 (59 points) on the season.

LINEUP

Zach Fucale (12-7-2-1, 2.52 GAA, .901 sv%) got the start between the pipes for the visiting Bears. Samuel Ersson (10-8-1-0, 2.68 GAA, .911 sv%) got the start in goal for the Phantoms. The forward lines and defensive pairs for the Bears:

Mike Vecchione –Mike Sgarbossa – Ethen Frank
Joe Snively – Connor McMichael – Henrik Borgstrom
Mason Morelli – Garrett Pilon – Shane Gersich
Beck Malenstyn – Riley Sutter – Matt Strome

Aaron Ness – Bobby Nardella
Gabriel Carlsson – Dylan McIlrath
Lucas Johansen – Vinny Iorio

Scratches: Hunter Shepard (non-Covid illness), Hendrix Lapierre (non-Covid illness), Henrik Rybinski (non-Covid illness), Sam Anas (abdominal surgery, out indefinitely), Kale Kessy (upper body injury), Jake Massie, Julian Napravnik and Logan Day.

Recalls/Re-assignments: The Capitals re-assigned goaltender Clay Stevenson from ECHL South Carolina to Hershey on Wednesday. The Capitals recalled Aliaksei Protas from Hershey on Tuesday, January 17.

FIRST PERIOD

The Bears opened the scoring with a goal from Connor McMichael (9) just 1:15 into the game. Dylan McIlrath (8) and Joe Snively (2) had the helpers.

Connor McMichael with a footer for his 9th of the season. Bears lead 1-0 early. #HBH #ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/r4NztgIY7g

— Capitals Prospects (@jon_m_sorensen) January 26, 2023

But the Phantoms answered just over two minutes later with a goal from Elliot Desnoyers (14) at 3:23. Jordy Bellerive (12) and Max Willman (7) had the assists.

That would be it for the first 20 minutes. Lehigh Valley led in shots, 7-4. Both teams were 0 for 1 on the power play in the first period.

SECOND PERIOD

The Bears re-gained the lead early in the middle frame on a power play goal from Joe Snively (4) at 6:47 of the second period. Henrik Borgstrom (12) and Garrett Pilon (9) had the helpers.

Nice fake and dish by Henrik Borgstrom to a WIDE open Joe Snively for the power play tally. Snipely’s 4th since returning to the Bears. Bears lead 2-1. #HBH #ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/ZgzqFEjoUF

— Capitals Prospects (@jon_m_sorensen) January 26, 2023

The Phantoms tied the game late in the middle frame with a goal form Hayden Hodgson (2) at 13:44. Adam Brooks (8) and Kevin Connauton (5) had the assists.

Phantoms tie it following unfortunate bounce in Bears zone, skips over Aaron Ness’s stick for the wide open shot. #HBH pic.twitter.com/jfIWYRP0Ps

— Capitals Prospects (@jon_m_sorensen) January 26, 2023

That would be it for the second period. Shots were tied 13-13 in the middle frame with Lehigh Valley leading 20-17 after two periods. Hershey was 1 for 2 and Lehigh Valley 0 for 1 on the power play after two periods.

Some serious lobbying by Phantoms’ head coach Ian Laperrière at the start of the second intermission. Game’s tied 2-2 after 2. pic.twitter.com/GkI3yvbIdn

— Capitals Prospects (@jon_m_sorensen) January 26, 2023

THIRD PERIOD

The Bears regained the lead once again. Joe Snively roofed a wrister for his second of the game just 1:00 into the final frame. Dylan McIlrath (9) and Gabriel Carlsson (9) had the assists.

Joe Snipely! It’s his second goal of the night, 5th since returning to the Bears. Bears lead 3-2 in the 3rd. #HBH #ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/PeT10Oft0D

— Capitals Prospects (@jon_m_sorensen) January 26, 2023

Then it was the Mason Morelli show. He scored his 6th of the season on the power play midway through the final frame to give the Bears some breathing room. Connor McMichael (8) and Ethen Frank (14) has the helpers.

Smart 👐 from @morelli21 for the deflection goal, and it’s his sixth of the season!

🍎 McMichael
🍏 Vecchione pic.twitter.com/jGFXRAlmYV

— Hershey Bears (@TheHersheyBears) January 26, 2023

Mason Morelli added his second goal of the game just minutes later to make it 5-2. Vincent Iorio (11) and Shane Gersich (8) had the assists.

Off the end boards and in – it’s the second of the night for @morelli21!

🍎 Iorio
🍏 Gersich pic.twitter.com/UHSXeVP4C9

— Hershey Bears (@TheHersheyBears) January 26, 2023

That would be it as the Bears held on for the 5-2 win.

The same two teams will do it again on Saturday at PPL Center. Puck drop is set for 7:15PM.

SHAVINGS

• AHL box score
• Attendance: 5,224
• Joe Snively had three points.
• Mason Morelli had two points.
• Dylan McIlrath had two points.
• Zach Fucale stopped 20 of 22 shots faced.
• Bears are 6-0 against Lehigh Valley this season.
• Joe Snively recorded his 100th career professional point.
• Bears now have power play goals in seven straight games.
• Mike Vecchione recorded his 200th career professional point.