Photo: Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins

The Hershey Bears fell to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, 3-2 (OT), Wednesday night at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Wilkes-Barre. Bobby Nardella scored with less than two minutes remaining in regulation to send the game to overtime, but the Penguins would take it in the extra frame. The overtime loss drops the Bears record to 30-12-5-1 (66 points) on the season.

LINEUP

Hunter Shepard (13-3-3-1, 2.10 GAA, .920 sv%) got the start between the pipes for the visiting Bears. Taylor Gauthier (5-2-1-0, 2.47 GAA, .914 sv%) got the start in goal for the Penguins. The forward lines and defensive pairs for the Bears:

Mike Vecchione –Mike Sgarbossa – Ethen Frank
Mason Morelli – Connor McMichael – Henrik Borgstrom
Beck Malenstyn – Hendrix Lapierre – Garrett Pilon
Shane Gersich – Riley Sutter – Henrik Rybinski/Julian Napravnik*

*Bobby Nardella
Gabriel Carlsson – Logan Day
Jake Massie – Vinny Iorio

*The Bears were shorthanded on the blueline due to illness and callups.

Scratches: Aaron Ness (illness), Lucas Johansen (illness), Sam Anas (abdominal surgery, out indefinitely), Kale Kessy (upper body injury) and Matthew Strome.

Recalls and Reassignments: Dylan McIlrath was recalled by the Capitals on Wednesday. Joe Snively was recalled by the Capitals on Tuesday. Aliaksei Protas was recalled by the Capitals from Hershey on Friday.

FIRST PERIOD

The Bears and Penguins skated to a scoreless draw through most of the first frame. Bears netminder Hunter Shepard made a big save in the early going, to keep the game scoreless.

Shep Daddy locked in. pic.twitter.com/nKnYCG7uSg

— Capitals Prospects (@jon_m_sorensen) February 16, 2023

The Penguins finally dented the twine with a power play marker late in the period. Drake Caggiula (10) notched the game’s first tally at 16:43 of the first frame. Mitch Reinke (18) and Alexander Nylander (21) had the helpers.

Come for the missile from Reinks 🤠
Stay for the deflection from Jules 😤 pic.twitter.com/06fFVOkaEY

— WBS Penguins (@WBSPenguins) February 16, 2023

But the Bears answered late in the period. Mason Morelli (9) would collect the puck in the Bears end and go the distance at 18:21. The goal was unassisted.

Nice work by Mason Morelli on the back-end, then takes it the distance. Game tied 1-1. #HBH pic.twitter.com/5lfQCmnHUq

— Capitals Prospects (@jon_m_sorensen) February 16, 2023

The period concluded with the game tied 1-1. Hershey, who had been struggling to generate shots in recent games, led 12-6 at the end of the first period. Hershey was 0 for 1 and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton was 1 for 2 on the power play after 20 minutes.

SECOND PERIOD

Henrik Rynski took a puck to the face early in the frame, left the game, but returned for the start of the third period.

Henrik Rybinski takes a puck up high. He’s left for repairs. pic.twitter.com/27VvUu5zAP

— Capitals Prospects (@jon_m_sorensen) February 16, 2023

The Bears and Penguins skated to a scoreless draw in the middle frame. The Bears led in shots, 11-9.

THIRD PERIOD

The Penguins regained the lead early in the final frame. Filip Hållander (9) potted the go- ahead tally at 5:24. Valtteri Puustinen (19) and Jonathan Gruden (6) had the helpers.

Sneaky sneaky 👀 pic.twitter.com/UZ4t4UfUH3

— WBS Penguins (@WBSPenguins) February 16, 2023

The Bears tied the game late. Bobby Nardella lasered one from the right point to tie the game late. Logan Day (9) and Hendrix Lapierre (14) had the assists.

The Nard Dog! Bobby Nardella ties it up with a shot from the point. Game is heading to OT. #HBH #ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/WacPNlQaaB

— Capitals Prospects (@jon_m_sorensen) February 16, 2023

Regulation concluded with the game tied, 2-2.

OVERTIME

The Penguins would take it in the extra stanza.

The Bears are back in action on Saturday when the visit the Checkers in the first of a two-game weekend set in Charlotte.

SHAVINGS

• AHL box score
• Attendance: 2,901
• Bears led in shots, 36-27.
• First game for Julian Napravnik since December 28.