Screen cap: AHL TV
The Hershey Bears downed the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, 4-3 (SO) Saturday night at the Giant Center in Hershey. Riley Sutter scored his fourth goal of the season and Garrett Pilon potted his seventh in the victory. The Bears record improves to 32-12-5-2 (71 points) on the season.
LINEUP
Zach Fucale (15-9-2-1, 2.57 GAA, .898 sv%) got the start between the pipes for the Bears. Nolan Maier (2-1-1-0, 3.22 GAA, .868 sv%) got the start in goal for the visiting Phantoms. The forward lines and defensive pairs for the Bears:
Mike Vecchione –Mike Sgarbossa – Ethen Frank
Joe Snively – Connor McMichael – Henrik Borgstrom
Mason Morelli – Hendrix Lapierre – Garrett Pilon
Beck Malenstyn – Riley Sutter – Henrik Rybinski
Gabriel Carlsson – Vinny Iorio
Aaron Ness – Logan Day
Lucas Johansen – Bobby Nardella
Scratches: Sam Anas (abdominal surgery, out indefinitely), Kale Kessy (upper body injury), Shane Gersich, Jake Massie, Matt Strome and Julian Napravnik.
Recalls and Reassignments: Aliaksei Protas was recalled by the Capitals on Friday. Dylan McIlrath was recalled by the Capitals and Joe Snively was re-assigned to the Bears last Sunday.
FIRST PERIOD
The Phantoms opened the scoring with a power play goal from Tyson Foerster (18) at 16:18 of the first frame. Garrett Wilson (15) had the lone assist. The goal was setup by a Bears turnover in their own zone, as Vinny Iorio and Zach Fucale would fumble for the puck.
Mix-up between Zach Fucale and Vinny Iorio behind the Bears goal leads to Phantoms score. 1-0 after 20 minutes. Only 2 shots for the Bears. #HBH #ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/ifmO6BDw8K
— Capitals Prospects (@jon_m_sorensen) February 26, 2023
That was it for the first stanza. The Phantoms led in shots, 7-2. Lehigh Valley was 1 for 2 on the power play in the first period, while the Bears did not have a man advantage in the initial frame.
SECOND PERIOD
The Bears tied the game 1-1 early in the middle frame on a goal from Riley Sutter (4) at 7:00 of the second period. The goal was setup by a beautiful cross-ice feed by Joe Snively, who put the pass right on Sutter’s stick.
Joe Snively with a beautiful cross-ice feed, hits Riley Sutters stick for the score. Game tied 1-1. #HBH #ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/ijDgQQbRp2
— Capitals Prospects (@jon_m_sorensen) February 26, 2023
The Bears took their first lead of the night on Garrett Pilon’s seventh goal of the season. Hendrix Lapierre made a nice rush, collected the rebound and found Pilon in the slot for the score. Hendrix Lapierre (14) and Mason Morelli (20) had the helpers.
Nice sequence by Hendrix Lapierre, ultimately finding Garrett Pilon in the slot for the score. Bears lead 2-1. #HBH #ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/I5DzsAf2Dq
— Capitals Prospects (@jon_m_sorensen) February 26, 2023
That would be it for the middle frame. The Bears rebounded in the shot department, posting 14 in the middle frame. The Phantoms recorded 10 shots in the second period.
THIRD PERIOD
The Bears extended their lead to 3-1 with a quick score from Mike Sgarbossa (18) just 33 seconds into the final period. Mike Vecchione (24) and Ethen Frank (17) had the assists.
First line drives the bus on this one as Sgarbossa gets his 18th of the season!
🍎 Vecchione
🍏 Frank pic.twitter.com/U9Jz1nTb8r— Hershey Bears (@TheHersheyBears) February 26, 2023
But the Phantoms would answer less than five minutes late to close the gap to a single goal. Wyatte Wylie (3) notched the Phantoms second tally of the game at 4:34 of the final frame. Garrett Wilson (16) had the lone helper.
The Phantoms would then tie the game midway through the final frame. Hayden Hodgson (3) notched the tying tally at 10:37. Louie Belpedio (14) and Egor Zamula (13) had the assists.
Regulation concluded with the game tied 3-3. Shots were tied 26-26 after three periods.
OVERTIME
Vinny Iorio was called for holding with 2:15 remaining in the extra frame, giving the Phantoms a 4-on-3 power play for a majority of the remaining time, but the Bears were able to kill the power play. Beck Malenstyn blocked a key shot and broke up a pass to help stymie the Phantoms power play.
The extra frame would go scoreless.
SHOOTOUT
Joe Snively would be the first Bears player to convert in the skills competition.
Joe Snively converts in the shootout. #HBH #ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/ryRX8mmxSW
— Capitals Prospects (@jon_m_sorensen) February 26, 2023
Henrik Borgstrom would win it for the Bears in the shootout.
Henrik Borgstrom wins it for the Bears in the shootout. #HBH #ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/SmbLJCx4rh
— Capitals Prospects (@jon_m_sorensen) February 26, 2023
The Bears are back in action on Sunday when they host the Belleville Senators at Giant Center. Puck drop is set for 4PM.
SHAVINGS
- AHL box score
- Attendance: 10,524
Da Bears.
After just 2 shots in the first period, I thought they we going to revert to old ways.
It’s perplexing how that is still happening with a team like this. Hard to explain what’s going on.
And the late-game collapses
Stingrays emulated the Caps coming alive in their second period and won 7-3. Clay stopped 25 of 28 shots. Maass had an assist, Bear had 2, Has did not play.
Thank you Frye and Jon
Is Hugo okay
Fyre has a better read on Has. My sense is that he’s been a healthy scratch on the occasional nights.
I have no special insights. I read what the Stingrays and ECHL post, and listen to Cody (Voice of the Stingrays) before, during, and after the game. Last couple of weeks Rays have had a number of players come back from IR. Since I’m not hearing or reading anything on Has, I’m assuming that he’s a healthy scratch as those coming back get rotated back into the game. But, assumptions are often wrong.