Photo: Providence Bruins

The Hershey Bears fell to the Providence Bruins, 3-2 Saturday night at the Amica Mutual Pavilion in Providence, Rhode Island. The Bears jumped out to a 2-0 lead after one period of play but gave up three unanswered goals in the last two periods to take the loss.

Ethen Frank recorded his team-leading 25th goal of the season and Beck Malenstyn  added his 6th goal of the season in the loss. The defeat drops the Bears record to 34-15-5-2 (75 points) on the season and allows the Bruins to leapfrog the Bears for first place in the Atlantic Division.

LINEUP

Zach Fucale (18-9-2-1, 2.61 GAA, .897 sv%) got the start between the pipes for the visiting Bears. Brandon Bussi (16-4-4-1, 2.40 GAA, .925 sv%) got the start in goal for the Bruins. The forward lines and defensive pairs for the Bears:

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

Bobby Nardella – Dylan McIlrath
Lucas Johansen – Vincent Iorio
Jake Massie – Aaron Ness

Scratches: Mike Sgarbossa (upper body injury), Hendrix Lapierre (upper body injury), Sam Anas (abdominal surgery, practicing, no-contact jersey), Julian Napravnik, Benton Maass, Logan Day and Michael Kim.

Recalls/Reassignments: Kale Kessy was traded to Colorado for future considerations earlier in the week. Dylan McIlrath was returned to the Bears on Wednesday. The Capitals returned defensemen Vinny Iorio to the Bears on Friday.

FIRST PERIOD

The Bears opened the scoring with a redirect tally from Beck Malenstyn (6) at 9:19 of the first period. Lucas Johansen (5) and Vincent Iorio (16) had the helpers.

Redirect by Beck Malenstyn, Bears lead 1-0 midway through the first. #HBH #ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/cnhnUMOzJb

— Capitals Prospects (@jon_m_sorensen) March 12, 2023

The Bears quickly made it 2-0 on Ethen Frank‘s 25th of the season at 10:42 of the first frame. Connor McMichael (16) and Mason Morelli (22) had the helpers.

Frank The Tank! Ethen Frank with a canon shot. His 25th of the season. Bears lead 2-0. #HBH #ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/YshFx69tDV

— Capitals Prospects (@jon_m_sorensen) March 12, 2023

The first period concluded with the Bears leading 2-0. Providence led in shots, 7-6. The Bruins were 0 for 1 on the power play while the Bears did not have a man advantage in the first 20 minutes.

SECOND PERIOD

The Bruins cut the Bears lead in half just 49 seconds into period two. Eduards Tralmaks (3) notched Providence’s first tally at 0:49 of the second period. Samuel Asselin (8) and Oskar Steen (16) had the assists.

Eddie “Trailmix” Tralmaks gets us on the board! pic.twitter.com/LgnRJB2xTH

— Providence Bruins (@AHLBruins) March 12, 2023

And that would be it for the middle frame. Shots were tied 8-8 in the second period. Both teams were 0 for 2 on the power play after two periods.

THIRD PERIOD

The Bruins tied the game with 8:55 remaining in the game. Former Bear Connor Carrick (5) potted the tying score. Fabian Lysell (19) and Justin Brazeau (20) had the assists.

CARRICK TIES THE GAME! pic.twitter.com/8ZK6UOEXZI

— Providence Bruins (@AHLBruins) March 12, 2023

The Bruins took their first lead of the night with a goal from Oskar Steen (14) at 14:56. Eduards Tralmaks (2) and Joona Koppanen had the helpers.

Steener’s THIRD goal of the weekend! pic.twitter.com/3c61YtHcfZ

— Providence Bruins (@AHLBruins) March 12, 2023

The Bruins would hold on for the 3-2 final

The same two teams do it again tomorrow in Providence. Puck drop is set for 3:05 PM.

SHAVINGS

• AHL box score
• Attendance: 9,112