The Hershey Bears downed the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, 2-1 Friday night at the PPL Center in Allentown, PA. Ethen Frank recorded his 26th goal of the season and Sam Anas scored in his first game back after missing the previous 29 games due to abdominal surgery in the victory. The win improves the Bears record to 36-16-5-2 (79 points) on the season.
LINEUP
Hunter Shepard (13-6-5-1, 2.28 GAA, .911 sv%) got the start between the pipes for the visiting Bears. Samuel Ersson (19-12-1-1, 2.69 GAA, .905 sv%) got the start in goal for the Phantoms. The forward lines and defensive pairs for the Bears:
Joe Snively –Connor McMichael – Ethen Frank
Mason Morelli – Garrett Pilon – Sam Anas
Shane Gersich – Henrik Rybinski –Julain Napravnik
Beck Malenstyn – Riley Sutter – Matt Strome
Aaron Ness – Logan Day
Jake Massie – Lucas Johansen
Bobby Nardella – Dylan McIlrath
Scratches: Mike Vecchione (illness), Vinny Iorio (upper body injury), Mike Sgarbossa (upper body injury), Hendrix Lapierre (upper body injury), Henrik Borgstrom (upper body injury) and Benton Maass.
On Wednesday Bears head coach Todd Nelson said Vincent Iorio will be out 7-10 days. Hendrix Lapierre is still a week away from returning.
Recalls/Reassignments: Kale Kessy was traded to Colorado for future considerations earlier in the week. Defender Michael Kim was loaned to our ECHL affiliate, the SC Stingrays, on Wednesday.
FIRST PERIOD
The Bears and Phantoms skated to a scoreless draw for most of the first frame before Ethen Frank (26) deposited a rebound of a Joe Snively shot at 18:56. Joe Snively (10) and Connor McMichael (18) had the helpers.
Ethen Frank with his 26th goal of the season. Bears lead 1-0 after 20. #HBH #ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/gbr9Eg9fw7
— Capitals Prospects (@jon_m_sorensen) March 17, 2023
And that was it for the first period. Lehigh Valley led in shots, 8-7 for the first frame. The Phantoms were 0 for 2 on the power play while the Bears did not have a man advantage in the first 20 minutes.
SECOND PERIOD
The Phantoms tied the game late in the middle frame with a tally from Ronnie Attard (11) at 16:09 of the second period. Adam Ginning (15) and Olle Lycksell (28) had the helpers.
Huge for the program! #LVvsHER | #OurValleyOurHome pic.twitter.com/wKBoHj4Ink
— Lehigh Valley Phantoms (@LVPhantoms) March 18, 2023
And that was it for the middle frame. Lehigh Valley led in shots, 6-4 in the middle frame and 14-11 after two periods. Hershey was 0 for 1 and Lehigh Valley 0 for 3 on the power play after two periods.
THIRD PERIOD
The Bears regained the lead on a power play snipe by Sam Anas (8) at 10:47 of the final frame. Julian Napravnik (1) and Bobby Nardella (17) had the assists.
In his first game back since Dec. 21, @SamAnas7 hits the net with a 🎯
🍎 Napravnik
🍏 Nardella pic.twitter.com/rnx8187XaA— Hershey Bears (@TheHersheyBears) March 18, 2023
And that was it as the Bears held on to win 2-1 in their final visit to the PPL Center this season.
SHAVINGS
- AHL box score
- Attendance: 6,019
- Lehigh Valley led in shots, 22-19.
- Sam Anas’ goal was his 300th career AHL point.
- Sam Anas missed 29 games after undergoing abdominal surgery.
- Stars of the game: 1) Sam Anas, 2) Ronnie Attard (#12) and 3) Ethen Frank.