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Bears Let Another Lead Slip Away, Fall To Phantoms, 4-3 (SO); Julian Napravnik Scores 4th Goal In As Many Games

By Jon Sorensen·
Photo: Lehigh Valley Phantoms

The Hershey Bears fell to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, 4-3 (SO) Sunday night at the Giant Center in Hershey, PA. Garrett Pilon started the scoring early in the second period with his 8th goal of the season, Sam Anas added a power play tally midway through the middle frame and Julian Napravnik added his 4th goal in as many games early in the third period to give the Bears a 3-1 lead in the third period.

Unfortunately it wasn’t enough as the Bears let another lead slip away, giving up three goals in the third period, ultimately sending the game to overtime and the shootout. The shootout loss drops the Bears record to 38-16-5-4 (85 points) on the season.

LINEUP

Zach Fucale (19-10-3-1, 2.58 GAA, .900 sv%) got the start between the pipes for the Bears. Samuel Ersson (20-14-1-1, 2.69 GAA, .903 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 – Julian Napravnik – Sam Anas
Mason Morelli – Henrik Rybinski – Garrett Pilon
Beck Malenstyn – Riley Sutter – Shane Gersich

Aaron Ness – Logan Day
Gabriel Carlsson – Dylan McIlrath
Lucas Johansen – Jake Massie

Scratches:  Connor McMichael (non-Covid illness), Vinny Iorio, Hendrix Lapierre, Bobby Nardella, Henrik Borgstrom (upper body injury), Bogdan Trineyev and Matt Strome.

Recalls/Re-assignments: Zach Fucale and Gabriel Carlsson were re-assigned from Washington to Hershey on Thursday. Benton Maass and Clay Stevenson were re-assigned from Hershey to ECHL South Carolina on Friday.

FIRST PERIOD

The Bears and Phantoms skated to a scoreless draw in the opening frame.

Lehigh Valley led in shots, 9-6.

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 Bears finally cracked the seal on the scoring early in the middle frame. Garrett Pilon (8) tallied the game’s first score on the power play at 4:05 of the second period. Aaron Ness (13) and Mike Sgarbossa (35) had the helpers. It was the 42nd game this season that the Bears registered the game’s first score.

The Bears extended their lead to 2-0 on Sam Anas‘s 10th of the season at 10:31 of the second period. Anas caught a piece of a shot by Joe Snively for the score. The tally came on a 5-on-3 power play. Joe Snively (13) and Ethen Frank (19) had the helpers.

The Phantoms were awarded a 5-on-3 power play immediately following the conclusion of the Bears 5-on-3 power play, but Hershey’s penalty kill was up to the task.

The second period concluded with the Bears leading 2-0. Hershey led in shots 21-6 in the middle frame and 27-15 after two periods. Lehigh Valley was 0 for 4 and Hershey 2 for 6 on the power play after 40 minutes of play.

THIRD PERIOD

The Phantoms closed the gap to a single goal early in the final frame. Louie Belpedio (6) notched the Phantoms first tally at 3:02. Egor Zamula (16) and Artem Anisimov (15) had the assists.

But the Bears quickly answered. Julian Napravnik, who was a late addition to the lineup due to Connor McMichael’s late scratch, continued his hot streak, making it 3-1 at 4:58 of the third period. Henrik Rybinski (12) and Mason Morelli (25) had the helpers.

However, the Phantoms refused to go away. They closed the gap to a single goal less than two minutes later. Ryan Fitzgerald (1) potted the Phantoms second tally at 6:25.  Egor Zamula (17) and Adam Brooks (17) had the helpers.

The Phantoms would then tie the game on the power play. Artem Anisimov (18) scored the tying tally at 9:47. Tyson Foerster (21) and Emil Andrae (2) had the assists.

Regulation would end, tied 3-3.

OVERTIME/SHOOTOUT

While there was plenty of action in the extra frame, the overtime period ultimately went scoreless, sending the game to a shootout.

1):Phantoms: Good; Bears: Sgarbossa: No Good
2) Phantoms: No Good; Bears: Napravnik: No Good
3: Phantoms: Good

SHAVINGS

  • AHL box score
  • Attendance: 10,544