The Hershey Bears fell to the Charlotte Checkers, 4-3 Tuesday night at the Giant Center in Hershey, PA. The loss drops the Bears record to 43-18-5-4 (95 points) on the season.

The Checkers grabbed the game’s first lead just past the halfway point of the opening frame, but the Bears answered with a goal from Arron Ness with just 14 seconds remaining in the opening period for a 1-1 score at the first break.

Following a Checkers goal in the middle frame, the Bears tied the game in the final frame with a power play goal from Mike Vecchione. But then Hendrix Lapierre was called for a five-minute major and received a game misconduct for boarding late in the game, which led to two Checkers power play goals to make it 4-2. Garrett Pilon scored a late power play goal to make it 4-3, the final.

LINEUP

Hunter Shepard (20-10-4-2, 2.51 GAA, .902 sv%) got the start between the pipes for the Bears. Mack Guzda (14-9-3-1, 2.91 GAA, .897 sv%) got the start in goal for the visiting Checkers. The forward lines and defensive pairs for the Bears:

Mike Vecchione – Connor McMichael – Garrett Pilon
Mason Morelli – Hendrix Lapierre –Sam Anas
Julian Napravnik – Henrik Rybinski – Bogdan Trineyev
Shane Gersich – Riley Sutter – Matt Strome

Arron Ness – Logan Day
Gabriel Carlsson – Vincent Iorio
Bobby Nardella – Lucas Johansen

Scratches: Ethen Frank (upper body injury), Mike Sgarbossa (lower body injury), Jake Massie, Dylan McIlrath (unavailable to the team), Ludwig Persson, Dru Krebs and Mitchell Gibson.

Recalls/Re-assignments: Henrik Borgstrom was recalled by the Capitals just before tonight’s game. Beck Malenstyn was recalled by the Capitals prior to Friday’s game. Ludwig Persson was officially re-assigned from BIK Karlskoga of HockeyAllsvenskan (Sweden-2) to Hershey on Friday.

FIRST PERIOD

The Checkers opened the scoring with a power play goal late in the first period. Cameron Morrison (6) redirected a shot from the left point for the opening tally at 11:37 of the first stanza. Ryan McAllister (1) had the lone assist.

Morrison gets the tip and it’s a first pro point for Ryan McAllister! pic.twitter.com/9AFIYWQlfx

— Charlotte Checkers (@CheckersHockey) April 11, 2023

The Bears tied the game late in the period. Aaron Ness (5) notched the tying tally at 19:46. Matt Strome (4) and Logan Day (12) had the helpers.

Aaron Ness sneaks it into the back of the net (where it stays) for his fifth of the season to send us into the locker room tied! 👀

🍎 Strome pic.twitter.com/BSkOUDoj4Y

— X – Hershey Bears (@TheHersheyBears) April 11, 2023

The first period concluded with the game knotted 1-1. Hershey led in shots 11-10. Charlotte was 1 for 1 on the power play while the Bears did not have a man advantage in the first frame.

SECOND PERIOD

The Checkers regained the lead late in the second period on a tally from Cory Conacher (4) at 13:37 of the second period. Dominic Franco (6) and Dennis Cesana (11) had the helpers.

Franco finds Conacher with a great pass in front and we’re up 2-1! pic.twitter.com/I6uAHFNR1i

— Charlotte Checkers (@CheckersHockey) April 12, 2023

The Checkers held the 2-1 lead to the second intermission. Charlotte led in shots, 8-7 in the second period with shots tied 18-18 after two periods. There were no penalties called in the second period.

THIRD PERIOD

The Bears tied the game early in the final frame with a power play goal from Mike Vecchione (23) at 2:07. Connor McMichael (22) and Garrett Pilon (16) had the assists.

Veccs in the bumper spot finds the 🥅

🍎 McMichael
🍏 Pilon pic.twitter.com/8zUmacmHLY

— X – Hershey Bears (@TheHersheyBears) April 12, 2023

Hendrix Lapierre, who was leveled with a hit a few minutes earlier, destroyed a Checkers player at 9:57. Unfortunately, was a five-minute major and a game misconduct for Lapierre.

Hendrix Lapierre, who was leveled with a hit a few minutes earlier, destroys a Checkers player. Unfortunately, it’s a five-minute major and a game misconduct for Lappy. #HBH #ALLCAPS with a huge hit pic.twitter.com/USdOt0lHQG

— Capitals Prospects (@jon_m_sorensen) April 12, 2023

Then Connor McMichael was called for an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for chirping from the bench.

Now Connor McMichael gets an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty for chirping from the bench. Checkers scored on the 5-on-3 PP to take a 3-2 lead late. #HBH #ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/QIISq3Ghof

— Capitals Prospects (@jon_m_sorensen) April 12, 2023

Still on the Lapierre penalty, the Checkers notched the go ahead tally from Santtu Kinnunen (8) at 13:43.

Continuing on the Lapierre power play, the Checkers made it 4-2 with a power play goal from Cameron Morrison (7) at 14:37. Ryan McAllister (2) and Cory Conacher (5) had the assists.

The Bears answered with a power play goal late to cut the score to 4-3. Garrett Pilon (11) finished a nice passing play with Connor McMichael and Mike Vecchione.

Nice tic-tac-power-play-goal with Vecchione, McMichael, finished by Garrett Pilon. 4-3 late. #HBH #ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/3rlKCGVsQ5

— Capitals Prospects (@jon_m_sorensen) April 12, 2023

But the Checkers would hold on and take the 4-3 win.

SHAVINGS

• AHL box score
• Attendance: 7,586
• Bogdan Trineyev made his regular season debut.