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Ethen Frank Scores First Professional Hat Trick, Bears Down Phantoms, 6-4 In Regular Season Finale

Jon Sorensen

The Hershey Bears downed the Lehigh Valley Phantoms 6-4 Saturday night at the Giant Center in Hershey. The victory gives the Bears a 44-19-5-4 (97 points) record for the 2022-23 season.

The Bears opened the scoring on a Bobby Nardella blast from the point but the Phantoms answered less than 30 seconds later for a 1-1 tie at the first intermission. Ethen Frank added two tallies in the middle frame, but the Phantoms quickly answered each time for a 3-3 tie at the second intermission.

Bobby Nardella added his second goal of the night early in the third period and Ethen Frank completed the hat trick with five minutes remaining in regulation to make it 5-3. The Phantoms added a 6-on-5 goal with 2:30 left in regulation to close the gap to one, but Shane Gersich added an empty net goal to make it 6-4, the final.

LINEUP

Hunter Shepard (19-8-5-1, 2.12 GAA, .919 sv%) got the start between the pipes for the Bears. Samuel Ersson (24-16-1-10, 2.79 GAA, .902 sv%) got the start in goal for the visiting Phantoms. The forward lines and defensive pairs for the Bears:

Mike Vecchione – Connor McMichael – Ethen Frank
Joe Snively – Garrett Pilon – Sam Anas
Mason Morelli – Hendrix Lapierre – Aliaksei Protas
Beck Malenstyn – Riley Sutter – Shane Gersich

Aaron Ness – Logan Day
Gabriel Carlsson – Dylan McIlrath
Bobby Nardella – Vincent Iorio

Hunter Shepard
Zach Fucale

Scratches: Mike Sgarbossa (lower body injury), Lucas Johansen, Bogdan Trineyev, Jake Massie, Ludwig Persson, Henrik Rybinski, Dru Krebs, Alexander Suzdalev.

Recalls/Re-assignments: Aliaksei Protas, Joe Snively and Beck Malenstyn were re-assigned from Washington to Hershey on Friday. Alexander Suzdalev was re-assigned from WHL Regina to Hershey on Friday.

FIRST PERIOD

The Bears opened the scoring on a blast from the right point by Bobby Nardella (6) at 8:19. Garrett Pilon (18) and Joe Snively (17) had the helpers.

But the Phantoms answered less than 30 seconds later. Bobby Brink (12) notched the tying tally at 8:42. Elliot Desnoyers (21) and Garrett Wilson (25) had the assists.

And that was it for the first frame. Hershey led in shots, 12-8. Both teams were 0 for 1 on the power play.

SECOND PERIOD

The Bears regained the lead early in the middle frame on a beautiful redirect by
Ethen Frank (28) at 4:08. Mike Vecchione (31) and Gabriel Carlsson (14) had the assists.

But once again the Phantoms answered right back, this time 36 seconds later. Brendan Furry (1) notched the tying tally at 4:44. Tyson Foerster (28) had the lone assist.

This time the Bears fought right back. Ethen Frank (29) notched his second tally of the night at 7:38. Vincent Iorio (19), and Mike Vecchione (32) recorded the helpers.

But the Phantoms would not go away. This time Louie Belpedio (8) notched the tying tally at 12:29 of the second period. Brendan Furry (1) had the lone assist.

The second period concluded in a 3-3 tie. Lehigh Valley led in shots, 10-8 in the second period. Both sides were 0 for 2 on the power play after two periods.

THIRD PERIOD

The Bears regained the lead on a whack-a-mole goal from Bobby Nardella (7) at 5:59. The goal was not officially called a goal during play but a review conducted at the first stoppage and confirmed to cross the goal line. Joe Snively (18) and Vincent Iorio (20) had the helpers.

Ethen Frank completed the hat trick late (15:59) in the third frame. It was his 30th goal of the season.

But the Phantoms refused to go away and cut the Bears lead to 5-4 with a 6-on-5 goal with 2:30 left in regulation Fortunately Shane Gersich answered right back with an empty net goal to make it 6-4, the final.

The Bears now sit idle during the first round of the AHL playoffs and wait to see who they will face in round two.

SHAVINGS

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