Bears Recap For 12/3
Happy December, everyone. I hope everyone enjoyed the holiday weekend. With turkey weekend over, it's time to get back to work, hockey.
On Thanksgiving Eve, the Hershey Bears had their first meeting with the WBS Penguins. Who are the top of the division in the Atlantic Division, and with plenty of young talent and some NHL veterans from Pittsburgh.
Photo Credit: Leah Hollenbach/Olde City Sports Network
Early in the first period, fans saw a rare penalty shot as Bokondji Imama broke free from a defenseman and was hooked on a very brief away. Imama would score on the penalty shot to make it 1-0 on his 3rd of the season. Pens Prospect Rutger McGroarty would snipe a corner shot to make it 2-0 for his 3rd of the season as well. The Pens would make it 3-0 as Avery Hayes would score late on he first, and it was all Wilkes-Barre.
Hershey would respond in the second as Brett Leason would get his first as a Bear to make it 3-1. Hershey would score a shorthanded goal from Ilya Protais for his 5th goal in 5 games, and it seemed the comeback was on. However, the Bears would commit a rare faceoff violation, with the center accumulating two in a row. The crowd at Giant Center hated the call, and Phil Tomasino, fresh off the plane from Pittsburgh, made them pay to make it 4-2.
Hayes would add an empty-net goal to make it 5-2; however, Eriks Mateiko would get his first professional goal to make it 5-3. Sam Poulin would get another empty net goal for the Pens and seal the victory at 6-3. The night was not lost as yours truly did get a bullseye on the annual Turkey shoot after the game to get a box of stuffing, so it was a small victory.
On Saturday, November 29th, Hershey and the Baby Pens would go at it again in front of 8,500 at Giant Center. The Bears wasted little time as Graeme Clarke got his 5th of the season just five minutes into the first period. Hershey would add another as Ilya Protas stayed hot with a power play goal to make it 2-0 with his 6th goal in 6 games. The Pens would respond with a Jack St. Ivany goal, as he is on a conditioning loan from Pittsburgh.
In the second, noted goal scorer Sam Bitten would wrist a bar down beauty to make it 3-1 on a three-on-two rush. Bitten is one goal away from having his career best in goals, and David Gucciardi would get his first professional goal to make it 4-1. Once again, the Pens would answer with a goal from Gabe Klassen, to make it 4-2.
Hershey would pull away in the third as Ivan Miroshnichenko would score a 4-on-3 power play goal to make it 5-2. Portas would get the empty goal for his 10th of the season and is the first Bear to reach double-digit goals in the young season. The Bears would win the rematch, 6-2, and even the season series against the black and gold.
On Sunday, November 30th, Hershey would have their annual Hockey Fights Cancer night —an emotional night for all Bears Nation—the Laval Rocket would come to town for their only visit to Giant Center this season.
Photo Credit: Leah Hollenbach/Olde City Sports Network
The Bears would draw first blood again as Louie Belpedio would get his first goal as a Bear, as a wrister would beat the Laval goalie. Laval would get the following two goals from Alex Belzile and Marc Del Gaizo to make it 2-1. Hershey would respond with a shorthanded goal from Grant Cruikshank on a two-on-one rush with Henrik Rybinski.
Laval would answer with a late goal from Luke Tuch to make it 3-2 off a Bears turnover on their own blueline. Cruikshank would get his second of the game to make it 3-3 and tie the game once more. Laval would get the last laugh as Xavier Simoneau would get the game winner with his 2nd of the season to give Laval the 4-3 win.
Hershey would finish the weekend set with 1-2 and sit at 4th in the Atlantic Division with 23 points (11-7-1-0). Hershey will have the week off, before playing on December 7th against the Baby Pens for the 3rd time in 4 games, and then an early afternoon tilt with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms on the 8th.
- Richard Blosser/Olde City Sports Network
- Photo Credit- Leah Hollenbach/Olde City Sports Network
