Hershey Bears Recap For 11/11

Happy November, Bears fans! I'm back with another Bears recap as we unofficially finish the first month of the young AHL season. The Bears only had a quick 2-game set this week against the North Division, which is the opponent of choice in this early season.

On Friday, November 7th, in a rare Friday night home game, the Hershey Bears welcomed their first Canadian opponent, the Toronto Marlies. Hershey also welcomed a former Bear back to Chocolate Town as Travis Boyd returned with the Marlies. Boyd was honored with a video package at the first media timeout, which included his overtime game-winning goal against the Baby Pens in 2016.  Hershey would get the scoring started on the first shot of the game, as Matt Strome would whistle on past goalie Artur Akhtyamov. The Marlies would answer as Henry Thrun would get his 3rd of the season to tie the game at 1-1. The teams would head to the locker room, with Toronto leading in shots, 12-6. In the second period, newly acquired Bears Sam Bitten would clean up a rebound to give Hershey the lead in the 2nd. It would be Sam's first goal as a Bear and not the last of the weekend. Toronto would tie it on a gift of a giveaway from Ilya Protas to Travis Boyd, who buried the shot to tie the game. Boyd would continue his hot streak, setting up Reese Johnson to give the Marlies the lead. Toronto would add an insurance goal late in the third period, with Matthew Barbolini getting the first of the season to make it 4-2. Finally, to put a blue cherry on this Canadian sundae, Boyd would get an empty net goal with the goalie pulled to give the Marlies a 5-2 lead and his 4th point on the night. Boyd would get 1st tar of the game with 4 points (2G, 2A), and he stayed out and sacrificed a few extra moments and saluted the crowd. Boyd showed that a piece of himself is still with Hershey as he skated off.

Photo Credit: Hershey Bears

After an ultra-rare Saturday off for Hershey, the Bears were back at it on Sunday, November 9th, to take on their oldest rival in the Rochester Americans.  The two clubs engaged in a feeling-out process in the first half of the period, as neither team scored nor was limited to just five shots apiece. Hershey would break that scoreless tie with a Sam Bitten deflection from a Louie Belpedio blast to make it 1-0. It was Bitten's 2nd goal of the season and 3rd point on the young season; he is halfway to matching his career high in points at 6. Rochester would answer in a questionable non-offside call as Trevor Kuntar would enter the zone first with control of the puck, skated in and beat goaltender Clay Stevenson to make it 1-1. Many at the Giant Center thought the play was offside, including the radio broadcast. The call stood, as Kentar would get his 5th of the campaign, and both teams would enter the intermission tied. The two oldest clubs would hold that tie into the third period, giving the game a slight playoff feel. Either team was waiting for the other to make a mistake so they could capitalize on a rush. Hershey would get that chance, as Alex Suzdalev would get his first AHL goal to break the tie. Defenseman Ryan Chesley sprung Sudalev for the 2-on-1 rush, and Alex would bury a snipe on goalie Topias Leinonen.  Hershey would hold onto the lead, even with a 6-on-5 fury that saw players like Dalton Smith, Justin Nauchbar, Sam Bitten, Matt Strome, Louie Belpedio, and Aaron Ness hold the lead. 

Head Coach Derek King's strategy, as discussed in his post-game press conference, was to put players out there who would lay down their bodies and clog shooting lanes.

The Bears would hold on to win the game 2-1 and split the weekend set of games.   Hershey has 13 points (6-4-1-0) on the young season and will enter their first 3-in-3 this weekend.

The boys from Hershey will travel to upstate New York to take on the Syracuse Crunch on Friday, November 14th, then head to the corner of 7th and Hamilton in Allentown to take on the Phantoms.  The Phantoms will return the favor in Hershey on Sunday, November 16th, in a 3 pm game.

- Richard Blosser/Olde City Sports Network

- Photo Credit/Hershey Bears