Bears' Historic Point Streak Ends in Loss to Sound Tigers
February 24, 2019 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Hershey Bears News Release
(Bridgeport, CT) - The Hershey Bears franchise record 17 game point streak came to an end on Sunday afternoon in a 5-1 loss to the Bridgeport Sound Tigers at Webster Bank Arena. Juuso Ikonen scored the lone goal for the Chocolate and White in the final minute to break Sound Tigers' goaltender Christopher Gibson's shutout bid.
Bridgeport scored five unanswered goals with two coming in the opening stanza against the Bears. Only 4:37 into the game, Michael Dal Colle opened the scoring on a delayed penalty, and on the power play after finishing a back door feed from Steve Bernier. The Sound Tigers doubled their lead, again tallying on a delayed penalty. Former Bears forward Chris Bourque blasted a shot from the left point past Vitek Vanecek at the 16:41. Shots on goal after 20 minutes were 11-8 Bridgeport with the Bears trailing by a deuce.
Into the second period, Bridgeport tallied two more for a commanding 4-0 lead. Matt Lorito finished a pin-balling loose puck in the blue paint at 7:15, and Travis St. Denis added his 13th goal of the season at 10:42 on a power play strike. Vanecek made an initial stop on Dal Colle, but St. Denis squeaked the rebound through Vanecek's leg pads. Shots after 40 minutes were 17-14 Sound Tigers.
Bridgeport scored their fifth goal courtesy of video review at 14:18 of the third period. Steve Bernier received credit for a loose puck that crawled across the goal line by inches, before being swept out of the net by Jonas Sigenthaler. Play continued, but after video review at the next stoppage, the Sound Tigers were awarded their fifth goal. Ikonen's power play strike in the final minute for the Bears came after St. Denis was called for interference at 18:25. Hershey avoided their first shutout since Dec. 19 against the Lehigh Valley Phantoms with the goal.
Final shots on goal were even at 26-26. Hershey's power play finished 1-for-6 and 2-for-4 on the kill. The regulation loss is the first suffered by the Bears since dropping a 6-2 decision to the Springfield Thunderbirds on Feb. 11.
The Hershey Bears return to the ice on Wednesday, Feb. 27 in a road tilt against the Hartford Wolf Pack. Puck drop from the XL Center is slated for 7 p.m. Voice of the Bears Zack Fisch will have the call on the Bears Radio Network.
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