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AHL Hershey Bears

Bears Pick Up 4-3 Shootout Win Over Phantoms

February 25, 2023 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Hershey Bears News Release


(Hershey, PA) - The Hershey Bears (32-12-5-2) got goals from Riley Sutter, Garrett Pilon, and Mike Sgarbossa in regulation, and Henrik Borgstrom netted the shootout-winner in a 4-3 victory over the Lehigh Valley Phantoms (25-21-3-3) in front of a sold-out crowd of 10,524 on Saturday night at GIANT Center. Hershey improved to 8-2-0-0 against their I-78 rivals with the victory. The win also moved Hershey to within one point of the Providence Bruins, who sit atop the Atlantic Division.

The Phantoms took a 1-0 lead with a power-play goal at 16:18 when Garrett Wilson grabbed the puck during a scramble at the Hershey net and fed it over to Tyson Foerster, who fired it past Zach Fucale into the net.

Sutter tied it up seven minutes into the second period when Joe Snively sent a pass from the left circle to the far post and Sutter tapped home his fourth of the season. Bobby Nardella earned a secondary assist.

Moments later, Bobby Brink was awarded a penalty shot at 8:15 when he picked up a loose puck at center ice and raced in on a breakaway, only to be knocked off the puck by a slash from Logan Day. On the subsequent penalty shot, Brink came through the left circle and attempted to snap a low shot through the pads of Fucale, but the goaltender closed the five hole to deny Brink. With the save, Fucale improved to 2-for-2 on penalty shots this season.

The Bears took a 2-1 lead at 13:38 when Hendrix Lapierre fed a trailing Pilon from out of the left corner, and Pilon put home his seventh of the season; Mason Morelli also collected an assist.

Hershey continued to find the net in the third, as Sgarbossa struck just 33 seconds into the frame when Mike Vecchione batted Ethen Frank's rebound out of mid-air over to Sgarbossa, who put home his 18th of the season to make it 3-1.

The Phantoms answered at 5:34 when Wyatte Wylie's wrist shot from the blue line eluded the glove of Fucale to make it a one-goal contest.

Lehigh Valley made it a 3-3 game when Hayden Hodgson slipped through the defense on the rush and snapped one past the pads of Fucale at 10:37.

The Bears and Phantoms played to a tie at the end of regulation, and overtime did not provide a game-winner, sending Hershey to its sixth shootout of the season. The home team elected to shoot second, and after Snively put Hershey up in the bottom of the second round, Foerster equalized for the Phantoms in the third, and Sgarbossa was denied. That set up what would be the decisive fourth round, as Artem Anisimov missed on his opportunity, while Borgstrom beat Maier through the legs to win the game for Hershey.

Shots finished 28-28. Fucale went 25-for-28 for his 16th victory of the season, matching his previous AHL single-season high (St. John's, 2015-16); Maier was 24-for-27 for Lehigh Valley. The Bears were 0-for-3 on the power play; the Phantoms finished 1-for-4 with the man advantage.

Hershey continues the 2022-23 season, presented by Penn State Health, when the Chocolate and White host the Belleville Senators on Sunday, Feb. 26 at 3 p.m. for Hersheypark Pass Night. All fans in attendance will receive a 2023 Hersheypark ticket, valid for one-day admission through June 30, 2023. Purchase tickets for the game.

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