Bears Prevail in Special Teams Slugfest with Belleville
February 12, 2022 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Hershey Bears News Release
(Hershey, PA) - In a wild, back-and-forth game where special teams were at the forefront, the Hershey Bears prevailed over the Belleville Senators on Saturday night at GIANT Center, earning a 5-4 win in front of 10,174 fans. The win moved Hershey's record to 24-14-3-3.
Hershey opened the scoring Saturday night on Mike Vecchione's 11th goal of the season. With Hershey on a 5-on-3 power play, Vecchione struck from the left circle, snapping a shot past Belleville goalie Mads Sogaard just 2:35 into the game. Aliaksei Protas and Cody Franson assisted on the goal, with Franson extending his point streak to five games.
Hugo Roy responded with a power play goal for Belleville at 11:28, striking for his first marker in the AHL. His one-timer beat Hershey netminder Hunter Shepard to make it 1-1.
Just 15 seconds later, the Bears regained the lead on a goal from Marcus Vela. Vela won an offensive zone faceoff back to Lucas Johansen at the left point. His snap shot to the goal was deflected by Vela past Sogaard to make it 2-1 Hershey. The goal was Vela's third of the season.
After Hershey's Dylan McIlrath was assessed a five-minute major penalty and a game misconduct for slashing, Belleville took advantage on the power play as Egor Sokolov added to his team lead in goals, tallying for his 11th marker of the season. Zac Leslie assisted on the tally at 16:25.
In the middle frame, the power play goals continued as Protas put Hershey in front with his second goal of the season. The forward one-timed an Alex Alexeyev pass from the right circle past Sogaard to make it 3-2 Hershey.
Belleville's Chris Wilkie would tie the score again, streaking down the right wing, and sliding a shot under Shepard's pad to make it 3-3 at 15:33 of the second period.
Only 1:21 into the third period, Logan Shaw gave Belleville its first lead of the night, skating down the left wing and slipping a shot off Shepard's pad and through his legs to make it 4-3 Belleville. The goal was unassisted and Shaw's fourth of the season.
However, Hershey struck for back-to-back goals to pull ahead and never look back. Mason Morelli scored the equalizer at 8:48, connecting for his 6th goal of the season, knocking the rebound of a Macoy Erkamops shot under Sogaard to make it 4-4.
Just under two minutes later, Franson scored the winner, snapping a shot through traffic from the center point. The power play goal was Franson's 5th marker of the season, and Vecchione and Axel Jonsson-Fjallby assisted on the deciding goal.
Belleville went 2-for-4 on the power play while Hershey was 3-for-5. Shots finished 34-29 Hershey.
The Bears are back in action tomorrow at 2:05 p.m. in Allentown as they visit the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. That game may be heard on the Highmark Bears Radio Network and viewed on AHLTV.
American Hockey League Stories from February 12, 2022
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