Sports stats



AHL Hershey Bears

Bears Return, Drop Home Opener 2-1 in Overtime to Lehigh Valley

February 6, 2021 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Hershey Bears News Release


(Hershey, PA) - After a hiatus of 335 days and nearly 11 months, the Hershey Bears returned to the ice to open the 2020-21 season. In front of a crowd of 403 at GIANT Center, Kody Clark scored the Bears lone goal, but a late rally from the Lehigh Valley Phantoms earned the visitors a 2-1 victory in overtime.

After a scoreless opening stanza, the Bears started the new campaign with the game's icebreaker, coming at 13:02 of the middle frame. Hershey defender Eddie Wittchow stole the puck in his own zone and skated up the ice down the right wing. He fed Clark in the slot, and the second-year winger flipped a shot over the glove of Lehigh Valley netminder Zane McIntyre to make it 1-0 Bears.

Hershey peppered McIntyre with 35 shots on the evening, but the Bears could not beat the Lehigh Valley netminder again. That setup the game-tying goal for the Phantoms with the netminder pulled for an extra attacker in the game's closing minute.

Off a faceoff win from Chris Mueller at 19:15, defender Wyatte Wylie scored his first professional goal, firing a slapshot past Hershey netminder Pheonix Copley to make it 1-1.

The goal forced overtime, and it took only 1:59 for the Phantoms to win the game in the extra session. Ryan Fitzgerald scored the winner in his Phantoms debut, snapping a shot from the left wing that deflected off a stick past Copley to give the Phantoms a 2-1 win.

Both teams did not score on the power play, with Hershey going 0-for-3 and the Phantoms 0-for-5 in the game.

The Bears return to action Thursday at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton at 5 p.m. versus the Penguins. The game may be heard on the Bears Radio Network and watched on AHLTV.

Check out the Hershey Bears Statistics



American Hockey League Stories from February 6, 2021


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central