Bears Ride Third Period Outburst to 5-3 Win Over Phantoms
December 18, 2022 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Hershey Bears News Release
(Hershey, PA - December 18, 2022) -The Hershey Bears (19-6-2-1) used a three-goal burst in the span of 1:50 to rally from a 3-2 deficit in the third period en route to a 5-3 win over the Lehigh Valley Phantoms (12-10-2-1) on Sunday night at GIANT Center.
The victory pushed the Chocolate and White to a four-game point streak at home (3-0-0-1) and their record against Lehigh Valley this season to 4-0-0-0
Hershey took a 1-0 lead at 7:22 of the first period when Riley Sutter intercepted a Lehigh Valley pass and sent the puck to Aaron Ness at the left point, who skated to the circle before unloading a slap shot that beat Samuel Ersson for his second of the season.
Artem Anisimov drew the Phantoms level at 1-1 at 1:50 of the second period when he deflected a point shot past Clay Stevenson during a sequence that had Lehigh Valley on a 4-on-3-man advantage.
The Phantoms then took a 2-1 lead with a shorthanded goal at the 10:01 mark when Jordy Bellerive broke up a pass in the defensive zone and outraced a Bears defender to the puck before snapping it behind Stevenson.
Hendrix Lapierre answered for the Bears on the same power play sequence to bring the score even at 2-2 for Hershey when Sam Anas threaded a cross-ice pass to Henrik Borgstrom, who fed it toward the front of the Lehigh Valley net for Lapierre to slam home at 10:34 for his eighth of the season.
Bellerive netted his second of the evening for the Phantoms when his wrap-around shot at the right post caromed off the skate of Gabriel Carlsson and into the Hershey net at 9:28 of the third to put Lehigh Valley up 3-2.
It was roughly four and a half minutes later that the Bears initiated their comeback, as Mike Sgarbossa rushed up the right side and snapped a shot that beat Ersson low to the blocker side at 13:59 for his 10th of the season, tying the game at 3-3. Ethen Frank and Dylan McIlrath assisted on the goal.
Connor McMichael netted what would be the eventual game-winner when he entered the offensive zone, cut around a defender, and snapped the puck past the glove of Ersson for his fifth of the season at 14:29 to give the Bears a 4-3 lead. Borgstrom earned the lone assist on the goal.
Mike Vecchione, who was playing in his 300th professional game, added an insurance marker for the Bears when he collected a Sgarbossa rebound and batted it past Ersson at 15:49 for his 11th of the season. Frank added a secondary assist on the goal, which capped the fastest three-goal sequence by the Bears this season.
Shots finished 29-28 favoring Hershey. Stevenson went 25-for-28 for Hershey to earn his third victory of the season; Ersson was 24-for-29 for the Phantoms. The Bears were 1-for-5 on the power play, while Lehigh Valley went 1-for-2 with the man advantage.
Hershey continues the 2022-23 season, presented by Penn State Health, when the Chocolate and White visit the Lehigh Valley Phantoms at the PPL Center on Wednesday, Dec. 21 at 7:05 p.m. The Bears are back on GIANT Center ice when they host the Providence Bruins on Wednesday, Dec. 28 at 7 p.m. for Berks Dollar Dog Night featuring Berks Dollar Dogs and $6 beers available at Boulevard, Hot Shots, and Hat Trick, and AAA Car Magnet Night, featuring a Bears Car Magnet for the first 5,000 fans in attendance. Purchase tickets for the game.
American Hockey League Stories from December 18, 2022
- Roadrunners Fall 4-3 in First Game at Coachella Valley's Acrisure Arena - Tucson Roadrunners
- Bears Ride Third Period Outburst to 5-3 Win Over Phantoms - Hershey Bears
- Bellerive Strikes Twice But Bears Rally Late - Lehigh Valley Phantoms
- Moose Tip Belleville in OT - Manitoba Moose
- Belleville Sens Drop Overtime Decision to Moose - Belleville Senators
- Admirals Stumble against Wolves - Milwaukee Admirals
- Wolves Top Admirals 5-3 - Chicago Wolves
- Monsters Come up Short in 4-1 Loss to Rocket - Cleveland Monsters
- Gordie Green Released from PTO - Grand Rapids Griffins
- Bellows and Lycksell Returned to Phantoms - Lehigh Valley Phantoms
- Game Preview: Bears vs. Phantoms, 5 p.m. - Hershey Bears
- Bears Recall Goaltender Tyler Wall from South Carolina - Hershey Bears
- Game #25 - Roadrunners at Firebirds - Tucson Roadrunners
- Trio Returns to Griffins from Toledo - Grand Rapids Griffins
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.
