Bears Wrap Up 2022 With 4-3 Loss To Bruins
December 31, 2022 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Hershey Bears News Release
(Hershey, PA) -Ethen Frank scored twice, but the Hershey Bears (22-7-2-1) fell to the Providence Bruins (18-6-5-2) by a 4-3 score on Saturday night at GIANT Center, bringing an end to Hershey's five-game winning streak.
Despite the loss, the Chocolate and White ended the calendar year of 2022 with the American Hockey League's best record for the season.
Hershey struck in the opening minute of the contest when Mike Sgarbossa skated into the offensive zone and fired a shot into the pads of Providence goaltender Keith Kinkaid, but the netminder failed to cover the puck as he fell to his back in the crease, and Frank jammed home his 12th of the season at the 27-second mark, for Hershey's fastest goal of the season. Mike Vecchione earned a secondary assist on the tally.
Luke Toporowski scored for the Bruins at 11:31 with a backhand shot from the high slot that beat a screened Hunter Shepard to tie the game at 1-1. The goal ended Hunter Shepard's shutout streak that began on Dec. 21 at Lehigh Valley at 112:15.
Despite Hershey outshooting Providence 19-4 in the second period, the Bruins took a 2-1 lead at the 11:04 mark of the second frame when Jakub Lauko threw the puck on net from the left of the goal line and it deflected off the mask of Shepard into the net.
Providence made it 3-1 at 13:09 when Marc McLaughlin found twine with Shepard caught low along the ice.
Frank netted his second of the game at 15:22 while the Bears were on the power play. The rookie forward pounced on a loose puck at the side of the net and fired it into an open cage for his second of the evening and his team-leading 13th goal of the season. Vecchione and Sgarbossa received assists.
The Bears drew level with another power-play goal at 5:39 of the third period when Kevin O'Neil one-timed a pass from Sgarbossa in the slot and beat Kinkaid low to the stick-side for his first career AHL goal. Sgarbossa's helper was the third of the evening, matching a previous career high. Connor McMichael also earned an assist on the goal.
Providence netted the eventual game-winner with a power-play marker at 7:05 from Chris Wagner, putting the visitors ahead once again by the final score of 4-3.
Shots finished 41-21 in favor of the Bears. Shepard went 17-for-21 for Hershey as he suffered his first regulation loss of the season after previously winning eight straight games from Nov. 6 - Dec. 28; Kinkaid was 38-for-41 for the Bruins. The Bears were 2-for-9 on the power play, while Providence went 1-for-3 with the man advantage.
Hershey continues the 2022-23 season, presented by Penn State Health, when the Chocolate and White welcome the Charlotte Checkers to GIANT Center for Toyota Trucker Hat Night (featuring a Toyota Trucker Hat giveaway for the first 5,000 fans in attendance) on Saturday, Jan. 7 at 7 p.m. Purchase tickets for the game.
American Hockey League Stories from December 31, 2022
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- Comets Celebrate New Years Eve with Overtime Win - Utica Comets
- Ads Close Out 2022 With Win In Grand Rapids - Milwaukee Admirals
- Barracuda Stung by Firebirds, 4-1 - San Jose Barracuda
- Marody Scores in New Year's Eve Bash - Lehigh Valley Phantoms
- Wolf Pack Earn Point in New Year's Eve Thriller, But Fall 2-1 to Thunderbirds - Hartford Wolf Pack
- Bears Wrap Up 2022 With 4-3 Loss To Bruins - Hershey Bears
- Canucks Score Four Unanswered Goals In Victory - Manitoba Moose
- Hofer, Neighbours Send T-Birds off to 2023 Victoriously - Springfield Thunderbirds
- P-Bruins Top Bears 4-3 in Thriller End to 2022 - Providence Bruins
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- Wolf Pack Acquire F Ben Tardif from Colorado Eagles - Hartford Wolf Pack
- Soderblom Placed on IR - Rockford IceHogs
- Checkers Hold on in Cleveland to Keep Win Streak Alive - Charlotte Checkers
- Forward Charles Hudon Reassigned to Eagles - Colorado Eagles
- Brooklyn Kalmikov Reassigned to Nailers - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
- Rochester Americans Game Preview: Saturday, December 31 at Toronto - Rochester Americans
- Wolf Pack Finish 2022 with Visit from Rival Thunderbirds - Hartford Wolf Pack
- Toronto Marlies Kick off 6 Game Home Stand with Battle against Rochester - Toronto Marlies
- Game Preview: Bears vs Bruins, 5 p.m. - Hershey Bears
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- Hogs Look to Close out 2022 with Weekend Sweep over Wolves - Rockford IceHogs
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- Silver Knights Defeat Gulls, 4-1, at Home - Henderson Silver Knights
- Gibson Shuts Door on Barracuda in 4-0 Firebirds Win - Coachella Valley Firebirds
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- Roadrunners Return from Break with Loss to First-Place Texas Stars - Tucson Roadrunners
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