Lapierre, Bears Trick Checkers 5-2
April 8, 2023 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Hershey Bears News Release
(Hershey, PA) Hendrix Lapierre tallied each of his team's first three goals to complete his first career multi-goal game and first pro hat trick as the Hershey Bears (43-17-5-4) picked up a 5-2 win over the Charlotte Checkers (36-25-5-3) on Saturday night at GIANT Center.
The victory, along with a 5-3 Providence Bruins loss to the Hartford Wolf Pack, has allowed Hershey to regain first place in the Atlantic Division and Eastern Conference.
Lapierre scored his 13th of the season just 2:58 into the first period with seconds remaining in Hershey's first power play of the night, after Mack Guzda initially stopped Vincent Iorio's shot, but Lapierre pounced on the loose puck in the paint and stashed it home to put the Bears ahead 1-0. Julian Napravnik earned the secondary assist, extending the rookie's point streak to five games (4g, 2a).
Charlotte evened the score at 13:54 when Dennis Cesana's shot ricocheted off the skates of Dylan McIlrath and past Zach Fucale.
Lapierre scored again with the man advantage when he took a pass from Fucale and skated up the right side before beating Guzda at 9:30 to put Hershey up 2-1.
The Checkers answered with a goal of their own on the man advantage at 15:59 from Gerry Mayhew.
Late in the frame, Lapierre tallied again, backhanding the puck past a sprawled Guzda at 17:09 to complete his first professional hat trick. Mason Morelli and Henrik Rybinski picked up assists. The three-goal performance was the first by a Bears player since Axel Jonsson-Fjallby managed the feat on Jan. 22, 2022 vs. Hartford.
The Bears added a pair of goals in the third period when Mike Sgarbossa teamed up with Shane Gersich and put home his 21st of the season to make it a 4-2 game at 9:14, with a secondary assist going to Matt Strome, and Gersich capped the scoring with an empty-net goal from Strome and McIlrath at 18:48.
Shots finished 36-32 in favor of the Checkers. Fucale went 34-for-36 in the win, his 21st of the season; Guzda was 27-for-31 for Charlotte. The Bears were 2-for-3 on the power play; the Checkers finished 1-for-3 with the man advantage.
Hershey continues the 2022-23 season, presented by Penn State Health, when the Chocolate and White face the Charlotte Checkers again on Tuesday, April 11 at 7 p.m. The first 4,000 fans in attendance will receive a Bears logo chip, courtesy of Fairview Golf Course. Tuesday's game is also a TRULY Takeover Tuesday - fans can come to Section 110 for $16 TRULY and empanada specials, samplings, giveaways, and a chance to win TRULY-branded hockey gear. Purchase tickets for the game.
American Hockey League Stories from April 8, 2023
- Firebirds' Rookies Shine Bright In 2-1 Win Over Condors - Coachella Valley Firebirds
- Annunen, Vande Sompel Drive Colorado To 4-0 Win Over Barracuda - Colorado Eagles
- Say Hello to the Playoffs - Lehigh Valley Phantoms
- Walker Plays Overtime Hero as Wild Beat Wolves 3-2 - Iowa Wild
- Hogs Fall at Home After Cooley's 45-Save Performance - Rockford IceHogs
- Amerks Rout Comets in Season Series Finale - Rochester Americans
- Ads End Streak in Rockford - Milwaukee Admirals
- Wolves Fall to Wild 3-2 in OT - Chicago Wolves
- Jeremie Biakabutuka Signs ATO with Griffins - Grand Rapids Griffins
- Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Routs Bridgeport, 8-2 - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
- Wolf Pack Clinch First Playoff Berth Since 2015 with 5-3 Victory Over Bruins - Hartford Wolf Pack
- Lapierre, Bears Trick Checkers 5-2 - Hershey Bears
- Blue Jackets Assign Four Players to Monsters - Cleveland Monsters
- Andreoff, Dufour Each Score On Saturday - Bridgeport Islanders
- Checkers Clinch Spot in 2023 Calder Cup Playoffs - Charlotte Checkers
- Comets Defeated by Americans, 5-1 - Utica Comets
- Monsters' Road Trip Ends with 3-1 Loss to Senators - Cleveland Monsters
- Didier's Two Goals Not Enough as P-Bruins Fall to Wolf Pack - Providence Bruins
- T-Birds Stunned by Phantoms' 3rd Period Comeback - Springfield Thunderbirds
- Crunch Downed by Rocket, 5-3 - Syracuse Crunch
- Belleville Sens Announce Winners of 2022-23 Team Awards - Belleville Senators
- Game Preview: Bears vs. Checkers, 7 p.m. - Hershey Bears
- Game Preview: Iowa Wild at Chicago Wolves - Iowa Wild
- Wolf Pack Visit Bruins with Eye Towards Extending Streak - Hartford Wolf Pack
- IceHogs and Admirals Meet for Screw City Showdown, Live Jersey Auction Night - Rockford IceHogs
- Blue Jackets Recall Four Players from Monsters - Cleveland Monsters
- Ronnie Attard Returns to Phantoms - Lehigh Valley Phantoms
- Bridgeport Islanders Host Penguins at 7 p.m. Tonight - Bridgeport Islanders
- Game #70 - Texas Stars at Tucson Roadrunners - Tucson Roadrunners
- Canucks Clinch Home Ice, Complete Comeback with 4-3 Overtime Win Over Ontario - Abbotsford Canucks
- Eagles Roar Back to Topple San Jose 4-3 in OT - Colorado Eagles
- Bourque's Hat Trick Guides Stars Past Roadrunners - Texas Stars
- Admirals Fall to IceHogs - Milwaukee Admirals
- Canucks Defeat Reign in Overtime - Ontario Reign
- Calgary Doubles Up on San Diego - San Diego Gulls
- Roadrunners Drop Series Opener Against Texas In Return To Tucson Arena Friday Night - Tucson Roadrunners
- Wranglers Keep Rolling in San Diego - Calgary Wranglers
- Ontario Reign Clinch 2023 Calder Cup Playoff Berth - Ontario Reign
- Silver Knights Triumph Over Condors, 4-3 - Henderson Silver Knights
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.
