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AHL Hershey Bears

Morelli Pots Pair in 4-3 Bears' Win over Marlies

March 3, 2023 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Hershey Bears News Release


(Hershey, PA) - Mason Morelli notched a pair of goals to help lead the Hershey Bears (34-13-5-2) to a 4-3 victory over the Toronto Marlies (37-15-2-1) on Friday night at GIANT Center. Hershey opened up a three-point lead on the idle Providence Bruins with the victory for the top spot in the Atlantic Division, and the Bears now sit only two points back of the North Division-leading Marlies for the top spot in the Eastern Conference with a game in hand.

Zach Fucale came up with a big left pad save on Alex Steeves at 4:45 of the first period to prevent the Marlies from striking early, and the score remained tied 0-0 at the end of the opening frame.

The Bears opened the scoring early in the second stanza, as Morelli put away his 10th of the season at 2:20 when he gathered Logan Day's rebound and backhanded it between the post and the skate of Keith Petruzzelli. Mike Vecchione earned a secondary assist on the goal.

Hershey went up 2-0 just 31 seconds later when Aaron Ness fed the puck to Mike Sgarbossa, who skated up the left flank and snapped a shot to the far post and in for his 19th of the season and 50th point of the campaign.

Vecchione scored on a rush to make it 3-0 as Michael Kim joined the attack and found Joe Snively, who moved the biscuit to his left for Vecchione to fire home his 19th of the season at 12:32. The goal gave Vecchione his 45th point of the season (19g, 26a), a new career-high for the Bears forward.

The Marlies finally broke through in the third period when Marc Johnstone capitalized on a turnover in the slot and beat Fucale at 4:28 to make the score 3-1.

Toronto's Kyle Clifford was hauled down and awarded a penalty shot at 4:51 to give the Marlies a chance to pull to within one, but Fucale reacted to Clifford's deke to the backhand with a smothering pad save, to improve to 3-for-3 on penalty shots this season.

With the Bears on the power play, Morelli deflected Connor McMichael's shot from the point behind Petruzzelli for his second of the night at 12:34 to make it 4-1, with Sgarbossa earning a secondary helper.

The Marlies pushed back with a goal from Pontus Holmberg at 14:41 and Johnstone found twine at 19:51 with Petruzzelli pulled for an extra skater, but the Bears prevented Toronto from finding a tying score.

Shots finished even at 31-25 in favor of the Bears. Fucale went 22-for-25 for Hershey for his 18th win of the season, placing him sixth among AHL netminders; Petruzzelli was 27-for-31 for Toronto. The Bears were 1-for-5 on the power play; the Marlies finished 0-for-3 with the man advantage.

Hershey continues the 2022-23 season, presented by Penn State Health, when the Chocolate and White host the Providence Bruins on Saturday, March 4 at 7 p.m. for Penn State Health T-Shirt Night, where every fan in attendance will receive a free Bears t-shirt, courtesy of Penn State Health. The game is also a Flight Friday, featuring $6.50 12 oz. cans of Yuengling Flight. Purchase tickets for the game.

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