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AHL Hershey Bears

Pirates Hang on for a Home-Opening Win

October 17, 2015 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Hershey Bears News Release


PORTLAND, ME - Logan Shaw scored two of the Portland Pirates' three second-period goals on thepower play and Mike McKenna turned aside all 15 shots faced in the third period,helping the hosts hold off a furious Hershey Bears rally and skate to a 3-2victory on Saturday night at Cross Insurance Arena.

The Bears again struck for thegame's first goal and it was one that took the air out of the building. Portland embarked on the first powerplay of the night, but it was Dustin Gazley to get the scoring started whilethe Bears skated shorthanded. LiamO'Brien fed Gazley a head-man pass, and Gazley took a shot that was blocked rightback to him. His second chancefound the net behind McKenna's blocker at 6:30.

Portland later fended off afive-on-three chance for the Bears to remain within one goal at theintermission.

The Pirates would come outstorming in a chippy second period, and force the Bears to play catch-up for thefirst time this season. Logan Shawwould tie the game, stuffing the rebound of a shot from Brent Regner underneathJustin Peters for a power-play goal at 2:42.

Shaw tallied again on anotherpower play just over seven minutes later. Garrett Wilson took a tricky shot from the left circle that bounced offof Peters and slid to the left of his goal crease. Shaw pounced on the puck and fired it into the net at 9:46for a 2-1 Pirates lead.

Jakub Vrana then scored a powerplay goal for the Bears to knot the score. Chris Bourque would feed Vrana for a perfect one-timer thatblew past McKenna on the short side at 15:51.

But again, the Pirates grabbedthe momentum right back as Wade Megan was able to beat a Bears defenseman tothe outside, cut toward Peters and tuck a backhander inside the far post with1:07 left in the frame.

Three players were handedmisconducts during a late-period altercation.

Megan's goal would proveenough, as McKenna swept aside everything that the Bears threw to his creaseand preserved the win.

Peters suffers his first lossof the season, making 21 saves on 24 shots. McKenna wins his first of the year with 24 saves on 26Hershey chances.

The Bears finished the night 1-for-5on the power play and 3-for-5 on the penalty kill.

The two teams face off againtomorrow afternoon at Cross Insurance Arena. Puck drop is set for 3:00 PM, and fans may catch thebroadcast on the Bears Radio Network of affiliates WQIC-FM 100.1, WTKT-AM 1460and WOYK-AM 1350, online at foxsports1460.com or via the iHeartRadio app forsmartphones (Fox Sports 1460) beginning with the M&C Foreign Car Partspre-game show at 2:20.

The Bears open the home portionof the schedule on Saturday, October 24 at 7:00 PM against the Hartford WolfPack. The first 8,000 fans willreceive a magnetic schedule courtesy of PNC Bank. The 1980 Calder Cup championship team will be honored priorto the game in celebration of the 35th anniversary of thetitle. The Bears will also wearspecial throwback jerseys, which will be auctioned off live following the game.

Individual tickets for this andall Bears home games may be purchased at the GIANT Center box office, bycalling (717) 508-BEAR or online at TicketMaster.com.

NOTES: The Bears scratched D Christian Djoosand RW Caleb Herbert...The Pirates scratched D Josh Brown, C Corban Knight, CBrett Olson, RW Vinny Saponari and D Yann Sauve...Jakub Vrana's goal was hisfirst career regular-season tally, after scoring his first two AHL goals in the2015 Calder Cup playoffs.

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