Power Play Thrives, Bears Edge Penguins
December 21, 2018 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Hershey Bears News Release
(Hershey, PA) - The Hershey Bears and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins battled for the seventh time this season, and Hershey came away with a 3-2 win in front of 10,545 fans at Giant Center on Hersheypark Pass Night. Hershey now leads the season series with a 4-2-0-1 record.
Both teams combined for four goals in an entertaining, special teams filled first period. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton drew first blood only 67 seconds into the game courtesy of Jean-Sebastien Dea's first goal of the season. Dea beat Vitek Vanecek high, blocker-side on the game's first shot.
Hershey received two chances on the power play in the opening frame, and cashed in on both opportunities to take a 2-1 lead. First, Mike Sgarbossa tallied after a crisp, cross-ice pass from Riley Barber at 4:55 to beat Penguins goaltender Anthony Peters moving to his right. Next, Nathan Walker deflected an Aaron Ness center point shot at 8:34 to put the Bears in front. The Penguins answered before the period expired after capitalizing on a 5-on-3 power play. After Joey Leach and Barber were called for infractions 1:02 apart, Teddy Blueger evened the score at 10:43 after redirecting a Garrett Wilson shot. After 20 minutes, Hershey possessed a 13-8 lead in shots.
Into the second period, Pens' Matt Abt was handed three separate minor penalties during the frame. Following his third infraction at 17:42, the Chocolate and White took advantage by scoring their third power play goal of the night. After a cross-checking penalty, Barber snapped a screaming, low shot through Peters' five-hole and into the net at 18:27. Barber's goal stood as the eventual game-winner. Hershey carried a 3-2 lead into second intermission, and a 28-15 lead in shots.
The Bears successfully killed of 1:45 of Pens' power play time to start the third period, and Vanecek stopped all 13 shots faced in the final stanza for the win. Final shot count was 33-28 Bears. Vanecek's victory in goal marked his first since December 2, snapping four consecutive losses in net (0-3-1). Hershey's power play finished 3-for-6, while the penalty kill finished 2-for-3.
The Hershey Bears conclude their weekend on Saturday, December 22 at Giant Center against the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. It's UGI Fleece Blanket Night. The first 5,000 fans will receive a fleece blanket, courtesy of UGI. Ticket information is available online at HersheyBears.com.
American Hockey League Stories from December 21, 2018
- Bridgeport rolls to biggest win of the season against first-place Charlotte on Friday - Bridgeport Islanders
- Wolf Pack Double Americans, 4-2 - Hartford Wolf Pack
- Devils Score Four Unanswered in 6-3 Comeback Win over Bruins - Binghamton Devils
- Penguins Lose Close One to Bears, 3-2 - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
- Broadhurst Nets Hat Trick as Monsters Throttle Senators, 6-3 - Cleveland Monsters
- Checkers Fall to Sound Tigers 6-1 - Charlotte Checkers
- Crunch Defeat Phantoms, 3-2, in Shootout - Syracuse Crunch
- Late Charge Not Enough to Get T-Birds Past Comets - Springfield Thunderbirds
- Power Play Thrives, Bears Edge Penguins - Hershey Bears
- Sens Fall to Cleveland in First Ever Meeting - Belleville Senators
- Gignac's Hat-Trick Powers Devils over P-Bruins - Providence Bruins
- Bachman, Demko Slam Door on T-Birds - Utica Comets
- Hogs to Host Blood Drive at the BMO Thursday, December 27 - Rockford IceHogs
- Devils Sign Forward Conor Riley to PTO - Binghamton Devils
- Senators Announce Boxing Day Sale - Belleville Senators
- Coyotes Recall Bunting from Tucson - Tucson Roadrunners
- Game #27 Preview: Tucson at San Jose - Tucson Roadrunners
- Amadio, Wagner, Walker Recalled by Kings - Ontario Reign
- Flames Assign Buddy Robinson to Stockton - Stockton Heat
- Marlies Set for Back-To-Back Games in Laval - Toronto Marlies
- Heat Open Road Swing with Wild - Stockton Heat
- Join the Griffins for a Bluetooth Speaker Giveaway and the 22nd Annual NYE Celebration - Grand Rapids Griffins
- Lindholm Called up to Avalanche, Eagles Recall Anderson - Colorado Eagles
- Bears Sign Defenseman Cliff Watson to Tryout Agreement - Hershey Bears
- Admirals Sign Pendenza, Carlson to PTOs - Milwaukee Admirals
- Game Day Build-Up: Senators at Monsters, December 21 - Belleville Senators
- AHL's Top Two Teams Go Head-To-Head this Weekend - Bridgeport Islanders
- Game Preview: Penguins at Bears, 7 p.m. - Hershey Bears
- Canes Reassign Bishop to Charlotte - Charlotte Checkers
- American Hockey League Announces Suspension - AHL
- T-Birds Look to Extend Home Point Streak to Eight against Utica - Springfield Thunderbirds
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