Vanecek Stars in AHL Debut as Bears Down Penguins
April 17, 2016 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Hershey Bears News Release
HERSHEY, Pa. - Casey DeSmith and Vitek Vanecek put on a rookie goaltending clinic but Vanecek came out on top, stopping 25 shots through 65 minutes and both shootout chances as the Hershey Bears defeated the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins 2-1 on Sunday evening at GIANT Center.
The game featured two periods of scoreless hockey thanks to tremendous goaltending at both ends. Vanecek turned away all 10 first-period chances that included three power play shots, while DeSmith stopped all five he saw. In the middle frame, the Bears played a tight defensive period and earned three power play chances of their own, but DeSmith made several key stops including a back-door lunging save on Nathan Walker.
The Bears finally got to the Penguin netminder on their fifth power play of the evening. Vrana unloaded a high-rising one-timer from the right circle off a feed from Aaron Ness, and blew it past DeSmith at 4:53 of the third period.
Sean Maguire would come on in relief of DeSmith, who left in the third period with an apparent injury. Minutes after the swap, Dustin Jeffrey, whom Vanecek denied on a shorthanded breakaway earlier in the period, managed to even the score with 3:17 left in regulation. Jeffrey took a shot from the left wing that slipped under a prone Tyler Lewington and past Vanecek's left arm.
The Bears had a glorious chance to take the game in overtime, earning a carry-over five-on-three power play for over a minute, but the Penguins killed it off. They also took over the possession time afterward, but Vanecek and the Hershey defense held strong.
Christian Djoos netted the eventual shootout winner in the second round, and Riley Barber put a stamp on the win with his third-round tally past Maguire's arm.
DeSmith earned no decision, stopping 21 of 22 shots in 51:21 of work. Maguire took the overtime loss in his AHL debut with four saves in regulation and overtime and one out of three in the shootout.
The Bears will face the Portland Pirates in the Atlantic Division semifinals, with dates and times to be announced following the official release from the American Hockey League this evening.
NOTES: Hershey finishes the regular season with a record of 43-21-5-7 (98 points), one win shy of last season's 100-point performance...Hershey and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton split the season series with six wins each...The Bears scratched LW Chris Bourque, LW Paul Carey, G Dan Ellis, RW Dustin Gazley, G Justin Peters and D Ryan Stanton...The Penguins scratched D Niclas Andersen, RW Tyler Biggs, LW Sahir Gill, C Adam Krause, D Reid McNeill, D Harrison Ruopp, LW Tom Sestito and LW Dominik Uher.
• Discuss this story on the American Hockey League message board...
American Hockey League Stories from April 17, 2016
- Pirates Prevail in Season Finale - Portland Pirates
- San Jose Barracuda Announce Schedule for Pacific Division Semifinals vs. Ontario Reign - San Jose Barracuda
- Stupendous Second-Season Swan Song Socks Syracuse - Lehigh Valley Phantoms
- Heat Finish Inaugural Season as a .500 Hockey Club - Stockton Heat
- Bridgeport falls but finds out its playoff opponent - Bridgeport Islanders
- Penguins Show Resiliency in 2-1 Shootout Loss at Hershey - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
- SJ Barracuda Clinch Playoff Spot in Final Game of the Season in Fine Fashion - San Jose Barracuda
- Hershey's Chris Bourque, Providence's Frank Vatrano Win AHL Scoring Races - AHL
- Falcons Fall in Season Finale - Springfield Falcons
- Pirates to Face Hershey Bears in Division Semifinals - Portland Pirates
- Sound Tigers to Meet Marlies in Round One - Bridgeport Islanders
- Toronto Marlies Set to Face the Bridgeport Sound Tigers in the First Round of the Calder Cup Playoff - Toronto Marlies
- Bears to Face Pirates in Division Semifinal - Hershey Bears
- First-Round Schedules Announced for 2016 Calder Cup Playoffs - AHL
- Reign Battle San Jose in Opening Round of 2016 Calder Cup Playoffs - Ontario Reign
- Vanecek Stars in AHL Debut as Bears Down Penguins - Hershey Bears
- Crunch Drop Season Finale to Phantoms, 5-2 - Syracuse Crunch
- P-Bruins End Regular Season with 6-1 Win - Providence Bruins
- Penguins to Begin Playoffs with Providence on Wednesday - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
- Comets to Battle Albany Devils in North Division Semifinals - Utica Comets
- Toronto Marlies Post Game Notes - Toronto Marlies
- Albany Devils to Face Utica Comets in First Round of Calder Cup - Albany Devils
- Comets Drop Regular Season Finale - Utica Comets
- B-Sens Finish Season on a High Note - Binghamton Senators
- Dallas Stars Reassign Brett Ritchie to Texas - Texas Stars
- Comets Hand out 2015-16 Season Awards - Utica Comets
- Minnesota Wild Recalls Mike Reilly - Iowa Wild
- Wild Loans Christoph Bertschy to Team Switzerland - Iowa Wild
- Heat Try to Play Spoiler During Final Regular Season Game in San Jose - Stockton Heat
- Goaltender Vitek Vanecek Reassigned to Hershey - Hershey Bears
- Rangers Agree to Terms with Free Agent Forward Malte Stromwall - Hartford Wolf Pack
- Agostino's Four Points Power Heat to Regulation Win over San Jose on Military Appreciation Night - Stockton Heat
- Barracuda can't clinch in Stockton - San Jose Barracuda
- Gulls Rally Past Ontario 3-2 in Regular Season Finale - San Diego Gulls
- Offense Erupts, IceHogs Finish Regular Season on High Note - Rockford IceHogs
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.
