Sports stats



AHL Hershey Bears

Vecchione Scores Twice to Lead Bears to 4-2 Win Over Phantoms

January 31, 2024 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Hershey Bears News Release


(Allentown, PA) - Mike Vecchione scored twice and Pierrick Dubé had a three-point night as the Hershey Bears (35-7-0-2) rallied from a 2-1 deficit in the third period for a 4-2 victory over the Lehigh Valley Phantoms (17-17-5-2) on Wednesday night at PPL Center. Hershey has now won six straight games and extended its point streak to nine contests (7-0-0-2).

The Bears improved to 6-1-0-1 against Lehigh Valley this season with the victory.

The Bears opened the scoring with a power-play goal in the first period when Ivan Miroshnichenko flipped the puck across to Chase Priskie as Hershey entered the attacking zone, and the defenseman found Vecchione in the slot. The forward snapped a shot off the crossbar and past Felix Sandstrom at 13:11 for his 12th of the season.

The Phantoms tied the score at 1-1 at 11:03 of the second period during a four-on-four sequence when Adam Ginning slid the puck across to Cooper Marody at the right side of the net, and Marody put a shot past Clay Stevenson.

Lehigh Valley took its first lead of the night at 12:25 during another four-on-four sequence, with Ronnie Attard finding the net to make it 2-1 for the hosts.

Jimmy Huntington leveled the score for Hershey at 1:16 of the third period when he corralled a rebound beneath the goal line at the right of the net and banked it into the cage off the leg of Sandstrom for his 11th of the season. Dubé picked up his first point of the night with an assist on the goal.

Vecchione scored his second of the night at 13:41 to re-take the lead for the visitors when he took a pass from Dubé and skated in with Huntington on a 2-on-1 before snapping a shot past the stick-side of Sandstrom for his first multi-goal game of the campaign. Aaron Ness, playing in his 700th career AHL game, earned a secondary helper.

Dubé sealed the game with an unassisted empty-net tally from the defensive zone at 17:56.

Shots finished 31-27 in favor of the Bears. Stevenson went 25-for-27 to secure his 16th victory of the season for Hershey; Sandstrom took the loss for Lehigh Valley with a 27-for-30 effort. The Bears went 1-for-4 on the power play; the Phantoms went 0-for-5 with the man advantage.

The Bears continue the 2023-24 season, presented by Penn State Health, when they visit the Lehigh Valley Phantoms at PPL Center on Friday, Feb. 2 at 7:05 p.m. Hershey is back on home ice at GIANT Center to host the Bridgeport Islanders on Saturday, Feb. 3 at 7 p.m. for Pennsylvania Lottery Night and Hometown Heroes Night. The first 4,000 fans in attendance 18-and-over will receive a coupon offer, courtesy of the Pennsylvania Lottery, and the evening will include first responders-themed activities and recognition throughout the evening. Purchase tickets for the game.

Check out the Hershey Bears Statistics



American Hockey League Stories from January 31, 2024


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.

OurSports Central