Bears Back To Their Winning Ways

HERSHEY, Pa. - The Hershey Bears (18-10-3) sit in second place in the Atlantic Division heading into Wednesday night's games, having a win streak snapped but also beginning a new streak in a busy stretch of games last week.

In a rescheduled game with the Phantoms Wednesday night, the Bears jumped out to a strong start over a COVID-depleted Lehigh Valley who dressed just 17 skaters, eight forwards and nine defensemen and held on down the stretch for a 4-3 OT victory. Joe Snively started a two-goal game trend that continued through most of the week. Snively scored just 17 seconds into the contest and Shane Gersich scored at the 5:00 mark in Hershey’s best opening period of the season. Axel Jonsson-Fjallby’s goal in the second period put a near insurmountable lead on the board for the Bears, but the visiting Phantoms recorded three unanswered of their own to force the game into overtime. In overtime, Snively needed just 57 seconds to find the back of the net for the walk-off goal. Zach Fucale faced just 21 shots, recording 18 saves before being recalled to Washington and eventually setting a new NHL record for longest shutout streak to start an NHL career Saturday night.

A slow start in Syracuse Friday night doomed the Bears in the opening game of a three-in-three weekend as the Crunch tallied four times at even strength and added an empty net goal en route to a 5-3 victory over Hershey. Jonsson-Fjallby became the second Bear to score twice in a game on the week with a pair of power play goals, and Garrett Pilon scored early in the third period, but Hershey was unable to tie the game late before Syracuse scored the insurance marker as Hershey pulled Pheonix Copley for the extra attacker. Alex Alexeyev recorded a pair of assists for the Bears in the loss. Copley registered 21 saves in 58:12 of action.

On Saturday night, the Bears rebounded with a 3-2 victory over in-state rival Wilkes-Barre/Scranton that saw yet another Bear, Gersich, tally a pair of goals. Gersich was on the receiving end of a beautiful Mike Vecchione centering pass from below the goalline and beat Alex D’Orio for the game’s opening goal. In the second period, with the Bears on a 5-on-3, Joe Snively zipped a pass across ice to Vecchione who put the puck past D’Orio for a 2-0 lead. Gersich would then add his second of the game, a shot that deflected multiple times on its way into the net. Hunter Shepard, on recall from South Carolina while Fucale filled in for the Capitals, earned the shutout and the game’s first star honors with 20 saves on 20 shots.

Sunday evening, the Bears made it a perfect 7-0 start for the first time in franchise history with a nail-biting 3-2 victory over the Baby Pens. Dylan McIlrath scored an unassisted goal early in the second period to put the Bears on top. With time winding down in the second, Gersich recorded another point on the weekend by finding Vecchione in the low slot just before the horn sounded. But early in the third period, the Penguins pulled within a goal scoring in just 30 seconds. Pilon made it a two-goal game with a power play goal before the midway point of the period. The Penguins would score again late in the game on the power play, but the Bears weathered the late push for their third victory of the week.

Special Teams Weekly Recap

Hershey PP was 4-for-16 (Jonsson-Fjallby scored twice in Syracuse, Vecchione scored against WBS Jan. 8, and Pilon scored against WBS Jan. 9)

Hershey PK was 12-for-13

Three (Four) Things

1. Four-in-Five is No Problem

Bears head coach Scott Allen did not mince words when saying, "four games in five nights are not even allowed in the American Hockey League, Unfortunately circumstances with COVID and teams having to find ways to make games up that were postponed, building availability plays into it, so it's certainly not an easy thing, but I talk about it a lot (that) we put a lot of thought and preparation into it, even the days when that grind starts, I truly think it pays off," but even a crazy amount of games with little practice does much to stop this team this season.

2. Top Line Pairings Sizzle

Speed and scoring ability are certainly not an issue for Allen's top two lines who have continued to gel and formulate chemistry on the ice. With several key players injured, on the taxi squad, or logging NHL minutes, it is scary to think just how good this team would be if each of those missing components return before the end of the season.

"I played with [Vecchione] a little before. He's a great player and sees the ice well and he works really hard. [Mason] Morelli, I’ve been having good success with him lately too. He's someone that plays with pace and he works his bag off and as a linemate, that's super fun to play with,” Bears forward Shane Gersich said Saturday night.

3. Who’s in Net?

It doesn't seem to matter who Allen and goaltending coach Alex Westlund start or even who the pair have on hand, Hershey's goaltending has been quite the story this season. On the week, Fucale, Shepard, and Copley each earned victories with Shepard's coming in a 3-0 shutout of Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.

"It sucks in practice, but it's nice - whoever comes in has been awesome and we're super lucky and we definitely know we have some great goaltenders here," quipped Gersich.

4. Hershey Head Equipment Manager Milestone

Wednesday night marked the 500th game for Hershey's Head Equipment Manager, Josh Carter. The Bears not only acknowledged Carter's dedication during the game, but in a post-game video provided by the team, Carter was given a Bears jersey with '500' on the back and was the recipient of game awards as well.

Allen said, "We're so happy and proud of him. We're so fortunate to have the people that we have behind the scenes in this organization and certainly so proud of Josh Carter, he's a true professional. He does things the right way. We talk about doing things the right way on the ice with our players, well it has to start behind the scenes, off the ice. It's so important and people don't realize and those guys are a huge part of our foundation, so a huge shout out to Josh, his wife, and his family - congratulations on 500 games."

Up Next

The schedule doesn't appear to lighten up anytime soon for the Bears, who have three games scheduled for this week.

Wednesday, January 12: Bridgeport at Hershey - 7:00 p.m. ETSaturday, January 15: Toronto at Hershey - 7:00 p.m. ETSunday, January 16: Hershey at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton - 3:05 p.m. ET