Hershey Bears Weekly Notebook 11/11/22

HERSHEY, Pa. - The Hershey Bears (5-2-2) swept a weekend home-and-home series with rival Wilkes-Barre/Scranton over the weekend, and prepare for the team's first fully home three-in-three weekend since January 2011.

Despite several roster changes due to recalls and a one-game suspension to captain Dylan McIlrath, the Bears came out roaring in their home-and-home series with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, earning a pair of victories over their in-state rivals who were previously unbeaten in regulation.

Last Week

Saturday, November 5: Hershey - 2 at W-B/Scranton - 1

On Saturday night Mike Sgarbossa, who is still awaiting the birth of his second child, scored his third of the season just past the midway point in the first period.

In the second, Ethen Frank scored a powerplay goal late in the period for his third goal of the season.

The Penguins would eventually get a 6-on-4 power play goal with just 55 seconds left, but it wouldn’t be enough as Zach Fucale earned the victory with a 30-save performance.

Sunday, November 6: W-B/Scranton - 3 at Hershey - 4

On Sunday, it was all Hershey early as the Bears jumped out to a four-goal lead through two periods.

Shane Gersich, Mason Morelli, and Henrik Rybinski each recorded their first goals of the season, while Frank scored his fourth in as many games.

As heavily as the ice was tilted in Hershey’s favor through the first 40 minutes, the Penguins turned the tables in the third, scoring three unanswered goals including another 6-on-4 late in the period.

However, Hunter Shepard earned the victory in net with a 30-save performance.

Even with a sweep of the Penguins on the weekend, head coach Todd Nelson was not too happy.

"I was pretty happy after two periods. I had to cool down after the game was over. There's no substitute for work; there really isn't," Nelson told InsideAHLHockey.com after Sunday's contest. "Our guys were warned that they were going to make a push and they really did, and if Shepard doesn't stand on his head in the third period, we lose the game. It's unacceptable."

Quotable

"We kind of got scolded a little bit, but we deserved it. We just take that as a learning lesson and learn how to finish games off," Ethen Frank said of allowing the Penguins back into a game the Bears seemingly put away in the first two periods Sunday.

"I probably should have warned them after the second period," quipped HC Todd Nelson. "That’s sarcasm... I'm not watching the third period. I'll have one of the assistants watch the third period."

The Week Ahead

The Bears are home all weekend for a very rare home three-in-three. Friday and Saturday night they host the Bridgeport Islanders. Then on Sunday (back to a normal 5:00 start), the Bears host Laval.

The last time the Bears played a three-in-three entirely at home was January 21-23, 2011 where they swept Albany (8-3), Rochester (5-1), and Adirondack (5-1).

Friday, November 11: Bridgeport at Hershey, 7:00 p.m. ETSaturday, November 12: Bridgeport at Hershey, 7:00 p.m. ETSunday, November 13: Laval at Hershey, 5:00 p.m. ET