Never Forget The 'Aaron Ness Butt Goal' From Game 1 Of The Eastern Conference Finals

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HERSHEY, Pa. - The intensity and pace to Thursday night's Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals saw both teams laying it all on the line looking to grab momentum to begin the best-of-seven series.

It was a night of momentum swings, as Hershey took an early 1-0 lead on a first period goal from Ethen Frank - - his speed on full display.

The second period saw Cleveland become opportunistic on offense, tallying two goals 1:22 apart to turn a 1-0 deficit into a 2-1 lead.

Then, a response from the Bears - just 1:23 after the Monsters had taken the lead - came by way of an unlikely deflection.

Mike Vecchione took a stretch pass through the neutral zone, entered the offensive zone and timed his shot perfectly as defenseman Aaron Ness drove through the middle - backing up the Monsters' defender and creating a screen for Vecchione to release a quick shot that eluded Monsters' goaltender Jet Greaves to tie the game back up at 2-2.

The goal was credited to Ness on the screen in front, meaning the puck glanced off of him before it crossed the goal line.

Did it hit the back of Ness's leg?

"He said it immediately. It went off my ass, it went off my ass," Vecchione said of how Ness reacted as he joined him in the corner after the goal, adding, "I went and [celebrated] with him and let him go down the line first. I don't really care who scores it's a big moment for us to tie the game up there and it created momentum for us."

Is he going to have a bruise there?

"I hope not," Ness laughed in response. "[Vecchions] purposely did it because he knows I'm not going to score any other way, right?" he added rhetorically, before adding, "So he owed me one I guess, but no it was a great play on him, great shot."

Regardless of how it went in, it was a huge goal at the time to get Hershey back in control.

While it might have been a bit funny, not to mention it will likely be known as the 'Aaron Ness butt goal', the veteran defender is chipping in in other facets of the game - not going unnoticed by his teammates.

"He does everything for us out there. He's blocking shots. He's a leader," Vecchione said of Ness's impact on and off the ice. "He's making all the right plays so I don't mind if he has to get a goal."

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