HERSHEY, PA – The Hershey Bears got goals from four different goal scorers and evened their first round playoff series against the Charlotte Checkers with a 4-2 win in Game Two the East Division semifinals series. Braden Holtby made 22 saves on 24 shots and the Bears got goals from Patrick McNeill, Andrew Kozek, Brian Willsie, and Sheldon Souray while Charlotte got both goals from Zac Delpe. The Checkers went 1-7 on the power play while Hershey went 0-5. Justin Pogge took the loss for Charlotte making 16 saves on 20 shots. Hershey scored the game’s first two goals, the first on McNeill’s backhand shot after a rebound in front of the net for the 1-0 lead. In the second period Kozek fired a rocket from between the face-off circles at 4:25 but 35 seconds later Dalpe answered back from the right circle. Brian Willsie scored 2:08 later to give Hershey a two goal lead back his second of the playoffs from the right point but Dalpe once again answered back from the top of the right circle 3:01 after Willsie’s goal. Sheldon Souray would put the game out of reach short-handed when he fired a slap shot from the bottom of the left circle. The series not goes to Charlotte Tuesday, Wednesday, and Friday for Games 3-5. If the series goes past Game 5 they will be played in Hershey Sunday (April 24) and Monday (April 25). Contact the author at Brian.Jennings@prohockeynews.com
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