Down 2-0 in the third period, the Hershey Bears (26-8-4-1) stormed back with a four-goal frame to top the Belleville Senators (15-20-3-1) by a 4-2 score on Saturday night at CAA Arena. The win extended Hershey’s overall point streak to six games at 4-0-2-0, and its road point streak to five games at 4-0-1-0.
The Belleville Senators hosted the Hershey Bears on Saturday January 21st, 2023. Jonathan Aspirot (48) of the Senators jostling for position in front of his goalie Kevin Mandolese (31) of the Senators with Joe Snively (21) of the Bears. (Photo Credit: John Warren / ProHockeyNews)
The win was also the Bears’ first comeback victory this season when trailing after two periods after previously going 0-6-1-0 in seven prior attempts.
Both teams failed to score in the first period, but Belleville broke the 0-0 deadlock 29 seconds into the middle frame when Scott Sabourin deflected Dillon Heatherington’s shot from the high slot behind Hunter Shepard to put the hosts up 1-0.
Viktor Lodin then put Belleville up by a pair of goals with a power-play strike via a one-timer from the right circle at 15:31.
The Bears got on the board at 5:04 of the third period with the man advantage when Ethen Frank received a cross-slot pass from Mike Sgarbossa at the left circle and snapped his team-leading 17th of the season past Kevin Mandolese. Connor McMichael received credit for a secondary assist on the tally.
Beck Malenstyn tied the game at 2-2 at 9:06 on a shorthanded rush with a shot from the right circle for his third of the season. The goal was the Bears’ second shorthanded marker of the season, with assists coming from Gabriel Carlsson and Henrik Rybinski.
Hershey took its first lead of the night at 13:37 when Hendrix Lapierre stole the puck from a defender behind the Belleville net and centered it into the slot for Garrett Pilon, who roofed a shot past the glove of Mandolese for his fifth of the season.
With Mandolese pulled for an extra skater, Frank sealed the game with an empty-net goal at 19:07, from Mike Vecchione and Sgarbossa. With his performance, Frank extended his current point streak to six games (5g, 4a) to match a previous career-high established earlier this season, while Sgarbossa also extended a six-game point streak of his own (4g, 6a).
Shots finished 34-25 in favor of Hershey. Shepard went 23-for-25 for Hershey to pick up his 11th win of the season; Mandolese was 30-for-33 for the Senators. The Bears were 1-for-7 on the power play; Belleville went 1-for-4 on the power play.
The game marked the 600th American Hockey League game as a head coach for Hershey’s Todd Nelson; Nelson now sports a 335-197-68 record over his AHL career with Oklahoma City, Grand Rapids and Hershey. Defender Aaron Ness also played in his 700th professional game; the blueliner has 276 of those contests under his belt with Hershey, which leads all active Bears players.
Hershey continues the 2022-23 season, presented by Penn State Health, when the Chocolate and White take on the Lehigh Valley Phantoms on Wednesday, Jan. 25 at 7:05 p.m. at the PPL Center. The Bears return home to GIANT Center for their annual GIANT Teddy Bear Toss when they host the Bridgeport Islanders on Sunday, Jan. 29 at 3 p.m. All fans are encouraged to bring new, stuffed teddy bears and items to the game to toss onto the ice as the Bears score their first goal. All items collected will be donated to local charities. Purchase tickets for the game by CLICKING HERE.
With Hershey match report
The Belleville Senators hosted the Hershey Bears on Saturday January 21st, 2023. Jonathan Aspirot (48) of the Senators helping his net minder Kevin Mandolese (31) of the Senators keep an eye on the puck. (Photo Credit: John Warren / ProHockeyNews)
The Belleville Senators hosted the Hershey Bears on Saturday January 21st, 2023. Ridley Greig (17) of the Senators getting set to shoot on net. (Photo Credit: John Warren / ProHockeyNews)
The Belleville Senators hosted the Hershey Bears on Saturday January 21st, 2023. Angus Crookshank (36) of the Senators tries a backhanded shot against goaltender Hunter Shepard (30) of the Bears while Dylan McIlrath (42) of the Bears looks on. (Photo Credit: John Warren / ProHockeyNews)
The Belleville Senators hosted the Hershey Bears on Saturday January 21st, 2023. Dylan McIlrath (42) of the Bears pushes Ridley Greig (17) of the Senators out of the way in front of the Bear’s net. (Photo Credit: John Warren / ProHockeyNews)
The Belleville Senators hosted the Hershey Bears on Saturday January 21st, 2023. Aaron Ness (20) of the Bears challenges Cole Reinhardt (23) of the Senators for the puck after a face off in the Bears defensive zone. (Photo Credit: John Warren / ProHockeyNews)
The Belleville Senators hosted the Hershey Bears on Saturday January 21st, 2023. Dillon Heatherington (3) of the Senators comes in to help his goalie Kevin Mandolese (31) of the Senators as Garrett Pilon (18) of the Bears get ready for the deflection. (Photo Credit: John Warren / ProHockeyNews)
The Belleville Senators hosted the Hershey Bears on Saturday January 21st, 2023. Kevin Mandolese (31) of the Senators makes an easy save in the second period. (Photo Credit: John Warren / ProHockeyNews)
The Belleville Senators hosted the Hershey Bears on Saturday January 21st, 2023. Kyle Betts (11) of the Senators watching Hendrix Lapierre (29) of the Bears questions Linesman: Kirsten Welsh about being tossed out of the face off circle. (Photo Credit: John Warren / ProHockeyNews)
The Belleville Senators hosted the Hershey Bears on Saturday January 21st, 2023. Mason Morelli (11) of the Bears screening goalie Kevin Mandolese (31) of the Senators as Dillon Heatherington (3) of the Senators keeps an eye on things. (Photo Credit: John Warren / ProHockeyNews)
The Belleville Senators hosted the Hershey Bears on Saturday January 21st, 2023. Cole Cassels (12) of the Senators and Mike Sgarbossa (23) of the Bears battle for the puck. (Photo Credit: John Warren / ProHockeyNews)
The Belleville Senators hosted the Hershey Bears on Saturday January 21st, 2023. Cole Cassels (12) of the Senators facing off against Mike Sgarbossa (23) of the Bears as Linesman: Kirsten Welsh get ready to drop the puck. (Photo Credit: John Warren / ProHockeyNews)
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