The Hershey Bears (29-12-4-1) returned from the AHL’s All-Star break with a 3-0 loss to the Utica Comets (23-16-5-2) on Friday night at the Adirondack Bank Center. Utica goaltender Akira Schmid made 19 saves for the shutout. It was the third time on the road this season that an opposing netminder had blanked Hershey in regulation.
Hershey faced a peppering of shots from Utica’s offense in the first period, as the Comets out-shot the Bears 12-2. Notably, Utica’s Graeme Clarke was impeded on his way to the net at 14:16 and was subsequently awarded a penalty shot. The Comets’ right-handed shooter deked to his backhand, but was stopped by a big pad save from Zach Fucale.
Despite the Bears rebounding in the early stages of the second period by initially out-shooting the Comets 7-1, it was Utica that finally struck first when Jack Dugan beat Fucale high on a 2-on-1 rush at 6:35 to take a 1-0 lead.
Nolan Foote scored for Utica off a face-off at 11:35 of the third period to extend the lead for the hosts to 2-0, and Andreas Johnsson capped the scoring with an empty-net goal at 19:38.
Shots finished 33-19 in favor of the Comets. Fucale went 30-for-32 for Hershey in the loss; Schmid was a perfect 19-for-19 for Utica. The Bears were 0-for-3 on the power play; the Comets finished 0-for-3 with the man advantage.
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