The Hershey Bears posted three goals in the second period, and Parker Milner stopped all 19 shots faced to shutout the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, 3-0, on Sunday evening at the PPL Center. The clean sheet is Milner’s first career AHL shutout in his seventh pro season. Hershey concludes 2019 with a 10-1-0-0 record in December and a 18-10-2-3 overall line. The Bears have now beaten the Phantoms six times in seven meetings (6-0-1-0) in 2019-20.
All goal scoring for the Chocolate and White came in the middle stanza after a scoreless first period. Mike Sgarbossa forced a turnover and setup Joe Snively all alone in the low-slot at 3:46 for the game’s first goal. Snively ripped a shot five-hole past Phantoms goaltender and fellow Yale University product Alex Lyon for his ninth goal of the season. Later in the frame, Hershey doubled their advantage after capitalizing on another Phantoms defensive zone miscue. Bobby Nardella created a turnover and connected with an open Garrett Pilon, all alone with Lyon. Pilon converted on his sixth goal of the season at 14:41.
In the dying seconds of the period, Hershey converted shortly after an offensive zone face-off for the dagger. Nardella sent a pass across the blueline for Connor Hobbs, who unleashed a shot towards the net. On the rebound, Brian Pinho pounced on the second chance opportunity and tallied to open a 3-0 cushion at 19:44. Shots after 40 minutes were a 31-10 margin in favor of the Bears, and 38-19 at the final buzzer.
The Bears special teams unit finished 0-for-5 on the power play, and 5-for-5 on the penalty kill including three successful kills in the third period.
With Hershey match report
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