Screen cover: AHL TV
The Hershey Bears defeated the Charlotte Checkers, 6-2 Thursday night at the Giant Center in Hershey. The victory clinched their best-of-five semifinal series with Checkers, 3-1. The Bears now advance to the Atlantic Division Finals against the semi-final winners Hartford Wolf Pack and Providence Bruins.
The Checkers opened the scoring just two minutes into the contest and added their second score midway through the opening segment to take a 2-0 lead going into the first break.
After a scoreless first half of the second half, the Bears finally broke through with a score of Mason Morelli Added a late goal from Beck Mallenstein With 16 seconds left in the period to tie it at 2-2 going into the second period.
The Bears took their first lead of the game on a goal by Alexi Brutas In the middle of the final frame and make the score 4-2 on the second goal Alexi Brutas late in this period. Checkers scored their goal with the goalkeeper’s pull Dylan McElrath An empty net goal added to the final 6-2.
Lined up
Hunter Shepard (2-1-0, 1.69 GAA, .922 sv%) gets the start between the pipes for the Bears. Mac guzda (2-2-0, 3.51 GAA, . 864 sv%) Got to start visiting Checkers. Bears front lines and defensive pairs:
Mason Morelli – Mike Sgarbosa – Mike Vecchione
Joe Sinville – Connor McMichael – Garrett Bailon
Alexi Brotas – Hendrix Lapierre – Sam Anas
Beck Mallenstein – Riley Sutter – Shane Gersh
Gabriel Carlson – Dylan McElrath
Lukas Johansen – Vincent Yorio
Jake Massey – Logan Day
Hunter Shepard
Zack Focale
scratches: Ethene Frank (injury), Aaron Ness (injury), Bobby Nardella, Henrik Borgstrom, Henrik Rybinski, Matt Strom, Julian Napravnik, Bogdan Treniev, Ludwig Pearson, Drew Krebs, Alexander Suzdalev and Jarin Bjorklund.
The first period
Checkers wasted little time posting the game’s first tally. Jake Wise (1) He achieved the result of the opening match at 2:00 of the first. Macky Samoskiewicz (4) f Corey Conacher (1) He had helpers.
Hot start! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/LvphoOoBEu
– Charlotte Checkers (CheckersHockey) May 4, 2023
The Checkers extended their lead to 2-0 with 12 minutes remaining in the period. Riley Nash (3) They scored their second checkers score at 7:54. Matt Kierstedt (3) f Santo Kinonen (4) His passes.
Kiersted with Rip, Nash with Edge! 🚨 pic.twitter.com/64a2m3eyYf
– Charlotte Checkers (CheckersHockey) May 4, 2023
Beck Mallenstein He had a highlight that bears in the opening frame after one of his patented bone-cracking checks took the pain out of the glass.
Beck Mallenstein destroys the place! # Wreckit Beck #BeckTheCheck # the capper #HBH pic.twitter.com/bZX3GTZ7mi
– Capitals Horizons (@jon_m_sorensen) May 4, 2023
The first period ended with the victory of the Checkers team, 2-0. Charlotte led on shots, 8-2. Hershey was 0 for 1 on the power play. Checkers did not have a man advantage.
The second period
After a scoreless struggle in the first half of the second period, the Bears finally broke through the Checkers defense and notched their first tally of the game. Mason Morelli He darted into the zone on a two-on-two break, drove to the net and finished with five holes to score. Mike Sgarbosa (2 f Lucas Johansen (2) He got help.
Mo pulls us into one with his second qualifying match!
🍎 Shameless
🍏 Johanssen pic.twitter.com/bmdq6JS7CP– Hershey’s Bears (@TheHersheyBears) May 5, 2023
After successive penalties on Joe SnellyAnd, a highly questionable one, Snively made up for it with an incredible assist to set up the Bears’ second tally late in the middle frame. Beck Mallenstein It ended for the game-tying tag with only 16 seconds left in the frame. Joe Snelly (3) He was his only helper.
What a play by Joe Cinfly! Beck Mallenstein buried it and we were tied at 2-2 going into the second intermission. #HBH # the capper pic.twitter.com/m1olmuUNCC
– Capitals Horizons (@jon_m_sorensen) May 5, 2023
The second half concluded with a 2-2 tie. Charlotte led in shooting 10-9 in the second half and 18-11 after two periods. Hershey was 0 for 2 and Charlotte was 0 for 3 on the power play after two periods.
Third period
The Bears took their first lead of the night midway through the final frame when Alexi Brutas One home slammed on the power play at 8:59. Anas himself (3) f Joe Snelly (4) His passes.
Snake strikes! Aliaksei Protas’ power play goal gives the Bears a 3-2 lead with 11 minutes left in the game. #HBH # the capper pic.twitter.com/8goHc6yzhm
– Capitals Horizons (@jon_m_sorensen) May 5, 2023
The Bears quickly made it 4-2 Alexi BrutasThe second goal of the night at 10:57 of the third period. Anas himself (4) f Hendrix Lapierre (2) He got help.
Two for Zeus from Belarus! # the capper #HBH pic.twitter.com/nr1dAOycky
– Capitals Horizons (@jon_m_sorensen) May 5, 2023
Checkers pulled Mac guzda After Brutas’ second goal. He was replaced by JF Berube.
The Bears added two empty net goals late on to seal the win. Checkers Riley Nash scored on his own empty net to make it 5-2.
The Checkers score into their own empty nets to make it 5-2. Dylan McElrath scored his first goal of the season to make it 6-2. The Bears will advance to the Atlantic Division Finals #HBH # the capper pic.twitter.com/ovs4l2zObk
– Capitals Horizons (@jon_m_sorensen) May 5, 2023
Dylan McElrath An empty net goal added to the final 6-2.
The Bears now await the Atlantic Division semi-finalist Hartford Wolf Pack and Providence Bruins.
Carpentry
- AHL Box Points
- Attendance: 4,515
- The Bears led in shots 32-28.
- Hunter Shepard stopped 26 of 28 for a 0.928 game save percentage.
- The stars of the game: 1) Aliaksi Brutas, 2) Beck Mallenstein and 3) Sam Anas.