Bears Start the Season With One Point After Losing 3-4 in the Shootout


Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins celebrate getting a goal past Braden Holtby. Photo by Kyle Mace

The first game of the season results in the first shootout of the season. It probably wasn’t the way Hershey wanted to start the season, but one point is better than none. Braden Holtby, while still making some terrific saves, has some tape he will be reviewing tonight on the bus.

The first period was a crazy one. Both teams exchanged two goals each in first ten minutes. The first goal of the game came from Kyle Greentree, who scored 15 seconds into the first powerplay of the night. After allowing two goals from the Penguins, Steve Pinizzotto tied it at 2 for the final goal of the period. The Bears wouldn’t post another goal until Keith Aucoin scored to tie the game 3-3 only 48 seconds into the third period. It would be enough to merit Hershey a point, but it wouldn’t be enough to claim the game. The Penguins came out victorious after the dreaded shootout.

Thanks to Wilkes-Barre’s season opener ceremony, overtime, and the shootout, the game went a little late tonight. Hopefully the boys will still be able to get a good night’s rest as they take on Rochester Americans tomorrow at 5 pm.


Tonight’s notes:

  • While the penalties may not show it to the fullest extent, there was a lot of shoving and scrums in front of the net tonight. You get the feeling that these teams don’t like each other…
  • Both Greentree and Aucoin got two-thirds of a Gordie Howe hat trick. They each scored a goal and assisted on the other’s goal. If the game had not been as close as it was, they may have gone for that fight. Well, probably Greentree more than Aucoin…
  • In addition to his goal and assist, Greentree led the team with 8 shots on goal. Andrew Gordon also seemed to be antsy for a goal; he recorded 5 shots on goal.
  • The Hershey penalty kill seemed to be working well. The Penguins went 1 for 5 on the power play. One of Hershey’s penalty kills went so well it almost seemed like they were the ones with the man advantage.
  • The shootout started out the way we wanted it to: Holtby making the save on Dustin Jeffrey and Francois Bouchard burying it on the other end. The Penguins didn’t take too kindly to that and scored their next three shots (from Nick Johnson, Geoff Walker, and Brett Sterling) while Hershey was blocked on their next three (from Brian Willsie, Aucoin, and Mathieu Perreault).

Actual three stars of the game:

1. Geoff Walker (WBS)
2. Keith Aucoin (HER)
3. Andrew Hutchinson (WBS)

Sweetest Hockey On Earth’s three stars of the game:

1. Greentree: first goal of the season, assist on Aucoin’s goal, 8 shots on goal
2. Aucoin: game tying goal to push Hershey to overtime and an assist
3. Pinizzotto: beautiful move around Penguin defenders to score Hershey’s second goal

Now enjoy some more pictures from Kyle Mace:

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