Injured Bears Annihilated in Norfolk, 6-1

Shane Owen looks on as the Admirals pot their sixth goal of the night.

Well…yeah, that was bad.

It didn’t always look so bleak. Steve Pinizzotto put the Bears on the board first. Earlier he had been whistled a boarding call but he made up for it by scoring on his next shift. Unfortunately, the Admirals tied it up before the end of first twenty minutes. And that started the roll of unanswered goals by Norfolk.

The penalties began racking up in the second and third periods with the Bears on the wrong end of the calls. By the end of the second period, it was a 4-1 game in favor of Norfolk. It’s at this point that you really start thinking about all the injuries that are keeping Bears out of the game and wondering how many players might be playing through minor injuries.

Just to add insult to injury (literally), the Admirals came out fast for the final period and scored just 32 seconds in. That goal would mean the end of Jared DeMichiel’s game and Shane Owen was put in goal. Yes, the same Shane Owen that was signed this morning to a pro tryout contract. The intention was to just have him back-up DeMichiel tonight…but plans change. John Walton informs fans that Owen is not expected to be here long which means that either Braden Holtby or Semyon Varlamov is returning from injury soon.

In his clashing bright red pads, Owen stopped nine of ten shots through the remainder of the game. The only goal he let up came a little over halfway through the period. He lost sight of the puck and couldn’t dive across the crease in time. But, obviously, that’s not enough. Bears lose 6-1.

If anything, this game proves that the Bears need to talk a hard look at some goalies to possibly add before clear day. Granted, Holtby should be getting healthy soon, but what happens if we gets injured again? DeMichiel still has some developing to do and Todd Ford isn’t the kind of goalie you want to backstop you through playoffs.

But it’s probably best to deal with that when it comes.

Tonight’s Notes:

• During the course of the game, Patrick Wellar and Pinizzotto were injured. Both left during the second period and never returned to the game. The good news is that the Bears have a few days to heal up before their next game on Saturday.
• Mathieu Perreault played his first game with Bears since December 4th.
• After playing today, Shane Owen became the sixth goaltender to see playing time for the Bears this season. He is also the seventh goaltender to dress for the Bears (Bobby Jarosz backed up DeMichiel on February 26th, but never played).

Lines and Pairings:

Kane – Aucoin – Pinnizzotto
Greentree – Joudrey – Willsie
Lacroix – Perreault – Bouchard
Kugryshev – Carroll – de Kastrozza

Souray – Collins
Orlov – Wellar
McNeill – Fahey

Actual three stars of the game:

1. Blair Jones (NOR)
2. Marc-Antoine Pouliot (NOR)
3. Mattias Ritola (NOR)

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

1. Pinizzotto: scored Hershey’s only goal
2. Owen: hey, he only let one goal in!
3. Dan Stuck: the man deserves a star for all the injuries he’s helping with