Hershey Cannot Stop Ice Caps, Lose 2-1

HERSHEY, PA – Zach Hamill plays the puck in front of St. John’s net during Hershey 2-1 loss to the Ice Caps (Tim Stough – Sweetest Hockey On Earth)

Hershey Bears fans welcomed an old friend back to Giant Center, but his new team wasn’t very friendly. Former Bears defenseman Dean Arsene returned as a member of the St John’s IceCaps and helped beat the Bears 2-1 at Giant Center on Saturday night.

The Bears seemed flat and played with little spark for most of the game. “The compete level wasn’t very good,” said a discouraged Bears coach Mark French after the contest.

The Bears and Ice Caps were scoreless after the first period, but just over five minutes into the second frame, St John’s Eric O’Dell scored on a rebound to give the visitors a 1-0 lead.

The Bears Barry Almeida was parked to the side of the net and fired home a shot to tie the game at one later in the second.

St John’s seemed in control for most of the game and with the Giant Center crowd expressing their frustration the IceCaps got the game winner in the third period on a deflection by Derek Meech.

The goal came at the end of a 4 minute double minor penalty given to the Bears Matt Pope. Hershey did a good job of killing the penalty, but the power play goal was the difference in the game.

Bears goalie Dany Sabourin kept Hershey in the game with 25 saves. “Dany was very good. Unfortunately he didn’t get a good enough effort in front of him,” said French.

The Bears wrap up a three game three night stretch when the face the Portland Pirates and former Bear Joel Rechlicz at Giant Center Sunday night at 5pm

More photos from the game (All by Tim Stough)

TJ Syner takes a shot on net

Mark Dekanich makes a save on TJ Syner