Pirates Take Over SS Hershey, Beat the Bears 3-1

HERSHEY, PA – Michael Stone scores on Braden Holtby in the second period during Hershey’s 3-1 loss to Portland (Tim Stough – Sweetest Hockey on Earth)

Entering Sunday, the Hershey Bears have only scored seven goals in the first period, a problem which could relate to how few shots they get on net during the opening twenty minutes. Through eleven games, they’ve fired only 92 shots on net during the first period, which averages out to a little over eight, a dreadful amount. Looking to turn things around Sunday against the Portland Pirates, the Bears came out flat again, firing 5 shots on goal in the first period. The Bears would end up losing 3-1.

Despite their struggles in the first period, Tomas Kundratek scored on the Bears second shot of the game, a power play goal. After fielding a rebound with his glove after a Jon DiSalvatore shot, Kundratek slapped a shot past by Chad Johnson for an early 1-0 lead.

With six minutes left in the frame, Portland erased the Bears’ early lead.  Andy Miele poked home a loose puck in the crease home.

In the second period, things began to unravel for Hershey. At the midway point of the period, the Bears defense became a little too loose, giving Portland a shooting spree on Braden Holtby. Thankfully, Holtby was up for the challenge and continued to deny the Pirates, until the 10:36 mark when Michael Stone finally cashed in for the Pirates to give them their first lead of the evening.

Portland carried a 2-1 lead into the third period. Entering the third, the Bears looked for the equalizer, while Portland was hungry for an insurance goal. After Alexandre Bolduc departed from the penalty box after a third period penalty, he battled Holtby in a foot race to a loose puck. Bolduc won the race and danced past an over-aggressive Holtby to give Portland the insurance tally at the 10:05 mark.

The Bears failed to capitalize with the net empty, and Portland took home a 3-1 win over the Bears at Giant Center.