Penguins Withhold Bears’ Offense in 1-0 Setback

Photo courtesy: AFCMedia Photography

Friday night, the Hershey Bears and the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins met for the final time before the 2013 Outdoor Classic. The Penguins faced the challenge of beating the Bears for only the second time this season. Brian Dumoulin scored the contest’s only goal and helped the Penguins blank Hershey, 1-0. The loss snapped a seven game road winning streak for Hershey.

Wilkes-Barre scored their only goal in the first 40 minutes off their first power play chance of the game. Following a Boyd Kane offensive zone tripping minor, Brian Dumoulin scored for the Penguins at the 12:57 mark. Dumoulin teed up a shot from the point with heavy traffic in front Dany Sabourin to give the Penguins a 1-0 lead.

The one-goal lead for Wilkes-Barre would hold up for the first two periods, as the Bears looked to come from behind in the final frame of regulation. Within the first 40 minutes, the closest Hershey came to tying the game was midway through the second period. Ryan Stoa hit the cross-bar on a sharp angle try against Penguins’ Brad Thiessen.

Into the third period, the Bears power play continued to miss at every opportunity that came their way, and fell 1-0 to the Penguins. Sabourin continued to keep Hershey in the game with clutch saves with his glove. In the final minute, Hershey jammed a puck into the net but the goal was waved off immediately as the puck crossed the line after the play was blown dead. Brad Thiessen recorded the 23 save clean sheet for Wilkes-Barre, and earned first star honors.

The next match up between the Bears and Penguins will be outside at Hersheypark Stadium on January 20. It will be the only outdoor hockey game this season in all of professional hockey.