Bears Lose Three Straight to Drop Out of Playoff Spot

The Hershey Bears were in action this weekend, but it was not the best of times for the Chocolate and White. Bears fans watched their team drop a 3-0 decision in Hartford on Friday, and back to back 4-2 losses to Bridgeport and Lehigh Valley on Saturday and Sunday sent the Bears to their first three game losing skid since mid January.

Friday night saw the team with not much flow for most of the game, only registering 20 shots on goal through 60 minutes. An early breakaway goal from Michael Joly and a deflection goal for John Gilmour sunk the Bears. Pheonix Copley made what would be the first of three straight starts on the weekend, making 24 saves on 26 shots.

The matchup on Saturday became even more intense due to Hershey’s loss and Bridgeport’s win on Friday bringing the teams to within 1 point of each other in the hunt for the last playoff spot. However, it would be the Bears who would be fooled on the first of April, as the Sound Tigers came out with the first three goals of the game just over halfway through the game. The Bears, without hot scorer Paul Carey due to a Washington recall, struggled to score goals and seemed to be just a bit off at times.

What had been goals in weekends past were missed shots, missed passes, or bad breaks. The Bears would break through on a power play goal from Travis Boyd, but a misplay by Copley behind his own net ended up a goal for Bridgeport to make it 4-1. An early third period goal from Ryan Bourque would make it interesting but it would be the Sound Tigers taking the game by a final of 4-2. Copley was pulled after the fourth goal.

Sunday was a chance for the Bears to regain ground in the Atlantic Division against the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, who were without Anthony Stolarz on a recall to the Philadelphia Flyers. As we already know, backup Alex Lyon is also very solid in the matchup against Copley and the Bears. Lehigh Valley would jump out to a first period lead of 2-0 on goals from Chris Conner and Greg Carey on different rushes. The Bears would come back, seemingly changing the game when Nathan Walker found a puck in the skates of a defenseman and ripped one past Lyon to cut into the deficit.

The Bears would get a second goal from the same line shortly afterward when Jakub Vrana fired one through the legs of Lyon, but two more goals on rushes from Chris Connor completed a hat trick and ultimately sunk the Bears. Walker appeared to score his second on a great deflection, but the officials waved it off without even going to the video replay despite it seemingly being a legal goal. The AHL doesn’t have a challenge system that allows them to force officials to check plays like that, and it seemed to cost the Bears dearly on this night.

The loss on Sunday burned another game for the Bears, leaving them one point behind the Sound Tigers and four from third place Providence, who have also been hot lately. However, the season is far from lost, as Bridgeport plays their remaining schedule against Atlantic Division foes that might give Hershey a chance to regain their foothold in the playoff hunt.

Hershey visits Lehigh Valley on Wednesday.

Postgame video Saturday

Postgame video Sunday

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