Bears Come Back to Beat Phantoms in Overtime 3-2 (GIFs)
Photo: @TheHersheyBears
With eleven minutes remaining in the third period, it looked like the end for the Hershey Bears. The team had surrendered an early 1-0 lead and trailed for the first time in the game to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, and in the midst of a critical last five games for Hershey, the team needed a comeback.
The Bears needed a perfect goal to solve Phantoms goaltender Alex Lyon, and they got it with a goal five minutes later from Riley Barber. The game would go to overtime when Travis Boyd got around the defense and roofed a shot that went in and out in a flash to get the Bears a critical 3-2 win.
The game had a playoff-like intensity from the opening puck drop, and Hershey had adjusted to the high-flying Phantoms style that had given them fits at Giant Center on Sunday. The Bears kept the Phantoms in check and were rewarded for their strong play when Liam O’Brien put back a rebound off a quick shot from Jakub Vrana to put the Bears up 1-0 after one period.
The Phantoms came out of the intermission with a purpose and took play to the Bears in the second. On an early power play, Taylor Leier deflected a shot from Scott Laughton to tie the game at one. Had it not been for the strong play from Pheonix Copley, it might have been a different story. The Phantoms put up 17 shots in the second period alone, and the strong play gave Hershey confidence going into the intermission. Copley finished the game with 28 saves.
That’s when things took a turn for the worst in the third. A seemingly innocent point shot from Sam Morin got a slight deflection from Lehigh Valley captain Colin McDonald to give the Phantoms the lead and a small window of eleven minutes for Hershey to come back. It seemed all too familiar for the Bears.
Hershey stuck to its guns with what was working, and a great passing play between defensemen Christian Djoos and Tom Gilbert combined to find Riley Barber all alone in the slot, and a rifle of a shot from number 19 picked the corner and tied the game at two apiece. A perfect goal seemed to breathe new life into the Bears, but the game would go to overtime.
A back and forth overtime period saw the teams trade opportunities, and both teams were looking for a hero. The Bears would get a rush down the wing, and who else but Travis Boyd buried a backhand shot that went in and out so fast the officials needed a second look to make sure it was a goal.
Boyd’s goal got the extra point for the Chocolate and White to bring them within a single point of the Sound Tigers and two behind the Providence Bruins in the playoff race. The Bears’ playoff hopes are very much alive after a Wednesday night in Allentown.
GIFs:
Liam O’Brien makes it 1-0
Riley Barber scores to tie the game 2-2.
Travis Boyd gives Hershey the win in overtime.