Sweet Victory: Bears Move on After 3-2 Win in Lehigh Valley

“We faced adversity many times this year, and we gotta go in and win a hockey game. Obviously, it’s not ideal what’s happened here the last couple days, but we’ve had success in [Lehigh Valley] the last three games…so we certainly can go win tomorrow.” Those were the words of Troy Mann following last night’s loss to the Phantoms at Giant Center, and the Bears responded by gutting out a 3-2 win on Sunday evening. Hershey advances to the second round where they will have home ice advantage against the Providence Bruins.

Hershey came out of the gate with a purpose, getting eight shots in the first period. They’d get the first power play when Riley Barber was high sticked after making a defensive recovery, and Stanislav Galiev would score on his rebound four seconds after the advantage expired to put the Bears up 1-0.

The Bears would get a critical goal just over six minutes later when Christian Thomas, playing his second game of the series, deflected a shot from Tom Gilbert past Martin Ouellette to get the Bears a 2-0 lead that would hold into the first intermission.

As tight as the series has been, a response from Lehigh Valley was expected. They’d get it when Madison Bowey was called for tripping, and a shot that went off the back boards into the crease was put in by Phantoms captain Colin McDonald to cut Hershey’s lead to 2-1. Hershey would bring the reduced lead into the second intermission.

Hershey would battle for every inch in the third period when the Bears would cycle in the corner of the Phantoms’ zone. Nathan Walker picked the puck up and made a picture perfect pass for Colby Williams with an open net to put the Bears up 3-1 six minutes and change into the final frame.

Hershey appeared to be in great position to clamp down and take the game, but the two goal lead is often regarded as the most dangerous in all of hockey. That was the case again as Bowey fumbled a bouncing puck that went past him, and Taylor Leier scored to cut Hershey’s lead to just one again with 7:10 to go in regulation.

That’s where the Bears would hold off the Phantoms behind the incredible work of Pheonix Copley, who made 28 saves on 30 shots with many big saves to keep the Bears ahead. It’s just another solid performance of many since he returned to Chocolatetown at the trade deadline.

Hershey moves on to face Providence, who eliminated Wilkes-Barre on Sunday afternoon in another Game 5. That means Hershey has home ice advantage in the second round, with the first two games coming Saturday and Sunday at Giant Center. Due to travel, the Bears will play three straight in Providence, and two more back in Hershey if necessary.

PHOTOS:

Galiev scores at the end of the first power play.

SECOND ROUND HERE WE COME