You shouldn’t be surprised that this series between Hershey and Cleveland has been a roller coaster and is going the distance.
If you are surprised, I ask you why? Is it because the Bears led this series 3-0? That advantage very easily could have been 1-2 just based on the bounces of a puck. At the same time, with a little more angst it very well could have been a 3-0 Bears lead with out two overtime wins.
Cleveland is too good of a team to go quietly. This isn’t Hartford, who we watched all but quit on the ice at Giant Center.
Once Cleveland got one game, that feeling of a dramatic ending had to be a light flashing in the corner of your eye.
ChocolateHockey.com’s Nate Temple saw it coming as he pointed it out in his game five preview.
Even with this series in Hershey’s favor, this series is closer than people think.
When asked by Chocolate Hockey about what’s worked for them up to this point, “I think it’s all on us, to be quite honest,” said Nelson. “If you look at the two overtime games at home, we did it to ourselves. We cannot beat ourselves by making unforced errors with and without the puck. Cleveland is a good hockey team, but let’s make them earn everything they get. I think if we go out and dictate play right away, doesn’t matter if we are home or away….we’ll be fine.”
The Signs Were There
Putting aside the results of the first four games of this series the teams that now take the ice are dramatically different than what started nearly two weeks ago.
For the Bears the blue line looks dramatically different. Aaron Ness has missed three games in a row. If there was one man the Bears could use tonight. This would be my pick.
Lucas Johansen hasn’t played since game two and his return date is uncertain. What are the Bears missing with two of the veterans defensemen out. Steady hands to calm the puck and deescalate any situations.
Unfortunately, over the course of the last three games, the puck seems to be handled like a hand grenade at time and it has coast the Chocolate and White.
At the forward position we don’t know the status of Ethen Frank for game seven and the Bears continue to miss Dube after he took a puck to the face.
Those are four high quality players gone from the Bears. On the other side of the ice Cleveland has inserted a trio of studs.
Jake Christiansen had an instant impact with the game winner in game six. Brendan Gaunce has tallied three goals and an assist in last two games. Don’t forget Denton Mateychuk, the twelfth overall pick in the 2022 draft, who has two assists in the last two games and has played like an eraser on the backend.
Those are three quality adds couples with Hershey’s rash of injuries that is big swing in talent.
This is by no means an excuse, it is just pointing out that no one should be surprised that a very good team, that pushed two games late to overtime, has pushed this series to a winner take all game tonight.
What would you do?
Goalie
Who is net for Hershey? Asked after game six if he would talk to Shepard, coached responded, “I don’t talk to the goalies, we got a goalie coach for that. I am not a goalie coach, I don’t want to be a goalie coach, we have staff on hand to deal with that.” Shepard is the best goalie in the league this past regular season and playoff MVP, but he has made some characteristic mistakes.
Clay Stevenson has played 20 minutes in this series but before that his last action was back in the regular season where he posted a .922 save percentage.
Who are you going with between the pipes?
What about the forwards? Do you foresee any different line combinations? Let us know.
