Hershey’s Late Comeback Attempt Falls Short in Wilkes-Barre

Photo via the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins Facebook page

The Hershey Bears traveled up I-81 for the final time during the regular season for round 12 against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. Looking for their eighth victory of the season over the Pens, a span of four unanswered goals against deflated Hershey, 4-3.

With the Norfolk Admirals idle from American Hockey League action, it was a glorious opportunity for the Bears to use their game in hand, and retake a two point standings lead.

Dmitry Orlov drew first blood for Hershey only 1:54 into the contest and showed early indications of a probable and much needed victory. Set up at the right point, Orlov made a beautiful spin move to create space away from a nearby defender and created a lane to the net. He fired a quick shot that deflected off Wilkes-Barre bodies and deluded Brad Thiessen.

Minutes later Patrick Wellar found himself with a rare grade “A” goal scoring chance, and an opportunity to open a Hershey 2-0 lead. After being freed from the penalty box, Wellar connected with a long, stretch pass towards the offensive zone. He was hooked on a breakaway and earned a penalty shot chance. The period’s turning point occurred when Thiessen denied Wellar with his glove hand.

Later with 7:47 remaining in the opening salvage, Paul Thompson knotted the game after his teammate Jayson Megna made the play of the game. After a quick 2-on-1 rush developed in the low slot, Megna, covered by Chocolate jerseys somehow managed a perfect pass across the ice to a wide-open Thompson on the backdoor. Thompson tallied his third goal of the season against the Bears and his first career strike against goaltender Philipp Grubauer.

It began a string of four unanswered goals for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, which proved to be detrimental against Hershey. With 1:34 left in the first period, Brian Dumoulin scored his team’s first power play goal of the game after a Ryan Potulny hooking infraction. Dumoulin blasted a shot from center point that cleanly beat Grubauer low to the ice.

Chad Kolarik scored the third and fourth goal for Wilkes-Barre at the 3:43 mark of the second frame, and 58 second mark of the third period. The game-winning goal was a power play strike after a perfect passing sequence allowed a good look on net with Grubauer out of position.

Down 4-1 early in the third period, Hershey began their up hill battle to climb back into the contest. On the Bears’ fifth man-advantage chance of the night, Potulny scored on the back door of the net. A loose puck slid across the blue crease, and before Thiessen’s leg pad could slide side-to-side, Potulny stuffed in his 18th goal of the season. The goal came with 8:46 remaining in regulation. Mark French already burned his timeout during the second period prior to a 5-on-3 power play chance.

In similar fashion to Potulny’s goal, only 2:34 later Peter LeBlanc brought the Bears within one. Thiessen made a kick save off a shot from the point and left a rebound sit in the blue paint for LeBlanc.

But in the end it was a Dmitry Orlov penalty with only 2:28 left on the clock that stonewalled Hershey’s comeback attempt. Grubauer was unable to grab a seat on the bench until deep into the game’s final minute, and Wilkes-Barre hung on for a 4-3 win.

Hershey and Norfolk are now tied in points and amount of games played. The Bears finish the weekend grabbing two of a possible six points.