Bears Lose Outdoor Classic 4-3 (OT)

Philadelphia, PA – Braden Holtby looks on as the Adirondack Phantoms celebate their OT win (Photo by Kyle Mace)

It was a night to remember, but also forget. With a goal scored by Chris Bourque early and one by Graham Mink late, the Bears looked like they were going to win the 2012 AHL Outdoor Classic. But that was not the case as Adirondack scored two late goals, including the game winning overtime one, as they went on to beat Hershey 4-3.

It was Chris Bourque who got Hershey on the board first, as he scored his 19th goal of the season only 0:28 into the game.

Another eleven minutes would pass by until Mike Testwuide would tie the game up and make it one all heading into the second period.

The second period would be very quiet until the end. That is when Kyle Greentree gave Hershey a one goal lead going into the final period in regulation.

Hershey’s lead would stand for 8:26. That was when the Phantoms would tie it up at 2-2.

But Graham Mink looked like the hero when he scored with 7:07 left in the game and gave Hershey a 3-2 lead.

Adirondack thought different. Scoring with 20 seconds left in the game and then scoring 0:58 into overtime. A comeback you had to see to believe. They get the extra point and the W with the 4-3 win.

Can you blame this loss on anyone person or any group of players? Maybe. But a hockey season is not one game. In the AHL, it is 76. That’s why you watch hockey and read this blog. To see the ups and downs. The wins and the loses. A pro football player once said, “In college, after we lost, we wept for a week. In the pros, we wept for a minute and moved on.”

Hershey plays tomorrow, back at the shopping cart, at 7pm against Adirondack.