Power play can’t save Bears from 4-3 Penguins win


Semyon Varlamov lets in a Penguins goal. Photo by Kyle M.

You know, considering the injury bug has attacked this team, this game was not that bad.

Actually, it was pretty bad for Semyon Varlamov. For a guy who carried his NHL team through two postseasons, you expect him to do better than stopping 19 of 23 shots. Period.

Andrew Gordon had a good night, scoring two of Hershey’s three goals. Lawrence Nycholat recorded the other tally, Hershey’s first goal of the night. Despite Gordon’s late goal, the Bears couldn’t overcome Wilkes-Barre/Scranton’s lead and the Penguins won the game 4-3.

The crowd was full of energy and in playoff form. Games against the Penguins always bring out of the emotions. A perfect example of the emotions came after Mathieu Perreault was jumped in the corner by Chris Collins, who only got a interference penalty (see the pictures below). Thankfully, he was alright and didn’t miss a shift.

Hershey is 0-for-2 so far this weekend. Let’s hope tomorrow salvages this stretch.


Tonight’s Notes:

  • Another game reffed by Jeff “Let ’em Play” Smith. And the penalties show it. Let’s be honest: the likelihood of there only being four penalties in a Penguins/Bears game is miniscule.
  • The power play went 3 for 3. 100% success rate! Keep up the good work!
  • Brian Willsie made his triumphant return from injury and recorded a primary assist on Nycholat’s goal.
  • Due to injuries, the Bears called up Maxime Lacroix, who made his AHL debut for the season.
  • However, Ashton Rome was taken out by an oral-sinus infection.

Video Highlights:

Lines and Pairings:

Willsie – Perreault – Gordon
Greentree – Beagle – Lacroix
Kane – Joudrey – Kugryshev
G. McNeill – Bruess – Kashirsky

Souray – Collins
Nycholat – Fahey
Wellar – Oreskovic

Actual three stars of the game:

1. Brett Sterling (WBS)
2. Dustin Jeffrey (WBS)
3. Kyle Greentree (HER)

Sweetest Hockey On Earth’s three stars of the game:

1. Gordon: two goals
2. Greentree: three assists
3. Nycholat: goal and assist

More Photos by Kyle M:

This photo fills your smiling Andrew Gordon quota for the day.


The game starts getting physical as Willsie attempts to hide a Baby Pen in the goal.





The sequence of photos showing Chris Collins talking down Perreault. Brutal.


Celebrating Andrew Gordon’s first goal.


Gordon records his 12th goal of the season.


Penguins come out victorious. We’ll get ’em next time.

This Post Has 4 Comments

  2. Generally, I like Smith’s minimalist approach to officiating — contrast with Jamie Koharski — but Smith isn’t doing his job when he only gives Collins two minutes for jumping Perreault. Any other official in the league would have assessed a major, and more than a few would have added a match penalty (which I think would have been appropriate). Still, in four games against the Pens, the Bears have yet to win one — but the Pens have been outplayed in three of them. This will be an interesting series come playoffs.

  3. The fact that Chris Collins only got 2 minutes for the mugging of Perreault was a travesty of justice. He tacked Perry, threw off his gloves and started punching the defenseless center while he had him down on the ice. I’m pretty sure that constitutes more than a 2 minute roughing call.

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