PENGUINS HAND BEARS FIRST PRE-SEASON SETBACK

October 5, 2014

WILKES-BARRE TOWNSHIP, Pa. – The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins scored four unanswered goals, wiping out a 1-0 deficit en route to a 4-2 victory over the Hershey Bears on Saturday night at Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza.

For the first time in pre-season, the Bears would strike for the game’s first goal.  From his own defensive blue line, Chandler Stephenson sent a perfect head-man pass for Nathan Walker, who walked in alone from the opposing stripe and slipped a backhander between the pads of Penguins goaltender Matt Murray at 7:39 of the opening period.

The Bears would earn a power play to start the second frame, but it would be the hosts scoring to tie the contest.  Jayson Megna stole the puck in neutral ice and muscled his way down the left wing.  He sent a pass toward the net, where a driving Josh Archibald one-touched the puck over the left arm of Bears netminder Pheonix Copley at 1:39.

The Penguins then took their first lead of the game at 13:48, when Jean-Sebastien Dea corralled a loose puck kicked aside by Copley and chipped it home for his first of pre-season.

Scott Wilson netted the Penguins’ third goal of the game, slipping a shot from in close past Copley, who was screened by two of his own teammates at 6:23.

Bryan Rust would put the hosts ahead by three at 8:53, after a shot from Nick D’Agostino bounced hard off of the back boards and right to Rust, who was waiting at the right side of the crease.

Caleb Herbert’s first goal of the pre-season cut the Hershey deficit to two, when he one-timed a pass from Dustin Gazley high into the Wilkes-Barre net at 11:31.

The Bears would not be ableto draw any closer, as Murray held off a late flurry for a 24-save victory.

Copley (1-1-0) suffered his first loss of pre-season, turning aside 22 of 26 shots.

The Bears will host the Penguins in the club’s pre-season finale tomorrow, October 5 at 5:00 PM.  Tickets are $12 each and are general admission.  Parking at the complex is free.  Tickets may be purchased at the GIANT Center box office, by calling (717)508-BEAR or online at TicketMaster.com.
 
NOTES: The Bears scratches were G Brandon Anderson, LW Philippe Cornet, C Tim Kennedy, D Tomas Kundratek, RW Garrett Mitchell, D Mike Moore and D Cameron Schilling…The Bears finished the night 0-for-4 on the power play and 4-for-5 on the penalty kill…Three stars: 3-Archibald, 2-Megna, 1-Wilson.