PHANTOMS SHOCK BEARS WITH THIRD PERIOD COMEBACK

October 24, 2014

ALLENTOWN, Pa.– Darroll Powe scored twice, including the game-winner in a three-goal third period, to push the Lehigh Valley Phantoms to a 4-2 victory over the Hershey Bears on Friday night at PPL Center.

The Bears started the game in the same way that they did all season – by scoring the first goal of the contest.  Kris Newbury gambled by sneaking toward the Phantoms’ net behind two Lehigh Valley defensemen.  Casey Wellman was able to bounce the puck through the pile and get it to Newbury who was all alone.  Phantoms goaltender Robb Zepp stopped the initial shot but couldn’t handle Newbury’s backhand of the rebound, and the Bears took a 1-0 lead at 13:27 of the opening period.

Powe’s first of two on the night came on a second-period power play.  The forward parked himself in the low slot and got a stick on a point shot taken by Robert Hagg, deflecting it past Philipp Grubauer at 11:11 to tie the game.

Wellman would put the Bears back on top at 14:14, countering with a power-play goal of his own.  Tomas Kundratek’s shot from the left circle never got to the net, as the puck deflected toward the slot and right to Wellman.  The winger promptly fired the puck past Zepp, who could not react in time, and the Bears grabbed a 2-1 lead.

The lead held until 5:59 was left to play in regulation.  Mark Alt would carry the puck down the right wing and spot Taylor Leier cutting through the slot.  Alt’s pass found Leier’s stick and the puck deflected inside the left post for the tying goal.

Just 57 seconds later, Andrew Gordon forced a turnover behind the Hershey net.  Gordon promptly found Powe for a slam-dunk shot past Grubauer, giving the Phantoms their first lead of the game.
Petr Straka put the game away with a high-rising snap shot that got by Grubauer at 15:54.

Grubauer made 20 saves but falls to 1-2-0 on the season.  Zepp stopped all 12 Hershey shots in the third period, and a total of 29, to improve to 3-0-0.
Hershey saw their three-game win streak snapped with the loss.

Hershey will host the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in the club’s home opener tomorrow, October 25 at 7:00 PM.  The Bears will wear special opening-night jerseys that will be auctioned off after the game, and the first 8,000 fans will receive a magnetic schedule courtesy of PNC Bank.  Tickets for this game and all home contests may be purchased at the GIANT Center box office, by calling (717) 508-BEAR or online at TicketMaster.com.
 
 
NOTES: The Bears scratches were LW Dane Byers, RW Chris Conner, RW Stan Galiev and D Mike Moore…LW Kris Newbury served as a third alternate captain in Moore’s absence… Lehigh Valley scratched forward Brett Hextall…Defenseman Shayne Gostisbehere was also a scratch following his recall to NHL Philadelphia earlier in the evening…Three stars: 3-Wellman, 2-Alt, 1-Powe…The Bears finish their franchise-record five-game, season-opening road start to the season with a record of 3-2-0-0.
Information on group tickets and season tickets for the 2014-2015 Hershey Bears regular season is available by calling (717) 508-BEAR.  Many different flexible plans are offered and start as low as $170.