Bears Top Rochester Sunday, Win 5th Straight Game

November 6, 2016

(Hershey, PA- November 6, 2016)-The Hershey Bears' (6-2-2-0) fourth line combined for five points, including the game-winning goal from captain Garrett Mitchell to earn a 5-3 win over the Rochester Americans (5-5-0-0) Sunday evening at the GIANT Center. Hershey's winning streak is now at five games and the club has collected standings points in eight straight contests. 

Leading 3-2 entering the third period, Mitchell would provide Hershey with an insurance marker that proved to be the game-winning tally. Rochester defender Erik Burgdoerfer had his stick break on a clearing attempt, leading to a Hershey steal.  Zach Sill fed Mitchell on the left wing, and the captain’s shot rolled through the arm of Rochester goaltender Linus Ullmark to make it 4-2 Bears at 5:42. 

The two teams traded goals later in the third period with Aaron Ness notching a power play tally for the Bears at 8:42, and Cole Schneider scoring for the Americans with the goaltender pulled on the man advantage at 13:42. Leading 5-3, Hershey netminder Joe Cannata made a sensational save to secure the win. He finished the night with 21 saves and improved to 4-1-1-0.

Earlier in the contest, Christian Thomas opened the scoring for Hershey for the second straight night. Thomas’ goal came just 2:27 into the game courtesy of a great pass from teammate Chandler Stephenson. Hershey rushed up ice on a two-on-one. Stephenson’s backhand pass found Thomas on the left wing. The forward struck for his fourth goal of the season, beating Ullmark over the blocker to make it 1-0 Bears. 

The Bears would add a goal at 17:52 of the opening frame as Riley Barber’s deflection found the back of the net. Chris Bourque threw a shot to the Rochester goal that Barber redirected. The puck rolled through the legs of Ullmark and just barley crossed the goal line to make it 2-0 Hershey. The goal was Barber’s third of the season. 

In the second period, Justin Bailey would score twice for Rochester. He struck just 34 seconds into the period, and then later in the frame at 16:36. However, Hershey’s Nathan Walker added a tally of his own between Bailey’s goals to preserve a 3-2 lead for Hershey. Sill fired a quick pass from behind the net to Walker in the low slot. The forward snapped a shot through the five-hole of Ullmark for his second goal of the season at 15:28.

Walker had a goal and an assist while Sill finished the evening with two assists. Hershey got points from 13 different players in the win.  The Bears outshot the Americans 31-24 on the night. 

Hershey is back in action next Friday in Albany before returning to the GIANT Center next Saturday to battle the Bridgeport Sound Tigers at 7 p.m.