Bears Suffer 7-2 Loss to Phantoms Friday

December 1, 2017

The Hershey Bears opened a busy weekend with a 7-2 loss to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms on Friday at the PPL Center. Garrett Mitchell and Liam O'Brien scored for Hershey, but three Phantoms goals in a span of just 2:13 in the second period broke the game open.

The Bears played a strong first period, and despite a 12-9 shot advantage, Lehigh Valley tallied the lone goal in the final minute of the period. On an offensive zone rush, a Greg Carey shot deflected off a Hershey defender into the net for his 10th goal of the season. The marker came with just 22 seconds left in the frame.

In the second period, Hershey responded at the 2:54 mark. After Zach Sill won a battle in the corner, Mitchell deflected a center point drive from Tyler Lewington past Lehigh Valley goaltender Alex Lyon to tie the score. The marker was the captain's fourth goal of the season.

The Phantoms responded with vengeance, striking three times in a span of 2:13 to post a 4-1 lead after 40 minutes. Following a defensive zone turnover, Hershey goaltender Pheonix Copley was unable to cover a loose puck on the doorstep, and Tyrell Goulbourne cashed in for his third goal of the season at 8:21.

At the 9:59 mark, Phil Varone scored on a breakaway to make it 3-1 Lehigh Valley, and Corban Knight capitalized on a shot through a screen only 35 seconds later.

The Phantoms' three goal lead stretched to four with their fourth unanswered goal. In the third period, following a dazzling save by Copley, Nicolas Aube-Kubel lifted a loose puck into the net at 6:32 to make it 5-1.

Hershey answered at the 10:44 mark after Lewington connected a pass from the right point to Liam O'Brien in the slot. O'Brien beat Alex Lyon for his fourth goal of the campaign.

The Bears pulled Copley in exchange for the extra attacker, and Lehigh Valley's Mark Alt hit the open net from 180 feet away to make it 6-2 Lehigh Valley at 17:39. Only 22 seconds later, the Phantoms rounded out the scoring with Carey's second goal of the night. Carey finished a passing play by creeping into the slot and tipping a shot past Copley.

The Bears record falls to 9-10-0-3 on the season, and the club lost its second consecutive game at the PPL Center by a 7-2 score. Lehigh Valley improves to 13-7-0-2 on the regular season.

Hershey returns to the Giant Center tomorrow for a 7 p.m. meeting against the Milwaukee Admirals. It's the first meeting at Giant Center between the Bears and the Admirals since the 2006 Calder Cup Finals.