Bears Fall 2-1 in Allentown Saturday

January 13, 2018

Riley Barber scored on the power play, but Lehigh Valley Phantoms' netminder Dustin Tokarski turned aside 29 of 30 shots to defeat the Hershey Bears, 2-1, on Saturday night at the PPL Center. The loss snapped Hershey's five-game point streak.

Despite scoring just one goal, Hershey did not have a lack of chances. Nathan Walker was denied on a penalty shot at 16:02 of the first period after being hooked on a shorthanded break up ice.

In the fourth meeting at PPL Center this season, the Chocolate and White grabbed the lead at 6:47 of the second period. On Hershey's first power play of the night, Barber was granted real estate from the left face-off circle to rip a shot low to the ice past Tokarski. The goal was Barber's team-leading 12th of the season and Lucas Johansen and Connor Hobbs assisted.

Only 3:58 later, Lehigh Valley answered on a 2-on-1 rush. T.J. Brennan wristed a shot past the blocker of Hershey goaltender Vitek Vanecek to tie the contest at 1-1. Hershey later killed a five minute major penalty in the second period after Colby Williams was assessed a match penalty for an illegal check to the head of Danick Martel.

In the third period, the Phantoms grabbed the game-winner at 8:43. Moments after a ten-bell save made by Tokarski, the Phantoms countered and capitalized. Matt Read deflected a Reece Wilcox shot from the slot and beat Vanecek for the deciding marker.

The Bears outshot the Phantoms 30-24 on the night. Hershey went 1-for-4 on the power play while Lehigh Valley was 0-for-4. Hershey's record now stands at 17-17-2-3.

The two teams rematch tomorrow night at Giant Center at 5 p.m. It's PSECU Knit Cap Giveaway Night to the first 4,000. Ticket information to Sunday's game, and the 2018 Capital BlueCross Outdoor Classic, is available at HersheyBears.com.