Bears Close Out Road Trip with 4-2 Win Over Wolf Pack

January 19, 2024

Mike Vecchione broke a 1-1 tie in the second period, while Mike Sgarbossa and Joe Snively dished out a pair of assists, and the Hershey Bears (30-7-0-2) became the first team in the American Hockey League to reach the 30-win plateau this season in a 4-2 victory over the Hartford Wolf Pack (19-10-5-0) on Friday night at XL Center.

In claiming a victory in its 39th game of the season, Hershey established a new franchise mark for the fastest 30 wins from the start of the season, eclipsing the previous record of 41 games set by the 2009-10 Bears squad (30-9-0-2).

The Bears leveled their season series with the Wolf Pack, bringing their record to 1-1-0-0 against Hartford. Hershey closed out its three-game road trip with a 1-0-0-2 record and is now 4-0-0-2 in its last six road games.

BOX SCORE

Hartford took a 1-0 lead at 4:34 of the first period when Jake Leschyshyn deflected a shot from the right circle off the rush that beat Hunter Shepard.

The Bears answered with a power-play goal when Pierrick Dube one-timed a Sgarbossa pass in the slot past Louis Domingue at 10:38 for his 20th goal of the season. Snively picked up a secondary assist on the goal.

Hershey converted again with the man advantage to take its first lead of the night at 16:10 of the second period when Vecchione deflected Snively's shot for his 10th of the season; Sgarbossa earned the secondary helper.

Aaron Ness added a critical goal with a wrist shot from the right point that beat Domingue upstairs for the defenseman's second of the season at 10:54 of the third period. Dylan McIlrath and Bogdan Trineyev picked up assists.

Ethen Frank sealed the game with an unassisted empty-net goal at 17:11 for his 16th tally of the season.

With Hartford on a late power play, the Wolf Pack got a buzzer-beater from Nikolas Brouillard at 19:59 to close out the scoring.

Shots finished even at 25 apiece. Shepard put up a 23-for-25 effort to earn his 15th victory of the season for Hershey; Domingue took the loss for Hartford with a 21-for-24 effort. Hershey went 2-for-3 on the power play; the Wolf Pack went 1-for-4 with the man advantage.

The Bears continue the 2023-24 season, presented by Penn State Health, when they return home to GIANT Center ice to host the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins for PSECU Knit Cap Night on Saturday, Jan. 20 at 7 p.m. The first 5,000 fans in attendance will receive a Calder Cup Champions knit cap, courtesy of PSECU. Purchase tickets for the game by CLICKING HERE.