Bears Fall 2-1 in Overtime to Checkers in Game 2

May 17, 2025

The Hershey Bears (3-4) continued their best-of-five series against the Charlotte Checkers (5-2) with a 2-1 overtime loss in Game 2 of the Atlantic Division Finals on Saturday night at Bojangles Coliseum. Charlotte leads the best-of-five series 2-0, and Hershey must win three consecutive games on home ice at GIANT Center to extend its season.

BOX SCORE

NOTABLES:

• Luke Philp scored his first of the playoffs at 2:33 of the first period from Mike Sgarbossa and Chase Priskie on Hershey's second shot of the contest to give the Bears a 1-0 lead.
• The Checkers knotted the score at 1-1 at 4:16 of the third period when Rasmus Asplund found the net.
• The end of the third period was delayed for several minutes as the officials reviewed a potential Charlotte goal by Ben Steeves with just over two minutes remaining in regulation, but the official's ruling of no go was upheld following review to send the game to overtime.
• Asplund scored his second goal of the match at 3:09 of overtime to win the game for Charlotte.
• Hershey captain Aaron Ness skated in his 69th career playoff game with the Bears to pass Howie Yanosik for sole possession of fourth in club history.
• Ethan Bear made his Hershey playoff debut after previously being up in the National Hockey League with the Washington Capitals during their postseason run.

SHOTS: HER 18, CLT 29

GOALTENDING: HER - Hunter Shepard, 27-for-29; CLT - Kaapo Kahkonen, 17-for-18

POWER PLAY: HER - 0-for-2; CLT - 0-for-3

THEY SAID IT:

Bears head coach Todd Nelson on why the offense has struggled through the first two games of the series against Charlotte:
"I thought we played a pretty good first and second. In the second, we were in control of the game and we just couldn't get that extra insurance marker. The score is 1-0. We had plenty of chances. Their goaltender played well. They kind of came at us pretty good in the third. And then in overtime, doesn't matter what sport is: turnovers kill you, and [we] turned the puck over in the neutral zone; it ends up in the back of the net."

Nelson on the mood in the locker room and messaging to the lineup:
"Well, obviously disappointed, but I just told them we have to do it the hard way, we have home ice advantage for a reason, and it's going to be tough. But we just have to focus on Game 3."

NEXT GAME:

The Bears continue the 2025 Calder Cup Playoffs when Hershey faces the Charlotte Checkers in Game 3 on Wednesday, May 21 at GIANT Center. Purchase tickets for the game by CLICKING HERE.