Bears Top Phantoms 6-4 to Force Game 5

May 9, 2025

The Hershey Bears (2-2) raced out to a 3-0 lead in the first period on their way to a 6-4 victory over the Lehigh Valley Phantoms (3-2) in Game 4 of the Atlantic Division Semifinals on Friday night at PPL Center to tie the best-of-five series at two wins apiece. The result forces a decisive Game 5 on Sunday, May 11 at 5 p.m. at GIANT Center.

BOX SCORE

NOTABLES:

• The Bears roared out of the gates with goals by Bogdan Trineyev (5:46), Chase Priskie (11:51), and Mike Vecchione (14:15), with Priskie's goal coinciding with the end of a Hershey power play after Lehigh Valley's Anthony Richard was whistled for high-sticking at 9:51.
• Priskie and Trineyev each finished the night with a goal and an assist, while Hendrix Lapierre and Spencer Smallman each picked up two assists.
• After the Phantoms reduced Hershey's lead to 3-2 with a pair of goals early in the second, Pierrick Dube scored twice to restore the three-goal edge, netting a power-play marker at 13:18 and scoring at even strength at 16:32.
• Ivan Miroshnichenko added to Hershey's goal total with a power-play marker midway through the third period.
• Forward Garrett Roe and defenseman Brad Hunt drew into the lineup for Hershey to make their 2025 postseason debuts. Hunt earned an assist on Dube's first goal.
• Clay Stevenson made his first career AHL playoff start for Hershey, ending a stretch of 43 straight postseason games started by Hunter Shepard dating back to the start of the 2023 Calder Cup Playoffs. Stevenson was credited with 28 saves in the win.

SHOTS: HER 27, LV 32

GOALTENDING: HER - Clay Stevenson, 28-for-32; LV - Cal Petersen, 21-for-27

POWER PLAY: HER - 2-for-8; LV - 0-for-7

THEY SAID IT:

Bears head coach Todd Nelson on the lineup changes for tonight's win:
"We talked about the power play, it wasn't clicking the first three games. We got [two] tonight. We dressed seven defensemen tonight. Brad Hunt - that's why he's here, that's why we went out and got him, to get pucks going to the net, and he really gave our power play a lift. And as for Clay, he's always played well against Lehigh - I just wanted to shake things up, and I just thought if we're going to go down, we're going down swinging, and that was the lineup tonight.

Pierrick Dube on the team's resilience:
"It was do or die tonight - you want it or you don't want it. I think everyone stepped up, and when the season is on the line, it's like it's more than hockey. It's your life, it's your memories with these guys. We don't want to end the season like we have right now, so just playing for each other and stepping up for each other, I think it's the best."

NEXT GAME:

The Bears continue the 2025 Calder Cup Playoffs when Hershey hosts the decisive fifth game of the Atlantic Division Semifinals on Sunday, May 11 at 5 p.m. at GIANT Center. Purchase tickets for the game by CLICKING HERE.