Bears Top Thunderbirds, 4-1

January 24, 2024

The Hershey Bears (32-7-0-2) picked up a 4-1 victory over the Springfield Thunderbirds (18-17-3-2) on Wednesday night at GIANT Center. Hershey has now won three straight games and extended its point streak to six contests (4-0-0-2).

The Bears improved to 3-0-0-0 against Springfield this season. Hershey has now won nine straight contests against the Thunderbirds dating back to the 2021-22 season, and has a point streak that extends back even further, as the Bears have posted a record of 11-0-2-0 against Springfield dating back to Jan. 24, 2020. Hershey is also 16-2-1-0 on home ice vs. Springfield since the Thunderbirds came into existence in 2016-17.

The win also gave Bears head coach Todd Nelson his 385th career head coaching victory in the American Hockey League to move him past Randy Cunneyworth into sole possession of ninth place on the AHL's wins list.

BOX SCORE

The Bears opened the scoring at 9:37 of the second period when Mike Vecchione curled to the right circle and snapped his 11th of the season past Malcom Subban at the far post. Pierrick Dube and Joe Snively assisted on the goal.

Hershey made it 2-0 in the final minutes of the frame when Ivan Miroshnichenko carried the puck up the right wing into the offensive zone, then flipped the puck into the high slot, where Jimmy Huntington fired his eighth of the season past Subban. Hardy Haman Aktell earned a secondary assist on the strike.

Springfield got on the board at 12:36 of the third as Mathias Laferriere potted a rebound attempt that he stuffed past Shepard.

The Bears iced the game with a pair of empty-net goals, as Ethen Frank netted his 18th of the season at 18:11, with Snively and Shepard assisting; for Shepard, the helper marked his first career AHL assist. Dube then followed up Frank's tally with his 21st of the season at 19:15, with Miroshnichenko and Ness picking up assists.

Shots finished 34-22 in favor of the Thunderbirds. Shepard went 33-for-34 to secure his 16th victory of the season for Hershey; Subban took the loss for Springfield with an 18-for-20 effort. Hershey went 0-for-4 on the power play; the Thunderbirds went 0-for-6 with the man advantage.

The Bears continue the 2023-24 season, presented by Penn State Health, on Saturday, Jan. 27, when they visit the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins at Mohegan Sun Arena at 6:05 p.m. Hershey is back on home ice when the club hosts the Toronto Marlies at GIANT Center on Sunday, Jan. 28 at 5 p.m. Prior to the drop of the puck on Sunday, the Bears will induct their Class of 2023 into the Hershey Bears Hockey Club Hall of Fame in a pre-game ceremony. Purchase tickets for the game by CLICKING HERE.