Bears Get Back in Win Column with 4-1 Victory Over Islanders

February 3, 2023

Riley Sutter and Connor McMichael enjoyed two-point nights as the Hershey Bears (29-10-4-1) got back in the win column with a 4-1 victory over the Bridgeport Islanders (19-18-6-1) on Friday night at Total Mortgage Arena.

BOX SCORE

Hershey and Bridgeport played through the first 20 minutes of action without a goal, as the Bears out-shot the Islanders 9-2; the two shots against matched the fewest allowed in a period this season.

The Bears took a 1-0 lead early into the second period when Mason Morelli’s shot rebounded off the pads of Jakub Skarek and Sutter knocked in his third of the season just 25 seconds into the middle frame, with Gabriel Carlsson collecting the secondary assist. For Sutter, the goal snapped a 37-game drought.

McMichael put the Bears ahead 2-0 when he drove the lane and redirected Garrett Pilon’s pass behind Skarek for his 11th of the season at 6:52. Joe Snively picked up the secondary helper.

The Islanders got on the board with a shorthanded goal at 8:25 when Kyle MacLean was stopped by Hunter Shepard on a breakaway but Chris Terry deposited the rebound past the Hershey netminder.

Ethen Frank countered several moments later on a subsequent power play when he took possession at the left circle and snapped the puck low off the far post and into the cage for his 21st of the season at 11:37, from McMichael and Mike Vecchione.

Sutter collected his second point of the night in the third period when he assisted on a Beck Malenstyn goal, as Sutter fished the puck out of the left corner and sent it back to Aaron Ness, whose shot from the point was tipped by Malenstyn into the net for his fourth of the season at 9:14. It was Sutter’s fifth career multi-point game and his first since Feb. 5, 2022 at Cleveland.

Shots finished 30-21 in favor of the Bears. Shepard went 20-for-21 for Hershey for his 12th win of the season; Skarek was 26-for-30 for the Islanders. The Bears were 1-for-5 on the power play; Bridgeport finished 0-for-4 with the man advantage.

Hershey continues the 2022-23 season, presented by Penn State Health, when the Chocolate and White return to GIANT Center ice when they host Lehigh Valley on Saturday, Feb. 4 at 7 p.m. for Pennsylvania Lottery Night, featuring a coupon offer courtesy of the Pennsylvania Lottery for the first 4,000 fans 18 and over in attendance. Purchase tickets for the game by CLICKING HERE.