In the midst of numerous injuries and suspensions in the main roster, the Washington Capitals recalled Paul Carey, Zach Sill, and Aaron Ness from Chocolate Town. In response, team president and general manager Doug Yingst recalled D-man Joey Leach from the ECHL’s Stingrays and signed forward Cam Reid to a professional tryout. Reid appeared in 28 games for the Reading Royals (ECHL) this season after being named the teams 2014-15 MVP. Leach leaves the Lowcountry with his team-best plus-18 as well as nine points (four goals, five assists).
The Bears ended their three-game road trip in upstate New York with back-to-back games first against Rochester and then against Syracuse. Despite cedeing the first goal to Cal O’Reilly on the power-play, the Bears rattled off three straight to end the first period. Dustin Gazley scored while on the ice after being knocked down in front of the net, Connor Carrick ripped a one-timer on the power-play to take the lead, and Nathan Walker took a shot he blocked up ice on a breakaway to double the lead.
The Americans followed suit with three consecutive goals of their own. Nick Baptiste potted a rebound behind Dan Ellis first, then Phil Varone scored his third of four points on his one-timer, and Boston University-grad Evan Rodrigues finished the flurry with a power-play goal. Garrett Mitchell tucked home the tying goal behind Robin Lehner to tie the game entering the final frame.
Right after the faceoff, Dan Catenacci scored the game-winner just 51 seconds into last 20 minutes. Lehrner stayed sharp to end the game with 24 saves on 28 Bears shots. Ellis ended the game with a 10-6-3 record and finished with 18 saves on 23 Amerks shots.
A quick drive east on I-90 had the Bears arrive at War Memorial Arena for their second-to-last visit this season. Chris Bourque crashed the net on Sean Collins’s shot for his 14th goal of the season and Syracuse’s Jeff Tambellini capitalized on the Crunch’s second power-play to end the first period tied at one. Christian Djoos and Mike Angelidis traded goals in the second period before tempers boiled over.
Joey Leach nailed Tye McGinn with eight punches before losing his balance at 9:35 of the second and Tyler Lewington dropped gloves with Brian Hart after he hit Ryan Stanton close to the boards. All four received five minute fighting majors.
McGinn had the last laugh, scoring the game-winning goal in the third period. Tanner Richard added an empty-netter with Justin Peters pulled for the extra skater. Peters finished with 23 saves in his sixth loss of the season; Adam Wilcox made 28 saves for the Blue and White.
Home cooking at the GIANT Center served the Bears well on their way to stopping their mini skid with a 6-3 triumph over the Utica Comets in the visitor’s first regular-season trip to Hershey since March 29, 1993 when the Utica Devils lost 7-4 at Hersheypark Arena. In front of the sellout crowd, Bourque began the night by scoring his 15th goal of the season before the contest was five minutes old. Mike Pereira (yes, the same spelling as the man FOX Sports uses to explain controversial calls in NFL games) tied the game at 6:30 of the first with his first AHL goal this season.
Hunter Shinkaruk took the Comets’s only lead with his 15th of the season past the halfway mark of the second period before Collins knotted the game again 23 seconds later. Djoos retook the lead for the home team on an abbreviated power-play following a four-on-four. Jordan Subban and Nathan Walker scrapped at the final whistle before a brief embrace to end the second period.
Joseph Labate scored on the power-play to make the match anew. Chris Brown easily brought down Alex Friesen in their fight, even drawing an additional game misconduct on Freisen. Back and forth the teams went over the next 12 minutes before Ryan Stanton took a hooking penalty. Utica only mustered one shot on goal in three zone entries before Erik Burgdoerfer poked the puck to Dustin Gazley. Gazley and Collins came two-on-one and Joe Cannata overcommitted to Gazley’s shot. A backdoor pass to Collins helped the Bears pull away. Bourque and Mitchell scored empty-netters to cement the final score.
NEXT WEEK
An all-Pennsylvania weekend is at the forefront for the Bears. The Chocolate and White bus travels down I-78 E to face the Phantoms of Lehigh Valley on Friday night. Back down I-78 W to return to GIANT Center for two straight against the Springfield Falcons.
CURRENT STANDING
38 games played, 19-13-1-5 (W-L-OTL-SOL), 44 points, 3rd in Atlantic Division
