Tonight the Giant Center welcomes Lord Stanley to the arena. Many fans waited in line for hours to get their photo with the cup.
Hershey also welcomed back Chris Bourque who now resides with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. Another familiar face would be his brother, Ryan Bourque.
Both teams lost their opening games of the season last night. Hershey lost 3-2 at home to the Syracuse Crunch while Bridgeport traveled to Lehigh Valley and lost 6-3.
1st Period:
Both teams gets off to a slow start, only posted 1 shot each through the first five minutes of the game. Bridgeport would get their first power play of the evening when Colby Williams handed down a cross check to a man in front of his net. Hershey would go on to kill it off, but it was only thanks to the post as the puck rang through Giant Center.
Later in the period, Liam O’Brien would get interfered with while dumping the puck. This would give Hershey a desperately needed power play. The Bears would compile a few scoring changes but Sound Tigers netminder, Jeremy Smith would stop them all.
2nd Period:
The period would start with not much action once again. The was until Aaron Ness would spring Axel Jonsson-Fjallby on a semi-breakaway but was lost due to a slash. Hershey would go on their second power play of the evening.
Bridgeport would muster more chances that the Bears as they get a breakaway that Vitek Vanecek would shutdown as well as a 2 on 0 chance that Bridgeport would miss the net on.
After that power play was over, Hershey would find themselves on the penalty kill again. Beck Malenstyn would be the guilty party with a trip called against him.
Liam O’Brien would rush down the ice during the penalty kill and get tied up with Chris Bourque and run into the Sound Tigers goaltender. This would give Bridgeport a 5 on 3 power play.
The 5 on 3 proved to be costly as Chris Bourque would open the scoring for the game, clapping home a slap shot in the slot. He would go to center ice and celebrate while the Giant Center fans booed in displeasure.
This would spark the atmosphere as fans turned a once loved member of the team to an enemy of the people.
Later in the period Shane Gersich would spring Mike Sgarbossa on a breakaway which beat Sound Tiger’s Jermey Smith low blocker. This would tied the game 1-1. This would also be Sgarbossa’s second goal in as many nights while giving Gersich his first point of the season. Aaron Ness would get the secondary assist.
Hampus Gustafson would later get called for tripping but Hershey would play perfect on the penalty kill. This would lead to the end of the period.
3rd Period:
The period would open up with another penalty for Hershey. This time around, it was Jonas Siegenthaler with a trip. Bridgeport would later score on a broken play in front as Steve Bernier put it into the empty net. Mitchell Vande Compel and Michael Dal Colle would get the assists.
Hershey would finally get back on the power play when Travis St. Denis would get a boarding penalty but that would only last seven seconds as Mike Sgarbossa would take an undisciplined cross check to the back of someone during a face off.
The game would be at a deadlock in the neutral zone with Bridgeport taking the crowd out of the game. That was until Washington Capitals own Wes Johnson pumped up the crowd with his famous “Unleash The Fury”!
Hershey would get one more chance with the goalie pulled but Jeremey Smith would make an incredible save to keep the game at 2-1 Bridgeport.
Three Stars
1.) BRI – Steve Bernier – GWG
2.) HER – Mike Sgarbossa – 1 Goal
3.) BRI – Chris Bourque – 1 Goal
Photos by Lauren Gettle. Follow her on:
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