The Hershey Bears responded in a big way on the road on Wednesday night in Wilkes-Barre. After a tough loss to the Penguins on Saturday, the Bears got a rare chance to respond in a rematch. It’s the second of 12 total matchups between the two clubs. Hershey looked much more like the team as advertised over the summer in a 6-1 victory. The Bears set a new club record with a 9-0-2-0 road record to start the season.
Bears, Beets, Battlestar Galactica
Bears head coach Todd Nelson had some harsh words for his team following Saturday’s game. Hershey has given up three or more goals in eight of their last nine games, taking wins but not quite playing to their standard. One comment related to the team’s commitment and the path towards success. It set the stage for his team to respond in kind.
“There’s a degree of entitlement in the room based on what we’ve done in the past,” Nelson said before the game. “That’s gone, we have to focus on the present. We know teams are coming after us and we have to be prepared to give our A game every night. We’re giving up too many goals; our penalty kill, we’re not paying the price to block shots. It’s a choice, it’s commitment from our guys.”
Hershey hit the road for an immediate chance for retribution. In this game, the Bears put together a total team effort as Hunter Shepard made 29 saves on 30 shots. Six different skaters lit the lamp and chased starter Joel Blomqvist in the win. The score is tied for Hershey’s largest margin of victory this season.
Rybinski’s Big Night
Hershey got off to a flying start, rattling off three goals in a span of just over five minutes late in the first. Ethan Bear tallied the first goal of the night, and pretty passing plays led to goals for Pierrick Dubé and Bogdan Trineyev. It’s three players the Bears certainly need to get going in order to see success. Henrik Rybinski tallied assists on the last two goals, which were separated by 38 seconds.
Hershey maintained the lead and eventually added to it. Spencer Smallman found the puck along the back boards, winning the battle and centering to Rybinski. The forward made no mistake for his first three-point game in the AHL. He has already caught up to his goal count for the last two seasons and is two points away from matching his career best in points at 18.
Rybinski took a great step forward during the 2024 Calder Cup Playoffs, asserting himself as a top center on the team. He made waves during training camp, impressing former Bears and current Washington head coach Spencer Carbery. He’ll continue to impress by putting up more points in Hershey.
Let Me Be Frank with You
Hershey added to its lead when Nicky Leivermann’s point shot hit Alex Limoges and deflected past the goaltender. Limoges might need an ice pack to go with the goal as it stung him but counts all the same. The Bears kept adding points as Limoges was one of several players to tally multiple points on this night.
An important turning point in the game came late in the middle stanza. Wilkes-Barre tallied a goal off the stick of Boris Katchouk with just over three minutes left in the second. Although the Bears still led by four, it ran the risk of giving the Penguins a foothold going into the third. Hershey squashed any thoughts of a comeback as a perfectly executed rush restored the five-goal lead. Ethen Frank took a slick pass from Mike Vecchione and ripped a shot past the goaltender for his 16th of the season.
Frank stays red hot, scoring goals in five straight games and seven points overall in that span. He moves into sole possession of first place in goals in the AHL and ranks tied for third with 23 points. Hershey eliminated the dangerous odd man rushes they allowed in previous games and Shepard played his part the rest of the way.
This Bear is Best
The game is an important step forward for the Bears, who continue to put up points. They’ve banked at least a point in seven of their last eight games and have been outstanding on the road. Hershey has managed to win some wild games and beating a hot Wilkes-Barre team is no small feat. It’s a matchup of the Atlantic Division’s top two teams, and the Bears won comfortably. The decision should put the rest of the AHL on notice should the strong play continue.
Hershey will continue to be tested in the coming days. They’ll be back in action on Saturday night for the first game of a home-and-home set against the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. It’s a matchup that has given the Bears a tough challenge through three matchups so far this season.
