It was the final battle of the season between the Hershey Bears and the Providence Bruins on Tuesday. The two teams met up at Giant Center for the last of six matchups. After the Bears took the first five matchups, the Bruins clawed back in a 4-1 decision. The game was heavy on special teams, with Providence tallying two times in eight tries on the power play. Former Bear Jayson Megna was the difference-maker with a goal and two assists.
Still Standing
The game had massive implications on the remaining Atlantic Division standings. Hershey wrapped up a bye in the first round of the Calder Cup Playoffs with their wins last weekend. A win on Tuesday would have dropped their magic number to clinch the division to just one point. However, the win for Providence keeps their slim hopes to claim the title alive. They’ll need to be nearly perfect down the stretch and get a lot of help out of town to flip the script.
Both teams tallied in the opening stanza, with Megna scoring his 15th goal of the season on the power play. The goal came in a sequence where the Bears spent four consecutive minutes shorthanded. Hershey had a parade to the penalty box at the end of the first period, taking three penalties worth eight minutes total. In the brief period of even strength play, the Bears tied the game on a rocket from Logan Day. The goal is Day’s third goal of the season.
Super Special Teams
Providence pulled ahead with a goal at four-on-four from Michael Callahan. They’d pull away in this game with two more goals before the period’s conclusion. Anthony Richard continues to be red hot with his 22nd goal of the season and second in as many games. Marc McLaughlin added another before the period was over as Hershey took eight minor penalties through 40 minutes of play.
Hershey had their chances in the third period, including a full two minutes of a two-man advantage, to draw back into the game. Unfortunately, it wasn’t meant to be on this night as the Bears rang post after post that didn’t find twine. Hershey had a good start to the game with plenty of good chances, but head coach Todd Nelson lamented the way the game unfolded.
Snowball Effect
“Their four goals, when you look at them, are a direct result of us,” Nelson said. “What we’re going to learn from this is that our last three games we’ve taken 19 penalties. That’s going to cost us in the playoffs. That’s from us not moving our feet and not keeping our sticks on the ice. I told the guys ‘if you don’t want to keep your sticks on the ice, I’ll get weighted sticks and you’re going to skate all day with your stick on the ice’. Maybe that will get the message across.”
“I feel fine with our team, we just need to get our heads screwed on straight. When you look at the start of the game, we controlled the play and hemmed them in. Then, we took a penalty and things swayed. Anytime you take that many penalties and all of a sudden you’re chasing the game, it takes a lot out of you. It sucks the life out of the dressing room.”
On the Road Again
The Bears will be off until Saturday when they hit the road to meet the Hartford Wolf Pack. The game not only caps off the month of March for the team, but nearly marks the end of the team’s travel. Hershey’s lone road schedule includes a pair of games in Iowa and one more trip to Wilkes-Barre. Otherwise, the team will enjoy most of their remaining schedule inside of Giant Center. The Bears have a magic number of five to clinch their division, and any wins as well as losses for the Bruins will reduce that number.
Providence continues a four-game road trip in Utica on Friday night. They’ll play Syracuse on Saturday to round out the month of March. The Bruins will look to lock up a first-round bye with both Wilkes-Barre and Charlotte running out of room.
