The Hershey Bears met up with the Hartford Wolf Pack in Game Two of the Atlantic Division Final. After the Bears took a big win in the first matchup, the second game proved to be a fierce battle. Youth took the spotlight in the sequel as three important players tallied in a 4-2 win for Hershey. Ivan Miroshnichenko scored twice including a highlight-reel tally to lift the Bears ahead early. Hunter Shepard earned the win with 22 saves.
Garand Returns
The Wolf Pack got some much-needed reinforcements ahead of game action with the return of goaltender Dylan Garand. Hartford’s second-year netminder has been a rock for them in the postseason. His absence in Game One was a storyline and his return helped stabilize the team. Olof Lindbom backed up after exiting the first game with an apparent injury. Garand made 23 saves in the loss.
Garand’s return may be short-lived, though. With the New York Rangers set to start the Eastern Conference Final on Wednesday, Garand will have to return to serve as their third goaltender. It’s the same day the series is set to resume, creating an early storyline for Game Three.
Miroshnichenko Magic
Hershey’s rookie sensation flexed his muscles in Game Two. He opened the scoring with the Bears on the power play early on. Taking a pass from Jimmy Huntington, Miroshnichenko picked the top corner of the net to make it 1-0. The first-round pick of the Washington Capitals in 2022 showed off his accuracy skills on the goal.
Miroshnichenko managed to outdo himself in the second period. He carried the puck through center ice, deking past a defender like a young Alex Ovechkin. After that, he cut across the top of the crease and lifted a shot past the outstretched goaltender. The highlight-reel tally is his fifth goal of the postseason, bringing him into a tie for the team lead. Miroshnichenko has scored five goals in his last three games.
The prevailing reaction after the goal? One word: wow.
“Wow,” Bears head coach Todd Nelson said of Miroshnichenko’s performance. “The first goal was a nice one, sharp angle shot on the power play. The second one was a great individual effort, two great goals. More importantly, I stuck him out there when it was 4-1 to maybe get the hat trick. Unselfishly, he came off the ice after 30 seconds. That’s a sign of maturity and I’m proud of him.”
“Wow,” Huntington said of the goal. “We’ve been waiting for this. He’s playing at his full potential right now, we need him, and he made a difference tonight.”
“I just (get) lucky,” Miroshnichenko said sheepishly with a big grin, the young Russian still learning English. “I tried to pass, but I (didn’t) see my teammates. I make move, score.”
Youth Contributions
The Bears added more in the third period, threatening to run away with it again in this game. Ethen Frank took a pass from Lucas Johansen, turning the puck on goal. The chip shot went on goal and past Garand for Frank’s fifth of the playoffs, tying him with Miroshnichenko for the team lead. Hershey’s leading goal scorer in the regular season has tallies in three straight games.
Hershey added one more just over four minutes later. Jake Massie, who got a sweater with Logan Day out injured, fired the puck from the center point. Hendrix Lapierre got a stick on it, enough to fool Garand for his third goal of the postseason. An important part of Hershey’s defensive depth, Massie tallied his first playoff point since last year’s series against Hartford. Lapierre finished with a goal and an assist, good for second star honors.
All three players to tally are important to the future of the Capitals. Miroshnichenko and Lapierre returned to the Bears for the playoffs after lengthy stays in the NHL. Frank has not yet gotten time in the NHL but has been knocking on the door with a solid campaign in Hershey. With the future of Washington looking to be driven by youth, three such players delivered in the spotlight on Saturday.
Wolf Pack Strike Back
Despite the score, the Wolf Pack did not go quietly into the night. Hartford ended the night on a strong note, perhaps something to build upon for Game Three at home. After a ferocious battle in front of Shepard with a defender, Jake Leschyshyn tallied his fifth goal of the postseason. He got free long enough to deflect a shot from Victor Mancini past the goalie to get on the board.
Hartford pulled their goaltender to make a push late in the third. The Wolf Pack tallied a second goal with a simple formula: bodies in front of the goaltender taking his vision. Anton Blidh would be rewarded with his second goal of the postseason inside of the last minute to play. It ultimately proved to be too little, too late, but some success gives them some hope and a game plan for the next game.
History for Nelson
The win moves Nelson into sole possession of fourth place in terms of all-time playoff wins by a coach. Nelson happened to move past Hershey legend Frank Mathers in the accomplishment. Mathers, who famously was a player, coach, and manager of the team over the years, is hard to pass in any category.
“We maintained home ice advantage, did our job,” Nelson said. “Now we have to go and get one on the road. It’s going to be tough, a lot of tight checking tonight. That’s why it maybe looked sloppy, both teams checked well. We have to make sure we’re playing for sixty minutes and playing for Shep. We need to get in the way of shots and sacrificing the body a little bit better.”
“If we play the right way and win puck battles, we’re going to have success. We just can’t beat ourselves and we’ll have success. We’ll look at the video to see where we can improve in certain areas. The guys are learning what it takes to close out a series. We have to show up and play engaged. Against Lehigh Valley, we weren’t mentally ready for (Game Three). This team we’re playing is never going to quit, they’re a good hockey team. If we do that again, it’s not going to fare well for us.”
The two teams square off in Game Three on Wednesday night from XL Center. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:00 PM EST.
