Friday's game against WBS thoughts...Bear's look like a completely different team. Christian Jarry looks rusty, Zack Fisch mentioned it too. Still working through his injury rehab I would imagine util he heads to the NHL to replace DeSmith. Bindulis in action for the first time tonight and Pyett stays in. LuJo, Shumakov, Barber, Samsonov and Williams all out due to injury.
Thought the first period was wide open and run and gun style. Definitely played into the young Bears hands. Second period was way more of a grind. Lots of stop and start hockey. Still good chances both ways but it just felt like a long period due to the style. Third period started out really sketchy, mostly due to the Pens being on the PP twice very early. All in all, obviously their best game(since they finally won). I liked that they kept the Pens mostly to the outside. They got a ton of shots on Vanacek but they weren't from those high scoring areas like I've seen in the first five games.
Vanacek was pretty decent in the first. Didn't see much until a huge flurry around 5 to go in the 1st. He made a few nice stops there and kept the game 1-0. Pens had a PP later in the second period and Vanacek was again really good making a handful of good saves in a short period. He was really good in the third and I'd definitely give him one of my stars of the game. Made 40 saves tonight. Needed to have an outstanding performance from a goaltender to get us over the hump and this game was it.
Whitney-Gersich-Sgarbossa-Hobbs-Ness on the PP1 unit. Looks like they've simplified it quite a bit. Bombs from the point from Hobbs and crash for rebounds.
Gersich-Sgarbossa-Fjallby
AJF has definitely had some jump. Scored a really pretty goal on a 2 on 1 where he took matters into his own hands instead of passing. He had another great rush about 8 minutes in and used his speed to almost create a 2 on 1 after a nice flip pass by Gersich. Threw a wild pass across the crease that amounted to no shot on goal. Fjallby made a nice defensive play with about 16:30 to go in the second where he backchecked a wideopen Pen in front of the net and prevented a grade A scoring chance. He was IMO easily Hershey's best player tonight. He had multiple great scoring chances and setup a few great chances while scoring the first goal of his pro career.
Gersich had a great chance in the slot and just fired it right into the goalies crest. Had a number of good shots but still snakebitten. One of these days he'll score...hopefully tonight!
Malenstyn-Megna-Pilon
Pilon has a good chance about 5 minutes in. Spun the net and tried to roof it. Fired it high. Also did a good job to beat out an icing call while a group of tired Bears were in the middle of a line change.
Love Malenstyn's game. He's quickly turning into one of my favorite players on the Bears team. He initiates contact every chance he gets and his straight line speed is tremendous. Not afraid to take a hit to make a play. Laid out on his stomach to make a great clear on the PK in the early moments of the third period. Malenstyn on a different PK stole the puck behind the net of the Pens and center to an open Megna who was robbed. At the end of the game with the Pens goalie pulled he was awesome blocking shots, including one with his face after giving his stick to Ness(who broke his).
O'Brien-Pinho-Whitney
Second time I've seen Pinho make this power move where he splits the D and drives the net. This one wasn't as clean as the first but very similar move. He drops the shoulder, protects the puck and just slams through both defenders as they come together on him. Somehow comes out of it cradling the puck still and tries to pull it back hand. He was stopped again but this is a nice little move of his.
O'Brein with a goal on a wrist shot coming down the wing. Bad goal by a rusty goalie but nice for the Bears!
Kammerer-Gustafsson-Hulak
Gustafsson had a great chance right out front of the Pens net on a bad turnover.
I Like Hulak he's a decent utility player who seems to be able to play all 3 forward spots.
Kammerer with a beauty of a play that led to a great chance between Hulak and Gustafsson down low. Kammerer had what LOOKED like a beautiful cross crease pass to Megna who scored in a wide open net. I think he whiffed on a one-time though haha. If it was a slap pass and not a whiff, it was a thing of beauty. Either way it goes down as a goal for Megna and a primary assist for Kammerer. Now has an assist in three straight games.
Lewington-Bindulis
Lewington took a penalty in the 1st period on a bad call. Him and Bindulis came together and crunched a Pen trying to split them. They called a hold on it. Don't think his hands ever left his stick.
Bindulis was pretty steady. Didn't notice him good or bad which isn't a bad thing.
Hobbs-Ness
Hobbs with a nice rush into the offensive zone at about the halfway mark of the second. Nice little drop pass to Gersich who almost got one in off the tip of the glove of the Pens goalie. Thought Hobbs had his best game of the season as well. He was active in the offensive zone, physical in his own and didn't make any of the risky plays he's known for. Got a lot of rubber towards the net and picked up an assist on O'Brien's goal.
Siegenthaler-Pyett
Siegenthaler had his best game of the season. Nothing flashing but he didn't do anything overly stupid. Siegenthaler was called for a delay of game even though he only fired the puck into the Bears bench...shit call. Then they send Pyett to the box instead of him. lol
Pyett picked up a secondary on Megna's goal. Good for him, he's a great comeback story.= and if you haven't read about it, you should.
First Period
1-0: What a freaking shot by Fjallby, his skating made the play a 2 on 1 and then he just roofed it top shelf glove side instead of making the pass. Puck got up in a hurry and fast. Lewington with the assist.
Second Period
2-0: Liam O'Brein with a wrist shot coming down the wing. Hobbs made a really good defensive play at his own blueline to prevent the entry from the Pens and send Hershey running the other way. Assist to Hobbs.
Third Period
2-1: Pens just threw the puck on the net and crashed, few players swiped at it and one was able to knock the puck past Vanacek's outstretched leg.
2-2: Simple wrist shot from the left point on the PP. Beautiful deflection just chipped it by Vanacek, nothing he could do. Disgusting blown call put them on the PP. How is it delay of game if the puck is in the bench not the stands?
3-2: Megna scores with the lines a little jumbled up due to a partial line change. Pyett sent the puck down low and Max Kammerer tried to onetime it to the net, looks like he whiffed(maybe?) a bit and it turned into a picture perfect cross crease pass to wide open Megna who buried it into an empty net.