I also opted to have some drinks with my buddies last night...perhaps one too many drinks..*cough*... So I just watched the game this morning. Threw together some hungover incoherent thoughts for anyone who missed out.
Another win for the Bears, now a franchise record for the most consecutive games with a point. 4-2 win, Barber with the empty net hatty and Megna with the other. Bears play really solid team defense and keep the pressure off their defenders and goalie for the most part. Also can't help but notice how hard they forecheck. Every single time the puck was in the Pens zone there were two Bears crashing the corners. Not that they turned the puck over every time but they certainly made it a pain in the ass for the Pens to exit their own zone. Speed also continues to be a huge factor. They can out skate most of the teams in the AHL with ease.
Vanacek in net for this one and stopped 30/32. He wasn't tested much in the 1st period but made the saves he needed to. Second period the Pens turned up the pressure and he had to be better. Gave up a couple but neither were really on him in the second period. He also went after a Pen after the whistle and had words/argument with Pens goalie at the bench shortly after. Vitek had to be really good in the last 5-ish minutes of the third. One HUGE series of saves with a little over 2 minutes to go. Then with under 30 to go Lewington lost his helmet and had to bail for the bench with two Pens down in tight. Vitek made a great save and kept the game 3-2.
Malenstyn doing a good job screening the goalie. Not afraid to go to the net and battle. It's also impressive how short of a distance he needs to really load up for a powerful check. He generates a ton of energy in such a small space. Continues to block shots coming from the point on the PK with no fear.
---1st intermission interview with Malenstyn---
- he's not an enforcer but not afraid to stand up for himself or his teammates.
- he's having a lot of fun, team has a lot of confidence right now.
- the effort was never a question earlier in the year just finding their groove.
- since Christmas he has been with the same linemates and has become good friends with them off the ice as well, attributes his offensive uptick to that.
- says some guys are PP guys and some guys are PK guys and he's got a lot of pride in what he does(PK).
- he loves all three new coaches in Hershey and they have a good personal relationship because they're all a little younger.
Johansen and Siegenthaler playing together, both lefties...they had an adventure of a night. Some notes on their play
- Johansen made a nice step up in the offensive zone to create a really high risk scoring chance early in the 1st.
- Siegenthaler with a dumb-ish play around the 11 minute mark of the 1st period. Tried to shoot a one timer on a d to d pass on the blueline and overextended his arms falling down and creating a 2 on 1 the other way. Lujo covered for him on the 2 on 1 and made a nice play to keep the Pens from getting a good scoring chance out of it.
- Pens first goal came from Siegenthaler playing a little soft. Instead of stepping up he kind of backed off, tried to use his stick and then cringed/faded away while the Pen was winding up for the wrist shot. Liam O'Brien also at fault here. He got danced around at the blueline before releasing him on a rotation to Siegenthaler.
- The Pens second goal was again this pairing on the ice. Started with LuJo making a nice rush into the offensive zone going end to end. Unfortunately Seigenthaler made a bad read and also decided to head into the offensive zone. Bears play by play called out the bad read as well. Lead to some zone time when the Pens went the other way with both defenders trapped behind them. Forwards were puck watching and eventually LuJo didn't make the smart play to go off the boards and out and tried to bump the puck to an unsuspecting teammate. Pen scooped up the puck and went cross ice to a open player cutting to the net who fired it home.
Lewington took on three Pens in front of Vitek after a whistle and smiled while punching/getting punched in the scrum. He's a straight up warrior. Him and Ness are clearly the top pairing and work very well together. After Vanacek had words with a Pen in the second Lewington said something to the guy that sent him into a rage. He ended up having to be shoved into the penalty box. Lewington also picked up a minor for the incident.
Pinho and Gersich connected for a beautiful passing play between the dots. Gersich not afraid to go to the dirty area in front of the net but was robbed from about two feet out. He got hammered for his effort but bounced right back up. Gersich made a hell of a hustle play with 13:46 to go in the second. Muscled the puck away from a guy in his own zone and just took off down the boards, fought off hard backchecking, still managed to get a breakaway shot and drew a penalty to send the Bears to the PP.
Barber's first goal came off a one timer from the Ovi spot just as a 5 on 3 expired. Aaron Ness with the pass and Sgarbossa picked up the secondary. Shanked the puck a bit and I think that kind of messed with the goalies reaction and it fluttered past Jarry.
Hobbs with a not so smart move at the blueline with around 8 minutes to go in the second. Tried to walk a guy who had him covered tight to the wall at the blueline. Guy stripped the puck and took off the other way. Hobbs was able to get back and make a play on the puck before it became a scoring chance but then took a penalty doing so. Bears play by play nailed it...just gotta simplify things, not a smart play.
Took all of 55 second into the third for the Bears to tie the game up at 2. Liam O'Brien and Megna had a 2 on 1. O'Brien was gassed and one handed the puck across to Megna when the Pen defender went after him. Megna was then in alone from the dots and went backhand into the top of the net. Waterbottle style. Awesome elevation for a backhander.
Barber scored his second of the game from the slot. O'Brien won a battle in the corner, got the puck behind the net where Sgabossa retrieved it and fed Barber wide open in the slot. Picked the top corner and nailed it. This put Hershey up 3-2 with under 4 minutes to go in the game.
Barber scored his 3rd goal in stylish fashion(for an empty netter). Dove from his knees and swatted the puck out of the zone straight into the empty net. Was about a 200 footer from nearly his stomach.
