Alex Limoges scored in sudden-death and the Hershey Bears (29-7-0-0) broke their Teddy Bear Toss hockey world record in a 3-2 overtime victory over the Lehigh Valley Phantoms (14-13-5-1) on Sunday evening in front of a standing-room crowd 10,765 at GIANT Center.
Bogdan Trineyev's goal at 4:15 of the second period ignited the GIANT Teddy Bear Toss, in which fans sent a franchise-record 74,599 teddy bears and stuffed animals onto the ice, breaking the previous mark of 67,309 collected by Hershey during the 2023 event. Since Hershey began hosting the GIANT Teddy Bear Toss in 2001, the Bears have collected and distributed 464,107 teddy bears to children throughout Central Pennsylvania.
Hershey is now 5-1-0-0 against Lehigh Valley this season; the Bears have now played seven games beyond regulation this season, winning five in overtime and an additional two in the shootout.
The Bears reached the halfway mark of their 2023-24 season schedule atop the American Hockey League standings, and with a 16-point edge on the Providence Bruins for first place in the Atlantic Division. In addition to their 29 wins so far, the Bears' 58 points in the standings is also the most by the club through its first 36 games of any season in its 86-year history of competition in the AHL.
Both teams played through a scoreless opening frame, with Hershey's Mitch Gibson making five saves to Cal Petersen's eight for Lehigh Valley.
Trineyev scored his Teddy Bear Toss goal when Chase Priskie gloved down a Phantoms clearing attempt in the neutral zone and relayed the puck back to Hardy Haman Aktell, who swept a long stretch pass ahead to Trineyev. The rookie cut to the right circle before snapping his fifth of the season past Petersen, triggering the "Sweet Cuddly Mayhem."
After play resumed, the Phantoms tied the game at 15:45 when Jordy Bellerive grabbed his own rebound and smacked it past Gibson for an unassisted goal.
Adam Brooks then put Lehigh Valley ahead 2-1 at 17:33.
Hershey tied the game in the third period after some extended cycling in the offensive zone resulted in Mike Sgarbossa grabbing the puck at the left circle and quickly snapping it past Petersen at 14:40 for his seventh of the season. Joe Snively and Lucas Johansen picked up assists on the goal.
The Bears took the game in overtime when Priskie relayed the puck up the right boards to Ethen Frank in the neutral zone, who sent it ahead to Limoges at the Lehigh Valley blue line. As the winger drove wide, Limoges found himself tangled with the Phantoms' Louie Belpedio, and Limoges leveraged the opposing skater's own stick to swipe the puck into the net for the game-winner.
Shots finished 29-24 in favor of the Bears. Gibson put up a 22-for-24 effort in the win for Hershey, his second victory in the AHL this season; Petersen took the overtime loss for Lehigh Valley with a 26-for-29 effort. Hershey went 0-for-4 on the power play; the Phantoms went 0-for-3 with the man advantage.
The Bears continue the 2023-24 season, presented by Penn State Health, when they visit the Lehigh Valley Phantoms at PPL Center on Saturday, Jan. 13 at 7:05 p.m. Hershey is back on GIANT Center ice to host the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins for PSECU Knit Cap Night on Saturday, Jan. 20 at 7 p.m. The first 5,000 fans in attendance will receive a Calder Cup Champions knit cap, courtesy of PSECU. Purchase tickets for the game by CLICKING HERE.
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