Bears Leave Belleville with 5-3 Win

January 25, 2025

The Hershey Bears (26-11-5-0) scored three goals in the second period on their way to wrapping up their weekend with a 5-3 win over the Belleville Senators (16-14-1-4) on Saturday night at CAA Arena, as the club continued its 2024-25 season, presented by Penn State Health.

With the victory, Hershey extended its current point streak to a season-high seven games (5-0-2-0). The club moved to 7-1-2-0 since the start of 2025, and the two points earned extended Hershey's current road point streak to 4-0-2-0 dating back to Dec. 13. The Bears' series with the Senators is now 2-0-1-0, with the two clubs set to face each other one final time on March 5 at GIANT Center; Hershey's current road point streak against Belleville is now at eight games (6-0-2-0) dating back to the the 2017-18 season, when the Senators relocated to Belleville from Binghamton.

BOX SCORE

NOTABLES:

• Belleville took a 1-0 lead into the intermission after Wyatt Bongiovanni scored on his team's first shot of the contest at 3:32.
• Ethan Bear tied the game with a power-play goal just 50 seconds into the middle frame, then Chase Priskie scored his ninth of the season - and eighth of the campaign with man advantage - during a 5-on-3 power play.
• Defender Jon McDonald scored his second goal of the season at 19:54 of the second to put Hershey ahead 3-2. 
• Zac Funk scored the eventual game-winner at 2:20 of the third period with his second goal of the season to give Hershey a 4-2 lead.
• Mike Vecchione capped a two-point night after assisting on Bear's goal by burying his 11th of the season at 7:40 to make it 5-3. The Bears are now 7-0-1-0 when Vecchione finds the net, and 5-0-0-0 in games in which he earns at least two points.
• Ivan Miroshnichenko assisted on both of Hershey's first two goals, while Spencer Smallman also earned a pair of assists with helpers on the goals by Priskie and Funk.
• Bears head coach Todd Nelson earned his 432nd career AHL head-coaching victory to move into a tie with Kevin Dineen for fifth all-time in league history.

SHOTS: HER 35, BEL 20

GOALTENDING: HER - Hunter Shepard, 17-for-20; BEL - Michael Simpson, 30-for-35

POWER PLAY: HER - 2-for-6; BEL - 1-for-2

THEY SAID IT:

Bears head coach Todd Nelson on what was the difference-maker in tonight's game:
"I think all 20 guys worked hard tonight. I thought our work ethic was excellent. What we lacked in firepower for offense we made up for with hard work and just outworking them. It was a game where we had to put guys in different spots, like Chase Priskie played forward tonight because that's all we have for healthy people. So it was a great effort by everyone. I think the guys just dug deep and understood they have to play that way because of the personnel we have, and they played a really strong game."

Nelson on the play of the line of Smith-Cruikshank-Strome:
"They've been bringing a very consistent effort. That's a line that plays by the book. They get pucks in deep, they forecheck you hard, and it's contagious. And I think the rest of the lines took note of that, but I thought everybody played well."

Nelson on the surge of momentum gained by Jon McDonald's goal and play of Hunter Shepard:
"That was a big goal for us. Him scoring in the last minute of a period put us up 3-2 heading into the third and we felt comfortable with that lead. That was a big goal for us. And Shep didn't have a whole lot of work, so it was a tough game for him to play in. There were a couple goals I'm sure he'd want back, but we didn't allow a lot of shots - I think with only five to seven minutes left in the second period, they only had four shots on net. So it's hard for a goalie to get into a rhythm. But he made some big saves down the stretch there in the third period."

Nelson on how the team is trending after getting four of a possible six points this week with a depleted lineup:
"We're going in the right direction. At the start of the year before Christmas, things weren't going our way, bounces weren't going our way, we weren't playing where we were totally bought-in. I think now we're seeing the team that's buying into everybody, and everybody's contributing."

NEXT GAME:

The Bears continue the 2024-25 regular season, presented by Penn State Health, when they conclude a four-game road trip against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on Wednesday, Jan. 29 at 7:05 p.m. at Mohegan Arena at Casey Plaza. Hershey returns home to host the Bridgeport Islanders on Friday, Jan. 31 at 7 p.m. at GIANT Center for Sam Adams Tap Takeover Night. Select brews will be on tap for fans 21-and-over at the TRULY portable location, including the new Sam Adams American Light. Purchase tickets for the game by CLICKING HERE.