Pierrick Dube scored at 13:54 of the first overtime as the Hershey Bears (8-1) took a 2-0 series lead over the Cleveland Monsters (6-3) with a 3-2 victory in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals on Saturday night in front of a sellout crowd of 10,562 at GIANT Center. The win extended the Bears' home ice and overall playoff win streaks to six games, and marked the first time Hershey had played back-to-back playoff overtime games and emerged victorious in both contests since the Bears defeated the Providence Bruins in Games 2 and 3 of the 2017 Atlantic Division Finals.
The first period matched the largest combined volume of shots for Hershey and an opponent for the opening frame in the 2024 playoffs, with the Bears outshooting the Monsters 12-11 in the stanza, but Hershey's Hunter Shepard and Cleveland's Jet Greaves turned aside all chances they faced.
The Bears struck first with a power-play goal at 14:35 of the second period, blasting a shot from the left circle underneath the blocker of Greaves, with Chase Priskie and Ivan Miroshnichenko earning assists. For Priskie, the defender extended his playoff point streak to six games (2g, 5a).
The Monsters tied the score late in the second when Alex Whelan blocked a Hershey shot in the defensive zone, which led to a Monsters breakout that prompted Shepard to roam from his net and dive after the puck in an attempt to break up the play. In the ensuing scramble at the goal mouth, Josh Dunne knocked in the tying score at 18:49 to make it 1-1.
Ethen Frank put Hershey ahead 2-1 at 11:21 of the third period as the forward snuck beneath the Cleveland defense and Greaves for his seventh of the playoffs and his fifth consecutive game with a goal. Hendrix Lapierre and Lucas Johansen assisted.
The Monsters tied it late in regulation for the second consecutive game with Greaves pulled for an extra attacker, as David Jiricek put the puck past Shepard at 18:27 to send the game to overtime.
The sudden-death extra frame began with six consecutive Cleveland shots, which Shepard turned aside before Hershey found its groove offensively. Dube won it for Hershey when he won a puck-battle behind his own net and joined Jimmy Huntington on a give-and-go, and cut up the left side before beating Greaves to the far post for his second of the playoffs.
Shots finished 36-30 in favor of the Monsters. Shepard went 34-for-36 for his eighth win of the postseason, and his sixth career playoff overtime win for the Bears, moving him past Nick Damore into sole possession of third on the franchise list; Greaves went 27-for-30 in the loss for Cleveland. The Bears went 1-for-5 on the power play; the Monsters went 0-for-4 with the man advantage.
The Bears continue the 2024 Calder Cup Playoffs when they visit the Monsters for Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals on Tuesday, June 4, at 7 p.m. at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse. Game 3 will also air on television locally on WPMT FOX 43.2 Antenna TV, and in the Washington, D.C. area on Monumental Sports Network, and fans can also watch via AHLTV. Bear Nation can get together at Arooga's (637 E Main St, Hummelstown, PA 17036) for our Game 3 Watch Party (reservations are preferred)! Should a Game 6 be necessary for completion of the series, the Bears will host it on Monday, June 10, at 7 p.m. at GIANT Center. CLICK HERE to purchase tickets for this game.
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