Sgarbossa's OT Goal Gives Bears 3-2 Win, Weekend Sweep

October 22, 2023

Mike Sgarbossa scored the game-winning goal for his 200th career point with the Hershey Bears (4-1-0-0), as the visiting team picked up a 3-2 overtime win over the Bridgeport Islanders (2-2-1-0) on Sunday afternoon at Total Mortgage Arena. The victory pushed Hershey's overall win streak to four games, gave Hershey a three-in-three sweep of its weekend road trip, and its first three-game road win streak to begin a season since the 2011-12 campaign (4-0-0-0).

BOX SCORE

Hershey struck first midway through the opening period when Pierrick Dube threaded a pass from behind the net to Ivan Miroshnichenko at the top of the crease and the rookie banged home his second of the season past Jakub Skarek at 7:33, with Hendrix Lapierre receiving a secondary assist.

Alex Limoges extended the lead to two goals early in the second frame when Colin Swoyer ushered the puck along to Joe Snively, and the winger sped up the left flank before dishing it across to Alex Limoges, who buried a one-timer past Skarek at 2:47.

Matthew Maggio got the Islanders on the board at 18:21 with a power-play goal that beat Mitch Gibson to the blocker side.

The Islanders then pulled level at 2-2 at the 10:21 mark of the third period as Tanner Fritz found twine for Bridgeport.

With the game forced to sudden-death as time expired, Sgarbossa won it for the Bears at 3:32 of the extra frame when his off-speed shot slid along the ice and slipped underneath Skarek and into the cage. Swoyer and Mike Vecchione assisted on the goal. The goal marked the 200th Bears point (82g, 118a) for Sgarbossa, who also was skating in his 600th professional game (223rd with Hershey).

Shots finished 23-22 in favor of the Islanders. Gibson earned the win in his pro debut with a 21-for-23 performance; Skarek went 19-for-22 in the loss for Bridgeport. Hershey was 0-for-4 on the power play; the Islanders went 1-for-4 with the man advantage.

The Bears continue their road trip when they face the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins at Mohegan Sun Arena on Wednesday, Oct. 25 at 7:05 p.m. Hershey is back on home ice when it hosts the Lehigh Valley Phantoms at GIANT Center on Saturday, Oct. 28 at 7 p.m. for PNC Bank Magnet Schedule Night, when the first 8,000 fans in attendance will receive a 2023-24 season magnet schedule, courtesy of PNC Bank. Purchase tickets for the game by CLICKING HERE.