It was Groundhog Dog on Friday at the Wachovia Arena, as for the second consecutive Friday, the Hershey Bears, after building a two goal second period lead just like they did last Friday at Giant Center, watched it all crumble to pieces, falling for the second consecutive Friday to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in a shootout, 4-3.
Hershey’s Quintin Laing’s goal at 7:27 of the first period, gave the visitors from Chocolatetown a 1-0 lead. Laing, finishing up a Steve Pinizzotto attempt, converted for his eighth goal of the second, and first road strike since October 17th.
A turnover by Hershey’s number twenty-two, Francois Bouchard, at his own blue line allowed for Tim Wallace to tie the game 1:38 into the second period. Wallace, powering to the net after the giveaway, fought off Sami Lepisto’s defensive efforts and beat Hershey goaltender, Michal Neuvirth, to the stick side.
Chris Bourque’s short-handed goal at 7:31 of the second period, with Karl Alzner serving a holding penalty, gave Hershey a 2-1 lead. Jay Beagle started the play by stripping Pens’ forward, number twenty-two, Jeff Taffe, just inside the Pens zone. After stripping the puck from Taffe, Beagle dished a pass to Bourque, who patiently out waited a sprawling baby Pens netminder, John Curry, before tucking a shot just under the crossbar.
Bourque’s second goal of the game, on the power play, 2:42 into the third period, gave Hershey a 3-1 lead. Bourque, though credited with the goal, had a tremendous amount of help from Pens defenseman, Joey Mormina. Mormina, after gathering in the rebound of Bourque’s point blast just in front of Curry, deposited a shot over the shoulder of the stunned Curry, and into his own net.
Luca Caputi’s well placed backhander over the outstretched Neuvirth at 9:24, cut the Hershey lead to 3-2.
Pens forward Dustin Jeffrey, after intercepting Tyler Sloan’s effort to clear the zone, rocketed a slapshot by the glove hand of Neuvirth at 17:31 to tie the score at 3-3.
Hershey’s Alexander Giroux, who extended his franchise record-scoring streak by assisting on the Bourque power play tally, had the best chance of the overtime session. Giroux’s bid to be the Hershey hero was thwarted by Curry, who got just enough of the puck to keep it out of the net.
Continuing the Groundhog Day theme, Pens forward Janne Pesonen gave the Pens a 1-0 lead after the first round of the shootout. Curry, after stopping Bourque in the first round, stopped Kyle Wilson, Giroux and Keith Aucoin in the subsequent rounds. Connor James, the Pens’ fifth shootout contestant, sealed the victory by beating Neuvirth high to the glove side.