The Hershey Bears taking to the road to face the Rochester Americans, and desperately trying to hold off the challenge of the streaking Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins for first place in the AHL’s Eastern Division, fell to the Amerks on Friday night, 3-2.
Hershey head coach Bob Woods’ team, in suffering their 17th defeat of the season, and fifth in their last six outings, surrendered a pair of one goal leads, and allowed two goals late in the third period to allow the Amerks to emerge victorious.
Referee Jeff Smith, who has a well-deserved reputation in the AHL of allowing the players to play the game, choosing to avoid most marginal penalties, whistled Rochester’s Jordan Henry off the ice only 3:06 into the contest.
Utilizing only 45 seconds of their two-minute advantage, Hershey took a 1-0 lead on Graham Mink’s 22nd goal of the year at 3:51. Mink, who recently had a career high five game goal-scoring streak halted, has found the net in six of his last eight games.
Rochester tied the game at 9:56 of the period, when Stefan Meyer beat Hershey netminder, Daren Machesney for his 13th goal of the season.
The second period, which featured the clubs combining for 19 shots on goal, featured no goals, despite Hershey’s Steve Pinizzotto being cited for Hershey’s only penalty of the game, 27 seconds into the frame.
Amerks captain, Rory Fitzpatrick’s slashing penalty 1:00 into the third period, sent Hershey’s suddenly potent power play onto the ice for the second time in the game. The Bears, cutting two seconds off their efficiency time from their first successful venture on the power play, took a 2-1 lead at 1:53, when Chris Bourque collected his 14th goal of the season, beating Rochester goaltender, Mike Brodeur.
Entering the last four minutes of the game clinging to a one-goal lead, Hershey saw that lead evaporate when Michael Duco dented the scoreboard at 16:21, tying the game at 2-2.
With Hershey still reeling from the Duco goal, Meyer struck the knockout blow at 17:09, 48 seconds after the Duco damage, giving the Amerks the final 3-2 margin of victory with his second goal of the game.
Hershey also allowed a pair of quick goals in their previous road setback last Friday in Binghamton, surrendering two goals within 51 seconds late in the second period, including Marc Cavosie’s game-wining goal.