The Hershey Bears improved to 2-0 in the preseason with a 3-2 win over the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins Friday night at Wachovia Arena before an announced crowd of 5,504.
After jumping out to a 2-0 lead on goals by Oskar Osala and Darren Reid, both seeing their first preseason action, the baby Penguins tied the game just about midway through the third period on goals from Adam Henrich and Jonathan Filewich and it looked like the game was heading towards an overtime session.
However, Kyle Wilson, who has shown a penchant for scoring dramatic goals along the I-81 corridor in the past (just ask the Binghamton Senators), lit the lamp at 17:21 to provide the final margin of victory for the guys in Chocolate and White.
Hershey netminder Bobby Goepfert, for the second consecutive game, picked up the win in relief of starting goaltender Michal Neuvrith. Unlike last Sunday’s game at Giant Center when Goepfert replaced Neuvrith at the scheduled time, last night’s relief role was anything but scheduled.
Neuvrith, who was a questionable starter in the affair after being struck in the mask by a puck earlier in the week in practice, required medical attention from trainer Dan Stuck at 7:27 of the second period. After regaining his feet, it was determined that Neuvrith’s work for the evening was over and Goepfert finished the game between the pipes, allowing two goals on 13 shots.
Notes- The rematch between the Eastern Division rivals is scheduled for Saturday night at Giant Center at 7 P.M…Alexandre Giroux, Dean Arsene, Keith Aucoin and goaltender Daren Machesney are slated to make their Hershey preseason debuts on Saturday.