On November 5, 1938, in the Hersheypark Arena, the Hershey Bears recorded their first franchise win, defeating the Providence Reds. On Sunday night at Giant Center, the Bears registered their first playoff victory over the Providence Bruins by the same score, 2-1, tying the series at one.<\/p>\n
In the first period, the teams combined for only 11 shots on goal, which was one less than Providence\u2019s first period total from game one, with Hershey\u2019s first shot coming from Keith Aucoin on the power play at 16:08.<\/p>\n
The stanza also featured one significant shot of a different nature: Graham Mink\u2019s body shot, which was originally intended to level Providence\u2019s Zach Hamill, instead felled Hershey captain, Bryan Helmer, who absorbed the brunt of the blow. The grizzled Helmer, a veteran of 10 AHL playoff seasons, although momentarily downed by the hit, did not miss his next shift.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe were fighting along the boards, and I really don\u2019t know what happened. I had my head down. I thought he (Hamill) hit me. That\u2019s just the way Graham is; he plays hard, and stuff like that happens,\u201d chuckled Helmer, with Mink chiming in a joking apology in the background.<\/p>\n
Unlike game one, game two\u2019s first period played out more like a typical opening period of a playoff series.<\/p>\n
\u201cNobody was tearing it up in the first period there. Everybody was kind of sitting back and not a lot of energy out of either team, and just kind of playing it safe,\u201d said Bears\u2019 head coach, Bob Woods. \u201cI think everybody\u2019s scared to make a make a mistake because we knew that first goal was going to be big, especially with the way both goaltenders were playing.\u201d<\/p>\n
Hershey turned up the heat in the second period, firing 21 shots at Bruins\u2019 goaltender, Tuukka Rask, but failed to rattle Rask\u2019s cage.<\/p>\n
Michal Neuvirth, Hershey\u2019s number one netminder, as not to be outdone by his counterpart, made late saves in each of the first two periods to keep Providence off the scoreboard, denying Brad Marchand on a 2-on-1 in the first period and putting the brakes on Jeff Penner\u2019s shorthanded bid in the second period.<\/p>\n
An unlikely candidate finally broke the deadlock at 3:21 of the third period. Bears\u2019 forward Andrew Joudrey skillfully redirected Tyler Sloan\u2019s point blast behind Rask to give him team a 1-0 lead.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was Oskar getting down on the forecheck quick, and getting the puck through their defenseman,\u201d said Joudrey, of his first career playoff goal. \u201cI saw that and kind of backed off and became the high slot guy. They collapsed and Oskar found Sloan and it worked out.\u201d
\nJust 2:40 seconds after Joudrey\u2019s goal, Alexandre Giroux banked a power play shot off of former Bear, defenseman, Johnny Boychuk, to give the Bears a 2-0 lead.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was definitely a pass and not a shot. I think it hit his (Boychuk\u2019s) skates, or the goalie\u2019s pads, and it went five-hole,\u201d said Giroux, who is now tied for the league lead in playoff power play goals with five.<\/p>\n
Brad Marchand\u2019s power play goal, with Rask on the bench for an extra attacker with just over 30 seconds left to play, broke Neuvirth\u2019s bid for his 4th playoff shutout. <\/p>\n
Neuvirth, who has played every minute of Hershey\u2019s 13 playoff games, said he\u2019s still raring to go, despite his heavy workload. <\/p>\n
\u201cEverybody\u2019s tired. It\u2019s a long season, but I\u2019m feeling good, and we\u2019re going to get a day off tomorrow,\u201d said Neuvirth.<\/p>\n
After evening the series with Sunday\u2019s victory, things are looking up for the Bears as they take to the road for the next three games.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you go down 2-0 and go back to their barn for three, it would be really tough,\u201d said Helmer. \u201cWe got the win tonight, and we\u2019re looking forward to going there.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"