Beck Malenstyn wills Hershey to series victory in Game Four, sending Bears to Atlantic Division Final
HERSHEY, PA — The Hershey Bears are officially advancing to the third round of the Calder Cup playoffs after defeating the Charlotte Checkers in Game Four 6-2, Thursday. Hershey will play the winner of the Hartford Wolfpack and Providence Bruins’ series. Hartford currently leads two games to one.
The Bears opened the game with one of their worst periods of the season, but then Beck Malenstyn happened and willed his team to victory.
The Bears scored six unanswered goals after Malenstyn broke the glass with a big hit in the first period. Hershey was outscored 2-0 and outshot 8 to 2 in the first stanza, but after that it was all the chocolate and white.
Mason Morelli opened the scoring for the Bears 10:15 into the second period after a strong move to the net down the left wing. Morelli chipped the puck toward Checkers’ goaltender Mack Guzda and the biscuit somehow squeaked through, bouncing over the goal line.
Mo pull us to within one with his second of the playoffs! 🍎 Sgarbossa
🍏 Johansen pic.twitter.com/bmdq6JS7CP — Hershey Bears (@TheHersheyBears) May 5, 2023
Nine minutes and 29 seconds later, Malenstyn tied the game on a breakaway after Joe Snively dived and chipped the puck ahead to him in open space.
Beck brings us level in the closing seconds of the middle frame! 🍎 Snively pic.twitter.com/MujhoOP55R — Hershey Bears (@TheHersheyBears) May 5, 2023
Snively had just come out of the box for a curious slashing call made by officials, generating a loud B-U-L-L-S-H-I-T chant from Bears’ fans.
The Bears took the lead 8:59 into the third period on a power play. Sam Anas found Aliaksei Protas with a perfect pass in front of the net.
Pro gives us our first lead of the night! 🍎 Anas
🍏 Snively pic.twitter.com/8XIAXpY5kA — Hershey Bears (@TheHersheyBears) May 5, 2023
Protas would add an insurance goal, beating Guzda short side from no angle to give the Bears’ a 4-2 lead with 9:03 remaining. Anas and Hendrix Lapierre got the assists. The goals were Protas’s second and third tallies of the postseason.
Make it ✌ for Pro! 🍎 Anas
🍏 Lapierre pic.twitter.com/ECcGRJaWXj — Hershey Bears (@TheHersheyBears) May 5, 2023
The Bears fell behind early after some poor coverage in front the net in the first period. Setup just outside the crease, the Checkers’ Jake Wise gathered in a centering pass wide open and scored his first goal of the postseason.
Three minutes and 54 seconds later, the Checkers struck again with the two teams skating four-on-four. Riley Nash deflected a point shot from Matt Kiersted past a helpless Hunter Shepard.
But in the end, the Bears found their groove in just enough time to win the best-of-five series before having to go to a decisive Game Five.
Note: Attendance at the game was 4,515. Hershey put tickets on sale right after their Game Three loss on Wednesday night. Riley Sutter and Dylan McIlrath were credited with the two empty-net markers.
Tonight’s crowd in Hershey. Still very loud in here. pic.twitter.com/EyEX4RJZZj — Ian Oland (@ianoland) May 4, 2023
Ethen Frank and Aaron Ness were unable to play due to injury. The other scratch was defenseman Bobby Nardella, who briefly missed time in the first period of Game Three due to an injury.
Atlantic Division Semifinals Game 4 projected lineup: Jake Massie gets set to make his Calder Cup Playoffs debut! Catch tonight's broadcast coverage 👇 💻 https://t.co/HaxQBmLCRZ
📻 @FroggyValley, @foxsports1460am, @WOYK1350 (joined in progress)
📱 @CapitalsRadio pic.twitter.com/F3MrI9RlHJ — Hershey Bears (@TheHersheyBears) May 4, 2023
Headline photo: Tori Hartman/Hershey Bears
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