PHOTOS: Bears and Devils Battle it Out in Back and Forth Game

January 17, 2015
Kyle Mace
Game Recap, Photos

HERSHEY, PA – Opening faceoff of Saturday night’s match up between Hershey and Albany Saturday night. (Kyle Mace / Chocolate Hockey)

One of the struggles the Hershey Bears have had this year is finding the back of the net. When the Bears score, they only score an average of two to three goals a game. When Hershey is able to put four goals on the board, they normally don’t have an issue with winning the game. But in the wonderful world of hockey, that’s not always the case.

After Casey Wellman scored only ten seconds into the first period, Tomas Kundratek scored his first goal of the season to give the Bears a 2-0 lead only 3:19 into the game.

Returning for his first game since being injured in the Bears’ loss to Wilkes-Barre on New Year’s Eve, Philipp Grubauer still had some rust to shake off in the game. In about four minutes, Grubi has beat twice, allowing Albany to tie the game at 2-2.

Stan Galiev, celebrating his 23rd birthday, had something to say about that, when he went coast to coast and making a beautiful move to the net, giving Hershey a 3-2 lead heading into the second period.

It was the special teams show the rest of the night. Albany would get a power play goal eight minutes into the second, but Chris Conner would give Hershey the lead back with 10:22 to play in the second. Yet the Devils answered right back again with a goal from Reid Boucher, locking the game up at 4-4.

The score would stay tied until overtime, but not without some controversy. Garrett Mitchell was hit hard on the board by Dan Kelly, and was cut above the left eye. Mitchell left the game and did not return. Kelly received a five for elbowing and was kicked out of the game.

Hershey would get a huge power play in OT after Tim Kennedy was slashed away from the play. Birthday boy Stan Galiev would set up camp at the point and fire away, finding the back of the net and giving himself a huge birthday present: two points and first place for his team.

Hershey returns to Giant Center Sunday to face division rival Lehigh Valley, who is within striking distance of the newly East Division top seeded Bears.

Photos from the game: