The Hershey Bears have taken a lead in their series over the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, taking down Game Three by a score of 2-1. Ilya Samsonov came up with 26 saves on 27 shots, Liam O’Brien got the Bears on the board first, and defenseman Ryan Sproul scored the eventual game winning tally.
O’Brien opened the game’s scoring at the 11:22 mark of the first period, taking a pass from Riley Barber on the rush and beating Bridgeport’s goaltender with a nifty backhand in tight.
BIG TUNA! We struck first thanks to this blaze of speed by @OfficialBigTuna #HBH #DefendTheDen #BRIvsHER pic.twitter.com/N8ymC2F9ol
— x – Hershey Bears (@TheHersheyBears) April 23, 2019
At the 17:38 mark of the first, Josh Ho-Sang got the Sound Tigers right back in it and the game stayed tied at one goal apiece until the 2:50 mark of the third period. Then, Sproul threw a quick wrister from the point through loads of traffic that found its way to the back of the net.
🚨🚨 @Sproully93 #BRIvsHER #HBH #DefendtheDen pic.twitter.com/YwGCxv9eM9
— x – Hershey Bears (@TheHersheyBears) April 24, 2019
Samsonov held the fort for the rest of regulation and picked up his first career Calder Cup Playoffs win after making 49 saves in Game One in a losing effort.
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Ryan Sproul broke a 1-1 tie in the third period to help the Hershey Bears to a 2-1 win over the Bridgeport Sound Tigers in Game 3 of the Atlantic Division Semifinals on Tuesday night at Giant Center. Hershey now leads the best-of-five series, 2-1, and can advance to the Atlantic Division Finals with a win on Thursday night.
The Bears dictated play in the first period with an 18-4 shot advantage, but both teams traded tallies for a 1-1 score at intermission. Liam O’Brien put the Bears in front at the 11:22 mark after blazing to the net along the left wing. Mike Sgarbossa entered the zone through the middle of the ice, and Riley Barber connected with a streaking O’Brien, who beat Sound Tigers goaltender Christopher Gibson low to the ice.
Before the period expired, the Sound Tigers knotted the score on a breakaway goal by Josh Ho-Sang 17:38. The 1-1 deadlock stood until early in the third period, when Bears blueliner Ryan Sproul sent 7,152 fans at Giant Center into a frenzy. At the point, Sproul blasted a shot through a maze of bodies past Gibson to put the Bears on top at the 2:50 mark. Ilya Samsonov put forth a remarkable effort in goal by stopping 26 of 27 shots to capture third-star honors. Final shots on goal were 34-27 Hershey. Special teams for the Bears went 0-for-4 on the man-advantage and 3-for-3 on the kill.
The Hershey Bears can advance to the Atlantic Division Finals and push the Sound Tigers to elimination on Thursday night with a victory. Puck drop at Giant Center for Game 4 is scheduled for 7 p.m. Ticket information is available online at HersheyBears.com.
Headline photo: Hershey Bears
