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Connor McMichael scores game-winning goal to give Hershey 2-1 series lead in Eastern Conference Finals

By Chris Cerullo

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May 27, 2023 9:49 pm

The Hershey Bears took a 2-1 series lead in the Eastern Conference Finals after their 4-2 win on the road over the Rochester Americans, Saturday. The Bears will play one more in Rochester on Monday before heading back home for a big Game Five at Giant Center.

Goaltender Hunter Shepard was masterful in the Bears net, carrying Hershey through large stretches of the game. The Bears also got goals from Logan Day, Sam Anas, Connor McMichael, and Aliaksei Protas as they yet again leaned on their forward depth to win another playoff game.

Hershey needs just two more wins to earn a spot in the Calder Cup Finals.

Rochester came out flying as they tried to use their fast pace of play to jump on Hershey in the opening minutes of the first period. That speed eventually drew a tripping penalty and the Bears needed a couple of big saves from Shepard to kill off the ensuing man advantage.

After staving off that early flurry in front of a hostile Rochester crowd, the Bears got on the scoreboard first. Day was the beneficiary of a fantastic, extended, offensive-zone shift from the Protas, Hendrix Lapierre, and Anas-led third line.

Day pumped home a slap shot from the point with Lapierre screening netminder Malcolm Subban. It was Day’s second goal of the playoffs after he didn’t score a single time in 36 regular season games. Protas and Anas ended up with the assists on the marker.

The first period ended with just that lone goal but the second provided fireworks. Anas sniped home his third goal of the postseason and his ninth point (3g, 6a) which saw him take a share of the team lead with Joe Snively (1g, 8a).

Lapierre kicked the play off by pickpocketing a penalty killer and feeding Day at the point. Day then sent a quick feed to Anas at the top of the right faceoff circle and after not being challenged by a defender, Anas took the space handed to him and beat Subban high glove. Aliaksei Protas served as the giant screen in front.

Rochester did respond though and finally got a puck past Shepard after being shut out four consecutive periods. It took a pile of bodies in front of the net to do it as Shepard never saw the point drive coming. Defenseman Zach Metsa let the shot go and tallied his first-ever professional goal.

After having their lead halved, the Bears turned up the heat yet again and found another marker in the second. Aaron Ness and Tyson Kozak got tangled up in a scrum in front of the Hershey net and both ended up in the box with matching roughing minors.

The Bears took advantage of that open ice as Joe Snively made an unimpeded zone entry, circled around, and found a hard-charging Lucas Johansen coming up the left boards. Johansen took the feed from Snively and rushed towards the net, slipping a deft feed to McMichael who had posted up in front of Subban.

McMichael guided the puck past Subban and gave Hershey their two-goal lead back. The tally was McMichael’s fourth goal of the postseason which leads the Bears.

After some seemingly never-ending groans from the Rochester crowd about the officiating, they finally got something to actually cheer about. The Amerks found their second goal of the night from forward Sean Malone.

Michael Mersch sent an innocent-looking shot towards Shepard who easily guided it away but Malone pounced on the puck before Gabriel Carlsson could get to it and sent a pinpoint backhand to the top shelf.

Shepard saved his best work for the third period. He made key, clutch save after key, clutch save to keep Hershey in front. The Bears could not get much going offensively but their goaltender did not budge.

Rochester eventually pulled Subban late in regulation and after a series of good work down low from Beck Malenstyn and Riley Sutter, Aliaksei Protas coasted in an empty netter to seal the 4-2 victory.

Protas joined Anas and Snively as the postseason team leaders in overall scoring with the marker and tied McMichael for the goal-scoring lead. It was his ninth point in the playoffs (4g, 5a).

Notes: Shepard made 31 stops in the victory and now has a 1.91 goals-against average and a .928 save percentage in the playoffs. Hershey was without center Michael Sgarbossa again due to injury. He was joined out of the lineup by Vincent Iorio (injury) and Ethen Frank (healthy scratch).

Headline photo: Tori Hartman / Hershey Bears

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