HERSHEY, PA — The Hershey Bears lost to the Providence Bruins 4-1 on Tuesday.
In front of a packed house at Giant Center for Mike Vecchione’s bobblehead night, the Bears unraveled in the second period as the Bruins scored three consecutive goals (Michael Callahan, Anthony Richard, and Marc McLaughlin). The most egregious play was a giveaway by Joe Snively in the Bears’ defensive zone, giving McLaughlin an easy waltz to the net.
The game devolved into chaos late in the second period after Ryan Hofer was elbowed in the head by former Bears forward Jayson Megna. Officials missed the hit and Hofer went after Megna along the boards, sparking a fracas. The Bruins wound up getting a power play out of the ordeal. On the penalty kill, Jimmy Huntington protested both the hit and the lack of a call by appearing to intentionally shoot the puck into the Bruins bench, screaming at them as he skated by.
Bears head Coach Todd Nelson commented on the hit on Hofer and the animosity between the players during the second period.
“There was no call, so if the referees aren’t going to protect the players, the players are going to protect themselves,” Nelson said.
The one positive of the night was that Vecchione, who was heavily cheered by Bears fans throughout the game, recorded a point on Hershey’s lone goal.
Vecchione earned the secondary assist on a Logan Day marker that temporarily tied the game 1-1. Day fired a hard shot past Bruins goaltender Brandon Bussi, who Ethen Frank heavily screened in front of the net. Bussi did not even react as the puck hit the twine behind him and bounced back out.
The Bears attempted to spur on a comeback in the third but hit the post three separate times on critical scoring chances. Near the end of regulation, the Bears seemed to accept their loss down three goals, never pulling goaltender Clay Stevenson for an extra man.
Hershey currently holds a magic number of five points to clinch the Atlantic Division title. While the Bears still hold a wide margin of 16 points over the second-place Bruins, a regulation win would have dropped that number down to one. A victory would have also awarded Nelson his 400th career win.
The loss was only the Bears’ sixth defeat on home ice this season. Hershey will hit the ice next on the road Saturday night against the Hartford Wolf Pack.
Here were the lines:
Tonight's projected lineup against the Bruins 📝
Ethen Frank has a three-game point streak (3g, 2a)!
Catch tonight's broadcast:
📺@fox43️.2 (Antenna TV)
🖥️ https://t.co/HaxQBmLCRZ
📻@FroggyValley, @foxsports1460am, @WOYK1350 pic.twitter.com/vTPzyxQgYw— Hershey Bears (@TheHersheyBears) March 26, 2024
