Lynden Lakovic had a night he’ll never forget in Hershey.
Five minutes and 12 seconds into the first period, Lakovic found the back of the net for the first time as a professional, beating Providence Bruins goaltender Simon Zajíček.
Lakovic’s power-play goal put the Bears up 1-0.
Lynden Lakovic’s first AHL goal
The Bears’ rookie winger was the beneficiary of a good bounce. After Louie Belpedio’s shot from the top of the left circle was blocked, Spencer Smallman picked up the loose puck in the bumper position and sent a quick pass to the Washington Capitals‘ 2025 first-round pick in the right circle. Lakovic’s quick one timer beat Zajíček as he extended out to cover the net.
“It definitely feels good,” Lakovic said post-game per the Chocolate Roar. “I get the first one out of the way, and hopefully they start coming a little bit easier. But, you know, I thought I played well tonight and played the right way, and I thought I earned that one. So it definitely feels good.”
The goal was one of several big moments Lakovic had during the game where he put up a team-high and AHL career-high six shots. Lakovic nearly scored again in the second period after he found a loose puck near the crease and fired it on net toward Zajíček. The biscuit squeaked through the Bruins netminder’s body, but after a goal review, AHL officials deemed that the puck was swept back by a Bruins defender’s stick before it fully crossed the goal line.
Lakovic concluded the period with two scoring chances on the same shift that were stopped before earning another in the third period, forcing a turnover near the net and nearly batting a mid-air puck into the net.
Lakovic’s milestone gaol came in his fifth AHL game. He recorded his first AHL point in his Hershey Bears’ debut on October 3 against the Charlotte Checkers.
“He’s got a lot of upside to him,” Bears head coach Derek King said. “I still think a lot of these young guys need to get the junior out of them and learn to play a pro game. He’s doing some good things out there. It was nice to see him score, and I think he can just kind of take a deep breath and relax and go play hockey.”
Hershey also got goals from Eriks Mateiko, Cam Allen, Josh Dunne, and Grant Cruikshank in their 5-3 win. Cal Petersen stopped 31 of 34 shots to earn his second victory for the Bears in three starts.
Photos of Lynden Lakovic’s first AHL goal (via the Hershey Bears)
