The Hershey Bears (5-2-0) ended their seven-game homestand to start the season with another victory, coming back from a 2-0 deficit to defeat the Belleville Senators 5-2.
After getting goals from Spencer Smallman and Joey Anderson to tie, Washington Capitals 2025 first-round pick, Lynden Lakovic, scored the game-winning goal with 12:00 remaining in the third period to put the Bears up 3-2.
Lakovic’s tally came after a sensational play between him and Smallman, who finished the night with two points.
Lynden Lakovic’s game-winning goal
After Lakovic deflected a clearing attempt up the ice, Smallman caught the puck at the top of the right circle, where he then attacked the net before dishing to the Capitals prospect set up along the goal line. Lakovic then fired a one-timer from almost no angle past Senators goaltender Jackson Parsons.
The tally marked Lakovic’s second AHL goal and his first career game-winner as a pro. The rookie forward now has 5 points (2g, 3a) in his first 7 games, tied for four-most on the team with defenseman Cam Allen.
The Bears then closed out the Senators with two empty-net goals, one from Joey Anderson with 1:58 remaining, his second goal of the night, and another from Grant Cruikshank with 8 seconds left. Cal Petersen made 16 saves to pick up his third consecutive win.
Hershey will jump on the road for the next two games, playing the Rochester Americans on Wednesday and the Toronto Marlies on Friday before returning home for a matchup against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins at 5 pm on Sunday.
“I love being at home with the fans and everything, but just too many days in between games and just practice and practice,” Bears head coach Derek King said to the media afterward. “So we’re looking forward to getting on the road and, you know, get going here.”
The Bears’ hot start has them tied with the Charlotte Checkers for first place in the Atlantic Division with 10 standings points.
