WOLF PACK DROP GAME 1 TO BEARS 6-1
May 16, 2024HERSHEY, PA – The Hershey Bears struck first in the 2024 Atlantic Division Finals, knocking off the Hartford Wolf Pack 6-1 at the Giant Center. The Bears now lead the best-of-five series 1-0.
Ethen Frank buried his second game-winning goal against the Wolf Pack this season, blasting home a powerplay goal 3:58 into the second period. Frank was set up in the left-wing circle, where he blasted home his team-leading fourth goal of the Calder Cup Playoffs to make it 2-0 at the time.
The Bears opened the scoring 7:40 into the hockey game, as Chase Priskie buried the first goal of his Calder Cup Playoff career to give the club a lead they never lost. Priskie took a feed from Henrik Rybinski, worked into a high-danger area in the slot, and rifled a shot by the glove of Olof Lindbom. Bogdan Trineyev provided a screen on the goal, which was assisted by Rybinski and Matt Strome.
Frank’s powerplay goal came after the Bears were able to kill off two consecutive Wolf Pack powerplay opportunities to start the middle frame. The goal was Frank’s second game-winning goal in as many games for the Bears. He had the game-winner in Game 4 against the Lehigh Valley Phantoms last Saturday night.
Jake Leschyshyn got the Wolf Pack on the board at 5:42, scoring his fourth goal of the Calder Cup Playoffs. Leschyshyn used a burst of speed to get by Joe Snively and enter the offensive zone on a partial breakaway.
Leschyshyn snapped a shot by the blocker of Hunter Shepard to make it a 2-1 game.
The Bears struck twice late in the second period, ballooning the lead to 4-1. First, Alex Limoges buried a rebound on the powerplay at 13:28 for his second goal of the Calder Cup Playoffs. Garrett Roe then notched his first career Calder Cup Playoff goal at 14:35, deflecting a shot from Lucas Johansen from the left-wing wall.
The goals, which made it a 4-1 game, came just 1:07 apart.
Ivan Miroshnichenko stole a puck at his own blue line and burst away through the neutral zone, setting up a breakaway opportunity. The rookie forward went to the backhand and beat Lindbom for his third goal of the postseason at 11:01 to make it a 5-1 score.
On the play, Lindbom was injured and forced to leave the hockey game. Talyn Boyko entered, making his AHL debut in relief.
Trineyev was whistled for boarding at 11:46, but it was the Bears who struck on the Wolf Pack powerplay. Jimmy Huntington waltzed into the offensive zone, glided by two defenders, and snapped a shot by the blocker of Boyko for his first goal of the postseason.
The goal was the second shorthanded marker allowed by the Wolf Pack during the 2024 Calder Cup Playoffs.
Game 2 between the Wolf Pack and Bears goes on Saturday at 7:00 p.m. at the Giant Center.
Single-game tickets for Game 3 and Game 4 of the Atlantic Division Finals are on sale now!
For playoff information, please visit www.hartfordwolfpack.com/tickets/playoff-information.
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ABOUT THE HARTFORD WOLF PACK: The Hartford Wolf Pack has been a premier franchise in the American Hockey League since the team’s inception in 1997. The Wolf Pack are the top player-development affiliate of the NHL's New York Rangers and play at the XL Center. The Wolf Pack has been home to some of the Rangers newest faces including Igor Shesterkin, Filip Chytil, and Ryan Lindgren. Follow the Wolf Pack on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and TikTok.