After a scoring-packed Tuesday morning game in Bridgeport, the Bears and the Islanders faced off tonight for their third meeting of the season, the first taking place at the Giant Center. The Bears have taken care of Bridgeport so far this season, beating the farm team of the New York Islanders 3-2 back on October 16 and then besting them 5-4 Tuesday on the back of a Spencer Smallman tip in with 7.3 seconds left.

The main storyline for tonight’s game though was the return of Bears Head Coach Todd Nelson, who returned after a three game absence to return home for family matters. The Bears looked to make their leaders return to the bench a success and head to 11-3-1 on the season.

Update on Todd Nelson

Zach Fisch interviewed Todd Nelson prior to the game, and Bears Media Specialist Jesse Liebman provided me with the transcript. I’ve included the first half where Nelson explains the reason for his absence.

Fisch: It’s great to see you back here with the Bears after taking a few games away to tend to a family matter. It’s great to have you back here in Hershey.

Nelson: Thanks, Shark. You know what? It’s good to be back. It was a situation where my mom had to go in for a serious operation and she takes care of my dad because my dad needs [additional care]. And the thing is, she couldn’t do so with the recovery. So I had to go back along with my sister and my brother and my sister-in-law are back there now just to help out with the family details and that. But everything’s great. Everything went well. I just want to say thanks to all the support from the fans, Washington Capitals, Hershey Bears for allowing me to do that. But now it’s time to get back to business.

Fisch: Great to hear that your family is doing well, sending them well-wishes to your mother and your father here and Nelly, great to have you here and you’re back at it with practice this week, yet you had an opportunity, I know to follow the team. These last couple games, Patrick Wellar, Nick Bootland did a great job in your absence leading the charge for this team. But what did you see in your time away? What’d you go over with the team heading into the rematch against Bridgeport today?

Nelson: Well, as you mentioned, first off, I just want to say thanks to the coaching staff, the players, and everybody involved. They got three wins when I was away, which is outstanding. But you know what, just from watching the games from afar, obviously we got the three wins, but there’s still things we have to clean up in our D-zone. Just mistakes that we’re making mentally. Maybe it’s just because we’re trying to get back into the groove that we were last year, but it’s coming. I saw a lot of positive things and I thought we had a really good practice yesterday, so hopefully tonight we play a full 60 minutes and get the win.

First Period

The first period started out back and forth, but a turnover behind the Bears net just under 7 minutes into the period changed everything. On that turnover, the puck came out to Tyce Thompson and he made no mistake in front of the net, putting the puck home for a 1-0 Islanders lead.

Then came the first of three penalties against the Bears in the first, with Matt Strome in the box first for a boarding penalty. This would be the one that Bridgeport would convert, as a seeing eye shot from the point was deflected in and Bridgeport took a 2-0 lead.

It could have been much worse for Hershey, as Hardy Häman Aktell took a double minor high sticking penalty that put him in the box for four minutes. The Bears were able to kill off that penalty and a later one against Spencer Smallman that kept the score at 2-0.

Second Period

The second started much like the first, but this time the Bears took control of the game after a back and forth start. Hershey turned up their forecheck and looked noticeably faster in the second compared to the first.

It paid off for the Bears as Ethen Frank stole the puck right off a Bridgeport defenders stick when he was pressing. Franky got on a mini-breakaway and made no mistake as he roofed it past Skarek to cut the Islanders lead in half to 2-1.

The Bears proceeded to come close on two power play opportunities, but just couldn’t find the back of the net. Hershey then had to kill off a penalty of their own, before going on the power play again with just 47 seconds left in the period.

Hershey outshot Bridgeport this period, but were still down 27-20 in shots after the second.

Third Period

The Bears failed to capitalize on the 1:13 they had in remaining power play time to start the period, and it spiraled quickly for the home team. Fredrick Karlstrom would bag his second for the Islanders to make it 3-1 Bridgeport.

Then only 48 seconds later, Bridgeport would capitalize again on a two-on-one, with Marc Gatcomb finishing the chance. That would all but seal the deal tonight, as Hershey languished after being hit with back to back goals against.

A power play midway through the third went nowhere and after Aaron Ness took the Bears second high sticking double minor of the night, Bridgeport converted to make it 5-1. Bridgeport would then add another to make it 6-1 with 1:38 left in the period.

That’s how the game would end in what is the roughest performance for the Bears so far this season.

Post Game Quotes

Head Coach Todd Nelson: “We have to learn definitely. It was almost from the drop of the puck. We had some chances and then all of a sudden its one goal against. It’s one forechecker against our two defenseman and the forechecker ends up with the puck and the guy in front is wide open to score. That’s unacceptable. It’s not being ready to play. We’ve talked about it before, but at home we’re 5-4-1. That’s not Hershey Bears hockey.”- A part of Todd Nelson’s comments at his postgame press conference.