I hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas, but it’s time to get back into the swing of hockey season. The Bears stayed home to take on the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, with the Bears looking to generate more offense this go-round. They would get some help before the game, with Henrik Rybinski returned from Washington and the call up of South Carolina’s joint top scorer in Micah Miller.

The Bears also saw two of their usual top six forwards return from the IL, as both Mike Sgarbossa and Pierrick Dube returned to the lineup. Micah Miller came in for a sick Zac Funk and Grant Cruickshank stayed in the lineup for the injured Riley Sutter.

First Period

Thanks to the return of those three forwards, the Bears had a pep in their step I haven’t seen the last couple of weeks while on the attack. The impact of those three is clear with the start tonight. The Bears did have to kill off an early Matt Strome penalty, but held firm against the strong Wilkes-Barre power play.

Both teams then went to their first of two four on four opportunities this period, with Jagger Joshua high sticking Sgarbossa and then Spencer Smallman getting called for the retaliation.

Nothing came of that open ice and the Bears would get the next odd-man opportunity, with Tristan Broz headed not the box for the Baby Pens for a high stick. With Dube and Sgarbossa back on the power play, the Bears got some of the best looks they’ve gotten in a few games, but were unable to get the puck past Joel Blomqvist.

Then, late in the period, once again we went to four on four hockey. This time, someone did capitalize, with Mike Sgarbossa scoring on his return to play, giving the Bears a 1-0 lead. That’s how the first would end, with the Bears also having the advantage in the shots category 14-9.

Second Period

Similarly to the first period, the Bears would be forced to an early penalty kill. Mike Sgarbossa went to the box for a hook and put the Penguins 2nd ranked power play on the ice. Also just like that first period kill, the Bears PK did their job, with another solid kill that kept the Bears up 1-0.

However, just over 2 minutes after that kill the Penguins would tie it up. Some excellent puck possession and some excellent board play from Boris Katchouk put a shot on that squeaked through Shepard and was served on a platter for Avery Hayes, who made no mistake to tie the game at 1.

Both teams would trade power play opportunities that saw nothing come of them and the second would end with the score all tied up. Hershey still lead the shots on goal category after 2, 22-18.

Third Period and Overtime

The Bears would strike early with the second returner getting his goal. Pierrick Dube would rip one from the left circle to beat Blomqvist and give the Bears a 2-1 lead.

It was then a quick, back and forth period where neither team took a penalty, but Wilkes-Barre would strike with 8:22 left in the period. Ville Koivunen danced at the blue line and put a shot on that seemed to hit the Bears defender in front to get past Shepard to make it 2-2.

That’s how the score would stay and we would head to overtime on this Saturday night matchup.

In overtime, after an excellent play by Spencer Smallman on the boards, he got the puck to Ethen Frank, who made no mistake on the breakaway to finish off the Baby Pens and give the Bears the 3-2 win!

Postgame Quotables

“It feels really good. When you have key offensive guys like that back in the lineup it is certainly going to help. Franky scores, Dube scores and Sgarbs scores. Adding those guys to the lineup gives us more options offensive and also on the power play as well.” – Head Coach Todd Nelson on the return of Mike Sgarbossa and Pierrick Dube.

“It felt good. It sucks watching, especially when the teams losing. To come back and contribute right away was great. I was just trying to keep my conditioning up and I figured coming out of the break it would be a good time to get some rest with the four days off and I felt pretty good after that.” – Mike Sgarbossa on how he felt scoring on his return from injury.