Hershey loses in Home Opener, 3-2 against Syracuse.

The Hershey Bears went against The Syracuse Crunch on October 6, 2018 at 7 PM in their 2018-19 home season opener. The evening started out with a newly added Red Carpet Event at 4Pm. All fans were invited to welcome the very new Hershey Bears hockey players as they arrived on the teams bus surrounded by food trucks and fun. The players then entered the arena in a red carpet ceremony that didn’t disappoint, signing autographs and chatting with loyal fans. Once in the building it was all business as the puck dropped a little after 7PM once the team was announced to their anxiously awaiting crowd! With only twelve of the twenty eight names on the roster returning from last year, and many making their professional AHL debuts this season, Hershey fans should except some exciting hockey this year!

Liam O’Brien, one of three newly named at home alternate captains, opened the game with Hershey’s first home goal of 2018 at 3:45 into the first period. It was former KHL athlete Sergei Shumakov who would head to the box for hooking, putting the Bears on their first penalty kill of the season at 6:46 in the first. Just over a minute later Syracuse center Carter Verhaeghe would tie the game on a Syracuse power play making it a tie game.

Just before the end of the first at 19:03 Mike Sgarbossa, would catch a perfectly timed pass from Riley Barber to make it 2-1 headed into the first intermission. Riley Barber and Colby Williams would both get their second assist of the season on the second goal of the game. Over halfway into the second period Syracuse would tie the game with a goal from twenty year old AHL rookie, Taylor Raddysh at 14:02.

It would be another power play goal in the third that put Syracuse on top when Connor Hobbs would sit for slashing at 4:40 in the game. With a second AHL rookie earning his first professional goal, Alex Barre-Boulet would put Syracuse ahead 3-2 just over five minutes into the final period. The remainder of the game would go scoreless and Syracuse would give Hershey their first loss of the season at home.

Twenty year old, Ilya Samsonov,  Hershey’s newest addition to the goaltending roster stopped 28-31 shots in his AHL debut. Hershey outshot Syracuse by 1 bringing the total to 32-31.

Former Hershey Bears, and brothers, Chris and Ryan Bourque will also be returning to the ice for the opposing team The Bridgeport Sound Tigers as Hershey will be playing another home game Sunday afternoon with a 5PM start time. It will be an exciting game for all fans and players as the Stanley Cup will be on display, with an opportunity to have your photograph taken with the trophy during the game!

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