A pair of goals late in the second period propelled the Hershey Bears to a 2-0 victory over the Rochester Americans in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals on Thursday night at Giant Center.
With the best-of-seven series even at a game apiece, the teams head north to Rochester for Game 3 on Saturday.
The 500th meeting all-time between the Bears and Amerks was scoreless until Henrik Borgstrom broke through on a power play with 3:55 to go in the middle period, snapping a shot from the top of the right circle that beat Malcolm Subban short-side over his catching glove.
Then with just 31.7 seconds left in the period, Riley Sutter worked the puck down low and found Beck Malenstyn, who buried his third goal of the postseason to make it 2-0.
Mason Morelli assisted on both goals, and Hunter Shepard, pulled from Game 1 after allowing four goals on 16 shots, made 24 saves for his first shutout of the postseason.
Malcolm Subban stopped 19 shots for the Amerks, who had entered the game averaging 5.9 goals per contest over the course of a seven-game winning streak.
(Series tied, 1-1)
Game 1 – Tue., May 23 – Rochester 5, HERSHEY 1 | Recap/Highlights
Game 2 – Thu., May 25 – HERSHEY 2, Rochester 0
Game 3 – Sat., May 27 – Hershey at Rochester, 7:05
Game 4 – Mon., May 29 – Hershey at Rochester, 6:05
Game 5 – Wed., May 31 – Rochester at Hershey, 7:00
*Game 6 – Fri., June 2 – Hershey at Rochester, 7:05
*Game 7 – Mon., June 5 – Rochester at Hershey, 7:00
*if necessary… All times Eastern