BEARS FALL 3-2 IN OT TO MONSTERS IN GAME 6
Best-of-seven series tied 3-3, Hershey hosts decisive Game 7 on Wednesday
The Hershey Bears (9-4) appeared to be seconds from victory, but a late goal against sent the contest to overtime, where the Cleveland Monsters (9-4) prevailed by a 3-2 score in Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals on Monday night at GIANT Center. The loss for the Bears results in the best-of-seven series being tied 3-3, and forces a decisive Game 7 on Wednesday night in Hershey. The defeat marked the end to Hershey’s home win streak of six games to open the 2024 Calder Cup Playoffs and ended an overtime win streak of 14 games (regular season and playoffs combined) dating back to the start of the 2023 Calder Cup Playoffs.
Play was briefly delayed for several minutes at 2:18 of the first period when a pane of glass was replaced in the corner of the Cleveland zone.
The Monsters opened the scoring with a power-play goal from Owen Sillinger at 17:14 when he one-timed a shot past Hunter Shepard at the right circle.
Henrik Rybinski drew Hershey level at 10:30 of the second period when he blasted his fourth of the playoffs from the slot past Jet Greaves to make it 1-1. Alex Limoges and Jimmy Huntington collected assists on the tally.
The game remained tied until late in the third period, when Joe Snively put Hershey ahead 2-1 at 19:10 as the Bears entered the attacking zone, taking a pass from Chase Priskie and burying his second of the playoffs. Hendrix Lapierre earned a secondary assist on the goal.
With Greaves pulled for an extra skater, a desperate Cleveland squad answered 17 seconds later as Brendan Gaunce’s shot from the corner caromed underneath Shepard to tie the game at 2-2 and force overtime.
The Monsters won the game at 17:31 of the extra period when Jake Christiansen’s shot from the left point sailed past a screened Shepard.
Shots finished 32-31 in favor of the Monsters. Shepard went 29-for-32 in the loss for Hershey; Greaves went 29-for-31 in the win for Cleveland. The Bears went 0-for-3 on the power play; the Monsters went 1-for-3 with the man advantage.
The Bears continue the 2024 Calder Cup Playoffs when they face the Monsters in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals on Wednesday, June 12, at 7 p.m. at GIANT Center. Game 7 will also air on television locally on WPMT FOX 43.2 Antenna TV and in the Washington, D.C. area on Monumental Sports Network; fans can also watch online via AHLTV. CLICK HERE to purchase tickets for this game.
