Travis Boyd scored 5:44 into overtime to give Hershey a much-needed 3-2 win over Providence on Sunday evening in Game 2 of the Atlantic Division Finals.
With the series even at a game apiece, Game 3 is set for Thursday night in Providence.
Off an offensive-zone draw, Stanislav Galiev gained control of the puck behind the Bruins net and sent it in front to Boyd, who squeezed a shot past Zane McIntyre for his third point of the game and the second playoff OT goal of his career.
Boyd’s heroics were made possible by a late tying goal. The Bears broke an 0-for-18 drought with their first power-play marker of the playoffs with 2:30 left in regulation, as Christian Djoos blasted a shot in from the top of the left-wing circle. Chris Bourque earned his 80th career AHL playoff assist on Djoos’s goal, tied with Darren Haydar for the most in league history.
Hershey outshot Providence, 10-4, in the first period, but the game remained scoreless until Madison Bowey‘s long drive from the right point gave the Bears a 1-0 lead at 5:01 of the second.
The Bruins answered at 8:45 when Wayne Simpson split two opponents, tracked down a loose puck and backhanded a shot home for his second goal of the postseason.
Simpson then got his second goal of the period with 4:46 remaining, recovering from a denied wraparound attempt to slide a rebound off the skate of a Bears defender and in for a 2-1 Providence lead.
Pheonix Copley (4-3) made 25 saves in the win, which snapped Hershey’s five-game postseason losing streak on home ice dating back to last spring.
McIntyre (4-3) stopped 25 of 28 shots in defeat.
Atlantic Division Finals – Series “I” (best-of-7)
A3-Hershey Bears vs. A4-Providence Bruins
Game 1 – Sat., May 6 – Providence 3, HERSHEY 1
Game 2 – Sun., May 7 – HERSHEY 3, Providence 2 (OT)
Game 3 – Thu., May 11 – Hershey at Providence, 7:05
Game 4 – Fri., May 12 – Hershey at Providence, 7:05
Game 5 – Sun., May 14 – Hershey at Providence, 3:05
*Game 6 – Tue., May 16 – Providence at Hershey, 7:00
*Game 7 – Wed., May 17 – Providence at Hershey, 7:00
*if necessary… All times Eastern
.@TheHersheyBears win it 3-2 in overtime to tie the series up. #HERvsPRO pic.twitter.com/w9jc0hcik6
— AHL (@TheAHL) May 7, 2017
