Justin Peters answered Casey DeSmith’s Game 1 shutout with one of his own in Game 2, stopping 27 shots to lead Hershey to a 2-0 victory over Wilkes-Barre/Scranton at Giant Center on Friday night.
With the Atlantic Division Finals all square at one game apiece, the teams head to Wilkes-Barre for Game 3 on Saturday (7:05 p.m. ET, AHL Live).
Hershey grabbed the lead and ended a scoreless streak of more than 104 minutes dating back the second period of Game 5 of their first-round series vs. Portland. Dustin Gazley intercepted a pass during a Wilkes-Barre power play and raced down the right wing before feeding Sean Collins, who deposited the puck behind Casey DeSmith for a shorthanded goal at 12:43 of the first period.
The Bears made it 2-0 at 15:06 when Carter Camper’s shot from the bottom of the left-wing circle snuck through DeSmith at the near post.
Peters (4-2) did the rest, keeping the Penguins off the board en route to his second shutout of the playoffs. The veteran netminder has now stopped 169 of 176 shots in six appearances (1.05, .960) this postseason.
DeSmith (4-1) made 23 saves but suffered his first loss of the playoffs.
Atlantic Division Finals – Series “I” (best-of-7)
A1-Hershey Bears vs. A3-Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
Game 1 – Wed., May 4 – W-B/Scranton 4, HERSHEY 0
Game 2 – Fri., May 6 – HERSHEY 2, W-B/Scranton 0
Game 3 – Sat., May 7 – Hershey at W-B/Scranton, 7:05
Game 4 – Mon., May 9 – Hershey at W-B/Scranton, 7:05
Game 5 – Wed., May 11 – W-B/Scranton at Hershey, 7:00
*Game 6 – Fri., May 13 – Hershey at W-B/Scranton, 7:05
*Game 7 – Sun., May 15 – W-B/Scranton at Hershey, 5:00
*if necessary… All times Eastern
What a beaut. #HERvsWBS pic.twitter.com/T9u0XQOeLX
— AHL (@TheAHL) May 6, 2016
