The Hershey Bears completed an AHL rarity and advanced to the second round of the Calder Cup Playoffs with a 3-2 win over Lehigh Valley in Game 5 of their Atlantic Division semifinal on Sunday evening.
For just the second time in AHL history, the road team won every game of a best-of-five playoff series. Hershey moves on to face Providence in the division finals beginning Saturday night at Giant Center.
The Bears, who held the lead on the scoreboard for less than 10 minutes combined in Games 1 through 4, led most of the way in Game 5 after Stanislav Galiev and Christian Thomas scored in the first period.
Colin McDonald got the Phantoms on the board early in the second, but Colby Williams scored at 6:16 of the third period to restore Hershey’s two-goal lead.
Taylor Leier‘s goal with 7:10 remaining brought the Phantoms back within one, but they could not find the equalizer.
Pheonix Copley made 28 saves in the win as Hershey eliminated the Phantoms franchise for the fourth time in five postseason meetings all-time.
Martin Ouellette stopped 23 shots in the loss.
Atlantic Division Semifinals – Series “B” (best-of-5)
A2-Lehigh Valley Phantoms vs. A3-Hershey Bears
Game 1 – Fri., Apr. 21 – Hershey 1, LEHIGH VALLEY 0 (OT)
Game 2 – Sat., Apr. 22 – Hershey 5, LEHIGH VALLEY 4
Game 3 – Wed., Apr. 26 – Lehigh Valley 2, HERSHEY 1 (OT)
Game 4 – Sat., Apr. 29 – Lehigh Valley 4, HERSHEY 1
Game 5 – Sun., Apr. 30 – Hershey 3, LEHIGH VALLEY 2
