Bears’ special teams spark 8-6 win

Brooks Laich, Tomas Fleischmann and Graham Mink recorded a goal and three assists each to lead the Hershey Bears to an 8-6 win over the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in AHL preseason action on Saturday night.

Hershey dominated the game on special teams, scoring three power-play goals and two shorthanded markers on the night.

Kenny Corupe, who has three goals in 68 career regular-season games in the AHL, had a hat trick for the Penguins.

Wilkes-Barre took a 1-0 lead on a goal by Tim Verbeek just 74 seconds in, but the Bears answered quickly. Louis Robitaille scored on a power play at 2:17, then with Hershey down a man, Laich and Martin Wilde found the net 32 seconds apart. Deryk Engelland made it 4-1 later in the first period.

After Corupe scored his first of the night and Verbeek added his second to pull the Penguins to within 4-3, Chris Bala and Mink scored late in the second period to give Hershey a 6-3 edge through 40 minutes.

Jonathan Goodwin also scored for Hershey. Arpad Mihaly had a goal and two assists for Wilkes-Barre, while Michal Sersen added three assists.

The teams meet again Sunday in Wilkes-Barre.