Alexandre Giroux’s goal 5:57 into the second overtime period completed a Hershey comeback and gave the Bears a 4-3 win over Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven East Division Finals on Friday night.
Attendance at the Giant Center was 7,919.
Giroux (2g, 1a) and Dave Steckel (1g, 2a) each recorded three points and a plus-3 rating to help Hershey rally from a 3-0 deficit.
The Penguins’ Connor James opened the scoring with his second goal of the series and third of the postseason at the 11:58 mark of the first period. Kurtis McLean and Micki DuPont then scored 75 seconds apart early in the second for Wilkes-Barre.
Matt Hendricks got the Bears on the board at 12:13 of the second, before Steckel cut the deficit in half 1:09 into the third and Giroux netted the equalizer with 7:29 left in regulation.
Hershey finished with a 54-44 edge in shots on goal, including 21-12 in sudden death.
Frederic Cassivi made 41 saves for the Bears, while Nolan Schaefer stopped 50 shots for the Penguins.
Game 3 is Saturday night at the Wachovia Arena in Wilkes-Barre.
East Division Final – Series "J" (best-of-7)
Game 1 – Wed., May 2 – HERSHEY 4, W-B/Scranton 3
Game 2 – Fri., May 4 – HERSHEY 4, W-B/Scranton 3 (2OT)
Game 3 – Sat., May 5 – Hershey at W-B/Scranton, 7:05
Game 4 – Wed., May 9 – Hershey at W-B/Scranton, 7:05
*Game 5 – Fri., May 11 – W-B/Scranton at Hershey, 7:00
*Game 6 – Sat., May 12 – Hershey at W-B/Scranton, 7:05
*Game 7 – Mon., May 14 – W-B/Scranton at Hershey, 7:00
