One of the AHL’s fiercest rivals took it outside and the Lehigh Valley Phantoms spoiled the party on a cool, clear Saturday night at Hersheypark Stadium.
Alex Lyon made 41 saves as the Phantoms defeated the Hershey Bears, 5-2, in front of 13,091 fans in the 2018 Capital BlueCross Outdoor Classic, the 10th outdoor game in American Hockey League history.
Colin McDonald, Alex Krushelnyski, Chris Conner (two) and T.J. Brennan scored for the Phantoms, who defeated the Bears for the seventh time in nine meetings this season.
Nathan Walker and Travis Boyd scored for Hershey, which pulled to within 3-2 before Lehigh Valley scored a pair of empty-net goals late.
Bears captain Garrett Mitchell became just the third player ever to skate in three AHL outdoor games, joining Ryan Hamilton and Kevin Marshall.
AHL Outdoor Game History
Feb. 20, 2010 – Syracuse 2, Binghamton 1, New York State Fairgrounds (Syracuse, N.Y.)
Feb. 19, 2011 – Providence 5, Connecticut 4 (SO), Rentschler Field (East Hartford, Conn.)
Jan. 6, 2012 – Adirondack 4, Hershey 3 (OT), Citizens Bank Park (Philadelphia, Pa.)
Jan. 21, 2012 – Toronto 7, Hamilton 2, Ivor Wynne Stadium (Hamilton, Ont.)
Jan. 20, 2013 – W-B/Scranton 2, Hershey 1 (OT), Hersheypark Stadium (Hershey, Pa.)
Dec. 13, 2013 – Rochester 5, Lake Erie 4 (SO), Frontier Field (Rochester, N.Y.)
Dec. 30, 2013 – Toronto 4, Grand Rapids 3 (SO), Comerica Park (Detroit, Mich.)
Dec. 19, 2015 – Stockton 3, Bakersfield 2, Raley Field (West Sacramento, Calif.)
Jan. 7, 2017 – Bakersfield 3, Ontario 2 (OT), Memorial Stadium (Bakersfield, Calif.)
Jan. 20, 2018 – Lehigh Valley 5, Hershey 2, Hersheypark Stadium (Hershey, Pa.)
