Bears win in OT!

It really shouldn't have come to this. There is no reason that this game should have ended in OT. The Bears won 6-5 in overtime but were up 5-1 going into the third period. How does a team give up 4 goals in a period? You can't do that if you expect to win in the playoffs or ever.

The teams used the power play to their advantages and there were a lot of them. Referee Nygel Pelletier called 26 different infractions that resulted in 20 power plays, 8 for Hershey and 12 for Binghamton. The Bears converted on 4 of theirs and the Sens on 3.

The teams traded first period power play goals with the Bears drawing first blood. Grant Potulny (18th of the year) scored less than 3 minutes into the game and Denis Hamel (23rd) scored in the last minute of the first to tie the score at one.

The Bears controlled the second period getting 4 goals, 3 of them on the PP. Scott Barney (14th), Ben Clymer (11th), Potulny (19th), and Kyle Wilson (15th) all scored in the second. The game at this point looked to be over. The Bears were controlling the play and should have skated out with a solid W.

But the Sens had other thoughts and tied it up in the third on power play goals from Hamel (24th) and Matt Carkner (7th). And then Greg Mauldin scored 2 (10th,11th) to tie the score. The second goal came with just 28 seconds left on the clock and the Sens goalie pulled.

Fortunately for the Bears Kyle Wilson added his 16th of the year with almost 4 minutes gone in overtime so that there would be no shootout.

For the second time this weekend the Bears allowed a last minute goal to tie the game. In this game though there was no reason that the Bears were even in that position. Someone needs to step up on that team and become the vocal leader.

The win was good and the Bears are all alone in 2nd place in the Division with WB/S just 2 points back. Upcoming games for the Bears this week will have significant meaning to the standings. The Bears visit WB and Philly on Wednesday and Friday, and then they host Philly on Saturday and WB on Sunday. Should be an interesting week.

Congratulations to Sami Lepisto. He made his NHL debut last night for the Caps. He even saw time on the power play.