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P-BRUINS TOP BEARS 4-3 IN THRILLING END TO 2022

Dec 31, 2022

Hershey, PA - Luke Toporowski posted a goal and two assists, while Chris Wagner netted the game-winning goal to lift the Providence Bruins past the Hershey Bears 4-3. Jakub Lauko and Marc McLaughlin also notched goals in the contest. Goaltender Keith Kinkaid made 38 saves in the victory.

 

How It Happened

  • Ethen Frank found a rebound laying under the goaltender inside the blue paint and tapped it in just 27 seconds into the game to give the Bears a 1-0 lead. 
  • Toporowski protected the puck on his backhand, circling up to the blue line, where he floated a backhanded shot through traffic, beating the sightless goaltender glove side to tie the game at 1-1 with 8:29 left in the first period. Oskar Steen and Samuel Asselin were credited with assists on the goal. 
  • Lauko pulled the puck out of a scrum on the left side boards, took it below the goal line and roofed a shot past the ear of the goaltender from a near impossible angle to give the P-Bruins a 2-1 lead with 8:56 left in the second period. Justin Brazeau and Joona Koppanen posted assists on the tally.
  • McLaughlin found a rebound at the bottom of the right circle and snapped it into the back of the net to give Providence a 3-1 lead with 6:51 remaining in the second period. Toporowski and Georgii Merkulov received assists on the goal.
  • Mike Vecchione fanned on a backhand attempt, bouncing the puck across the crease to Ethen Frank, who threw it into a empty net for a power play goal with 4:38 remaining in the second period to cut the Providence lead to 3-2. 
  • Kevin O’Neil’s one-timer from just inside the right circle on the power play snuck through to tie the game at 3-3 with 14:21 to play in the third period. 
  • While on the power play, Wagner hammered a one-timer from the slot that beat the goaltender low glove side to give the P-Bruins a 4-3 lead with 12:55 left in the third period. Merkulov and Connor Carrick were credited with the assists. 

 

Stats

  • Kinkaid stopped 38 of 41 shots. Providence totaled 21 shots in the contest.
  • The P-Bruins power play went 1-for-3, and the penalty kill was 7-for-9.

 

Next Game

The P-Bruins travel to Bridgeport to take on the Islanders on Wednesday, January 4 at Total Mortgage Arena. Puck drop is set for 7:00 p.m. ET.

 

#12/31/22#

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