Hartford is struggling mainly due to their inability to start games off on the right foot or finish them out. The Wolf Pack have been outscored 11-8 in the first period, and 10-4 in the third period. They are only managing to outscore opponents 15-10 in the second period, with 8 of those 15 goals coming in their three wins so far this season.
Suzdalev fired Hershey into a 2-1 lead with 13:03 remaining in the third period. Suzdalev picked up the puck after receiving an indirect pass off the boards from Ryan Chelsey that sprung him and Bogdan Trineyev on a 2-on-1 rush. The Russian-born, Swedish-raised winger looked shot the whole way and fired a wicked wrister past Americans goaltender Topias Leinonen. The goal is Suzdalev's third point of the season (1g, 2a) for the Bears in five games.
📸: @thehersheybears/IG Ilya Protas's first goal as a professional was on an empty net. His first tally on an actual goaltender was spectacular. Wednesday against the Bridgeport Islanders, Protas lit the lamp on a semi-breakaway to tie the game 1-1 at 2:38 of the second period. Little Pro showed off some highlight-reel moves that perhaps even his older brother, Big Pro, doesn't have.
Andrew Cristall, a second-round pick in 2023, arrived at his third development camp with one fewer tooth but one more year of experience, coming off an electric season in the WHL.
