Andrew Cristall scored twice as the Hershey Bears completed a two-game sweep of the Bridgeport Islanders with a 5-2 victory at the Giant Center on Thursday night.
Hershey advances to face either Providence or Wilkes-Barre/Scranton in the sectional semifinals.
Sam BittenA goal with 9:05 left in the second period broke a 1-1 tie and put the Bears ahead to stay. Cristall increased the lead to 3-1 less than two minutes later, too Sonny Milano again Bogdan Trineev added the empty netters to seal the Bears’ 10th straight win in their last 11 tries. It was also Hershey’s first win in a best-of-three series since defeating the Providence Reds in 1964.
Clay Stevenson (2-0) stopped 22 shots in the win over Hershey.
Matt Luff again Calum Ritchie drove the Islanders into what could be the franchise’s final game in Bridgeport. New York is moving its AHL affiliate to Hamilton, Ont., in the fall.
(Hershey wins series, 2-0)
Game 1 – Tue., Apr. 21 – Hershey 2, BRIDGEPORT 0
Game 2 – Thursday, April 23 – HERSHEY 5, Bridgeport 2
