Mink's overtime goal pushes P-Bruins to brink of elimination
10:44 PM EDT on Sunday, May 24, 2009
By ROBERT LEE
Journal Sports Writer
PROVIDENCE For the second consecutive game in the Eastern Conference finals, the Providence Bruins led, 2-0, after one period.
And for the second straight game, the P-Bruins lost that lead, and eventually the game.
Graham Mink of the Hershey Bears poked his own rebound past Providence goalie Tuukka Rask with 4:50 left in overtime to give Hershey a 3-2 win in front of 5,860 fans at the Dunkin Donuts Center.
Hershey grabbed a 3-1 stranglehold of the best-of-seven series by once again overcoming an early two-goal deficit. It was another opportunity lost for the P-Bruins, who could easily be up, 3-1, in this series.
Game Five, a must-win game for the P-Bruins, will be Monday at 4:05 p.m. at the Dunk.
Everything seemed to be going right for the P-Bruins in the first period. Despite being outshot 8-4 over the opening 10 minutes of the game, the P-Bruins found themselves ahead, 2-0.
Peter Schaefer drew first blood, blasting a slap shot from the left circle past Hershey goalie Michal Neuvirth (25 saves) 5:32 into the game.
Jeff Penner then scored his sixth goal of the playoffs and third goal over his last two outings at 8:12 of the first period to give the P-Bruins the early 2-0 advantage.
It was all downhill for Providence after that. Hershey outplayed the P-Bruins the rest of the way.
Bryan Helmer fired a slap shot past Rask (40 saves) from the blue line on a power play 7:31 into the second period to slash Providences lead to 2-1. Keith Aucoin scored from point-blank range to tie the score at 2 with 6:48 remaining in regulation.
Jeremy Reich had a chance to win the game for Providence on a breakaway with one minute left in regulation, but his shot from the left circle hit the left post and bounced back into play.
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