Sunday, December 12, 1999
Hershey 4, Mighty Ducks 2
Bears chase backup goalie
BY JOHN P. WISE
Enquirer contributor
The third time was not the charm for Blaine Russell.
Russell made his first appearance in goal Saturday for the Mighty Ducks, and was pulled from the game when he allowed a third goal by visiting Hershey in the first 12:56.
Regular starter Gregg Naumenko did a respectable job in relief, but the deficit proved to be insurmountable, as the Bears claimed a 4-2 win at the Gardens.
A crowd of 5,061 watched Cincinnati fall to 12-8-4-2.
“You never feel good about letting in three goals in (12:56) like that,” said Russell, called up from ECHL Huntington when backup Aren Miller injured his hand last week. “I wasn't really nervous. I'm still trying to figure it out.”
Hershey's Yuri Babenko welcomed Russell, winless in 20 appearancess for the Ducks in the 1997-98 season, back to the AHL just four and a half minutes in. Babenko juked past Cincinnati defender Shane Hnidy and beat Russell with a wrist shot from the top of the right circle.
Less than two minutes later, Hershey's Ville Nieminen skated toward that right circle, spun around and delivered a behind-the-back pass to an unmarked teammate streaking down the left side.
It was Scott Parker, whose one-timer gave the visitors a 2-0 lead.
The third goal came when Dan Hinote shoved the puck past Russell amid a crowded scramble in front of the net, prompting Ducks coach Moe Mantha to insert Naumenko.
Guy Dupuis then put the game further out of reach early in the middle period when he fired a slap shot from the blue line. His first goal of the year caught Naumenko perhaps a little unprepared, and pushed his team's cushion to 4-0.
Johan Davidsson and Alexandre Jacques then scored for the home team to cut the final margin in half.
“We didn't stop skating; we kept competing and working hard,” Ducks coach Moe Mantha said. “We're beat up and we're tired. We just have to weather the end of this schedule. I have no complaints.”
The Ducks complete a stretch of eight games in 10 days today at the Gardens against Philadelphia.
Hershey ....... 3 1 0—4
Cincinnati ....... 0 1 1—2
First period: Her Babenko 7 (Lindstrom) 4:32; Her Parker 4 (Nieminen, Shearer) 6:26; Her Hinote 10 (Toews, Willsie) 12:56.
Second period: Her Dupuis 1 (unassisted) 5:20; Cin Davidsson 4 (Young, Legault) 16:24.
Third period: Cin Jacques 2 (DiRoberto, Legault) 14:54.
Shots on goal: Her 5-6-6=17; Cin 15-8-10=33.
Goalies: Her Aebischer (31 saves); Cin Russell (12:56, 2 saves), Naumenko (45:56, 11 saves).
Power plays: Her 0-for-2; Cin 0-for-4.
Attendance: 5,061.
Time of Game: 2:30.
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