Thunderbirds’ skid hits five with 5-2 loss to Bears

The Springfield Thunderbirds couldn’t hold a first period lead, resulting in 5-2 loss to the visiting Hershey Bears in Friday night action from the American Hockey League.

The Thunderbirds will try to snap its five-game losing streak when the two teams meet again tonight in Hershey.

Liam O’Brien opened the scoring with an unassisted goal 4:30 into the first period to put the Bears on top.

Springfield countered 4:57 later with a power-play goal from defenseman Michael Downing. Downing’s first-ever AHL marker was assisted by captain Brent Regner and ended a streak of 21-straight Hershey kills.

The Thunderbirds took the lead at the 19:37 mark when Regner combined with MacKenzie Weegar to set up Shane Harper’s first in a Springfield uniform.

Hershey scored twice in the second period to forge ahead for good.

Christian Djoos scored at 15:13 and Nathan Walker beat Reto Berra with 20 seconds left in the frame for the eventual-winner.

Jakub Vrana had a hand in setting up both goals.

Joe Canata only had to make six of his twenty-five saves in third period and Zach Sill and Wlaker notched empty-net goals to give Hershey its second win in as many tries over Springfield this season.