Suzdalev Scores Twice, Miroshnichenko’s 45-Second OT Goal Gives Bears Win Over Checkers

Ivan Miroshnichenko finished a quick overtime sequence 45 seconds in to give the Hershey Bears a 3-2 win over the Charlotte Checkers at GIANT Center on March 2, 2026, after Alex Suzdalev scored both regulation goals. The overtime strike completed a comeback that erased a 2-1 first-period deficit and handed Hershey its fourth straight victory.

Hershey opened the scoring on the game’s first shot when a rush started by defenseman David Gucciardi freed Sonny Milano, who fed Suzdalev for a quick finish to give the Bears an early 1-0 lead. Charlotte responded before the first intermission with goals from Wilmer Skoog and Nathan Foote, putting the Checkers up 2-1 into the first break while Cooper Black finished with 20 saves.

The middle frame was scoreless. Early in the third period, at 1:52, Milano and Brett Leason forced the play down low and set up Suzdalev for his second of the night, a slot finish that tied the game 2-2. Suzdalev’s pair was his first multi-goal game in the AHL; he now has five goals and nine assists for 14 points in 25 games, a run in which four of his five tallies have come in his last eight contests. Russianmachineneverbreaks named Suzdalev the game’s first star.

Hershey’s bench voice “King” pointed to roster rotation and the value of opportunity when describing Suzdalev’s impact: “Well, he's working hard in practice, he's doing all the right things, and again, the message to some of these guys is when you sit out a game, it's not always because of your play, it's because we have other bodies - and I hate having extra bodies and not playing guys. So sometimes a position where, you know, like [Kaden Bohlsen] needs to go in, I need him to play on the third line, not the bottom line. So, you know, there's a rotation there. But [Suzdalev], you know, when he's put back in the lineup, he takes advantage of it and he shows you he can play.” Milano framed the on-ice chemistry simply: “I love playing with Leas. He's big, he holds onto pucks, he can skate, he's a really good player. And Suzy was pretty dominant today as well, he finished his shots, and it was a good combination there.”

In overtime Ilya Protas slipped a pass to Miroshnichenko, who curled into the middle and ripped a shot past Cooper Black 45 seconds into the extra period. The goal was Miroshnichenko’s 12th of the season and his second overtime game-winner of 2025-26; one account credited him with his third game-winner in the last 13 games. Netminder Clay Stevenson made 27 saves to earn his 15th win for Hershey, a performance Bearshockeynation highlighted as critical down the stretch.

The victory moved Hershey to 26-20-6-2 while Charlotte dropped to 30-18-5-0, and the Bears’ official recap framed the result as trimming Hershey’s Magic Number and helping the club inch closer in the Atlantic Division race. Hershey will carry a four-game winning streak and the momentum from Suzdalev’s breakout night into the second meeting with Charlotte on the schedule.