ALBANY --- The Albany River Rats and Hershey Bears are tied 4-4 through regulation in Game 4 of the East Division final series.
Jerome Samson picked off an errant Hershey pass, sped in and lifted the puck past outstretched goalie Michal Neuvirth with 9:41 in regulation to stake Albany to a crucial two-goal lead at 4-2.
But the Bears rallied to force overtime as while on the power play, Alexandre Giroux roofed a shot past goalie Justin Peters at 16:37 and Mathieu Perreault blast from the left point trickled past Peters at 18:47.
Peters has stopped 33 of 37 shots faced and goalie Michal Neuvirth has 17 saves for Hershey.
The Bears had drawn even at 2-2 only 59 seconds into the second period on Chris Bourque's laser shot, which beat goalie Peters high stick side with only one second remaining on a Hershey power play.
The Rats then took advantage of a Hershey miscue to take a 3-2 lead as after defenseman Zach Miskovic bumped into Neuvirth to the left of the goal, Zach Boychuk scored into the wide-open net at 10:31 of the second period.
Hershey struck first on Chris Bourque's power-play goal 8:23 into the game.
But the Rats responded with two goals --- both set up by Drayson Bowman --- consecutive shots to take the advantage.
Samson scored on a Bowman rebound at 11:58 as the two forwards broke in alone and Bowman's initial shot was denied by Neuvirth.
Chris Terry then converted on Albany's first power play, taking Bowman's cross-ice pass and beating Neuvirth from the right faceoff circle at 14:58.