Atlantic Division Finals Game 3 Preview: Bears vs. Checkers, 7 p.m.

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AHL Hershey Bears

Atlantic Division Finals Game 3 Preview: Bears vs. Checkers, 7 p.m.

May 21, 2025 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Hershey Bears News Release


(Hershey, PA) - The Atlantic Division Finals continue tonight as the Hershey Bears look to earn their first victory in the best-of-five series and avoid elimination from the 2025 Calder Cup Playoffs as they take the ice for Game 3 against the Charlotte Checkers.

Hershey Bears (3-4) at Charlotte Checkers (5-2)

May 21, 2025 | 7 p.m. | GIANT Center | Charlotte leads series, 2-0

Referees: Morgan MacPhee (43), Stephen Hiff (46)

Linespersons: Shawn Oliver (56), Ryan Jackson (84)

Broadcast Information

Voice of the Bears, Zack Fisch, AHL Hall-of-Famer Mitch Lamoureux, and in-arena host Jim Jones on the call

RADIO: WFVY 100.1 FM, Fox Sports 1460-AM, Capitals Radio, In-arena on 88.9 FM

WATCH LIVE: AHLTV on FloHockey

LISTEN LIVE: Fox Sports 1460-AM Stream, Caps Radio 24/7

Radio pre-game coverage starts at 6:30 p.m.

LAST TIME OUT:

Luke Philp gave Hershey a 1-0 lead early in first period of Game 2, but Rasmus Asplund netted the tying score for Charlotte in the third period. Asplund then buried the game-winner at 3:09 of overtime to give the Checkers the victory and a 2-0 series lead. Hunter Shepard made 27 saves, while Kaapo Kähkönen made 17 stops; the Bears went 0-for-2 on the power play while holding the Checkers to 0-for-3 with the man advantage.

BACK FROM THE BRINK:

With Hershey now facing a 2-0 deficit in the series with the Checkers, the Bears now must win three straight contests to avoid elimination and advance to the Eastern Conference Finals. Only 14 teams in the history of the Calder Cup Playoffs have managed to overcome a 2-0 series deficit in a best-of-five series:

Providence Reds, 1952 Quarterfinals vs. Cleveland Barons

Hershey Bears, 1954 Semifinals vs. Pittsburgh Hornets

Hershey Bears, 1965 Quarterfinals vs. Baltimore Clippers

Rochester Americans, 1967 Quarterfinals vs. Cleveland Barons

Quebec Aces, 1969 Quarterfinals vs. Cleveland Barons

Providence Bruins, 1997 Southern Conference Quarterfinals vs. Worcester IceCats

Springfield Falcons, 1997 Southern Conference Quarterfinals vs. Portland Pirates

Providence Bruins, 2001 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals vs. Hartford Wolf Pack

St. John's Maple Leafs, 2002 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals vs. Lowell Lock Monsters

Providence Bruins, 2013 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals vs. Hershey Bears

Grand Rapids Griffins, 2015 Western Conference Quarterfinals vs. Toronto Marlies

Rochester Americans, 2023 North Division Semifinals vs. Syracuse Crunch

Milwaukee Admirals, 2024 Central Division Semifinals vs. Texas Stars

Milwaukee Admirals, 2025 Central Division Semifinals vs. Rockford IceHogs

In the nine times that Hershey previously faced a 2-0 deficit in a best-of-five series, the Bears managed to battle back to force a decisive fifth game five times, with the most recent instance occurring during the 2012 Eastern Conference Quarterfinals against Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, which the Penguins ultimately won. The last time the Bears faced a 2-0 series deficit in the Calder Cup Playoffs took place in the best-of-seven 2023 Calder Cup Finals, when Hershey lost the first two games at Coachella Valley before it won all three of its next games at home, and ultimately took the series in the decisive Game 7 on the road.

STRIKE FIRST, STRIKE OFTEN:

Last Saturday's Game 2 loss marked the first time in the current playoffs that the Bears had lost after getting the game's first goal. Despite the setback, Hershey has a combined 28 wins in the regular season and playoffs when scoring first. The Bears have also posted a combined 19 wins when leading after the first period. During the regular season, Hershey also went 26-8-5-1 when scoring a goal in the first period.

ANOTHER CLOSE ONE:

Saturday's loss for Hershey was the second straight game with the Checkers decided by just one goal. In the regular season, four of Hershey's head-to-head matchups with the Checkers were decided by a single goal. The other four meetings were decided by two goals, with each contest having an empty-net goal serving as the second difference-making tally. In the regular season Hershey had a franchise-best 25 victories in one-goal games, going 25-8-7-1 in that scenario.

BEARS BITES:

Mike Sgarbossa has recorded an assist in each of his last two games, and has five points (1g, 4a) in six career playoff games with Hershey against Charlotte...In 10 combined meetings with the Checkers in both the regular season and playoffs, Hershey has recorded 20 or more shots in a game just three times...The Washington Capitals announced the re-assignment of forward Andrew Cristall to Hershey on Tuesday from the Spokane Chiefs of the Western Hockey League. Cristall led the WHL in scoring during the 2024-25 regular season with 132 points (48g, 84a) split between the Kelowna Rockets and Spokane while helping the Chiefs reach the championship round of the WHL playoffs.

ON THIS DATE:

May 21, 1997 - Bears captain Mike McHugh scored on Springfield goaltender Manny Legace 2:53 into overtime as Hershey beat the Falcons 4-3 in Game 3 of the Southern Conference Finals at the Springfield Civic Center. An irate Legace hit referee Denis Larue with his stick and was suspended for the remainder of the series, which the Bears ultimately won in seven games on their way to the 1997 Calder Cup championship.

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