Atlantic Division Semifinals Game 2 Preview: Bears vs. Phantoms, 7 p.m.

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AHL Hershey Bears

Atlantic Division Semifinals Game 2 Preview: Bears vs. Phantoms, 7 p.m.

May 2, 2025 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Hershey Bears News Release


(Hershey, PA) - The Hershey Bears look to take a 2-0 series lead against the Lehigh Valley Phantoms tonight at GIANT Center in Game 2 of the best-of-five Atlantic Division Semifinals. Hershey opened the series on Wednesday at home with a 3-0 win over Lehigh Valley.

Hershey Bears (1-0) vs. Lehigh Valley Phantoms (2-1)

May 2, 2025 | 7 p.m. | GIANT Center | Hershey leads series 1-0

Referees: Jordan Samuels-Thomas (42), Mike Sullivan (47)

Linespersons: Shawn Oliver (56), Jeremy Faucher (85)

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Broadcast Information

Voice of the Bears, Zack Fisch, former Bears captain Garrett Mitchell, and FOX43 sports director Todd Sadowski on the call

TELEVISION: FOX43

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.; Television coverage starts at 7 p.m.

LAST TIME OUT:

Hershey opened its series against Lehigh Valley on Wednesday, earning a 3-0 victory. Chase Priskie scored the eventual game-winner at 9:16 of the first period on a delayed Phantoms penalty. In the third, the Bears survived a 5-on-3 penalty kill and shortly thereafter Spencer Smallman scored at the seven minute mark to give Hershey a 2-0 lead. Bogdan Trineyev capped the night with an empty-net goal at 18:49, and Hunter Shepard made 26 saves to get the shutout.

SHUTOUT STATLINES:

By keeping Lehigh Valley off the scoreboard on Wednesday, Hershey earned its 47th overall postseason clean sheet in team history. The last time the Bears opened the playoffs with a shutout victory was Game 1 of the 2017 Atlantic Division Semifinals at Lehigh Valley in a 1-0 overtime triumph with Pheonix Copley in net for the Chocolate and White. Hershey has an all-time playoff series record of 10-2 when opening a series with a shutout win.

SUPER SHEP:

Hunter Shepard's Game 1 victory secured his fourth career playoff shutout for the Bears, placing him fifth in club history and one back of a three-way tie with Michal Neuvirth and Nick Damore for third. Since making his postseason debut for the Chocolate and White at the opening of the 2023 playoffs, Shepard has started each of Hershey's last 41 playoff contests; his outing on Wednesday moved him past Neuvirth for sole possession of fourth in franchise history for playoff games by a goaltender, and his next playoff victory will tie Neuvirth (30) for second in franchise history.

PRISKIE POWER:

Chase Priskie's first-period goal in Game 1 marked his first career playoff game-winner. Priskie has three points (1g, 2a) over his last three consecutive postseason games. The defenseman also tied for the team lead against Lehigh Valley in last spring's playoff series in both assists (3) and plus-minus (+4).

HEAD-TO-HEAD HISTORY:

The Bears own an 18-12 playoff record since the two clubs first met in the 1997 postseason, with Hershey also owning a 5-1 series record; Hershey's victories in 1997, 2009, and 2024 were part of eventual championship runs, while the Phantoms took the 1998 series victory in the Mid-Atlantic Division Finals en route to their first title. Since the Phantoms relocated from Glens Falls, N.Y. to Allentown in time for the 2014-15 season, the Bears and Phantoms have only met in the postseason twice, with Hershey taking the best-of-five 2017 Atlantic Division Semifinals in five games and the 2024 Atlantic Division Semifinals in four contests. Including results from this past season and Game 1, the Bears are 5-0 against Phantoms when scoring first.

PECULIAR POWER PLAY:

During the regular season series, both teams' respective power play units struggled against the other relative to their overall performance. The Phantoms went 3-for-29 (10.3%) with the man advantage and allowed both of Hershey's shorthanded goals, while the Bears went 3-for-37 (8.1%) while giving up three shorthanded markers. Both teams failed to score on the power play in Game 1.

ANOTHER WIN FOR NELLY:

After earning his 29th playoff victory behind the bench for Hershey in Game 1, Todd Nelson's next win will move him past Bruce Boudreau and tie John Paddock for second in franchise history. His .707 career postseason win percentage (29-12) with Hershey is third in franchise history, behind only Boudreau (.725, 29-11) and Doug Gibson (.750, 12-4). Nelson's 71 career AHL playoff wins (Oklahoma City, Grand Rapids, Hershey) are third all-time in league history, trailing only Fred "Bun" Cook (75) and John Paddock (77). Wednesday's Game 1 win also marked the 100th professional head coaching playoff victory of Nelson's career when including his time in the now-defunct United Hockey League with the Muskegon Fury, with whom he captured two Colonial Cup titles as head coach.

BEARS BITES:

Following Wednesday's Game 1 victory, Hershey improved to 78-62 in the first game of a playoff series. The Bears possess a 58-19 series record when winning the opening game of a series...Hershey is 7-1 in Game 2s over the past two postseason runs...Hershey's penalty kill has gone 9-for-9 over its last four postseason games dating back to Game 4 of the 2024 Calder Cup Finals...Defenseman Jon McDonald made his Calder Cup Playoffs debut in Game 1...Forward Alex Limoges collected an assist on Spencer Smallman's goal in Game 1, giving Limoges five helpers over his last three games in the Calder Cup Playoffs dating back to last year...Since making his playoff debut with Hershey in Game 4 of the 2024 Calder Cup Finals, defender Nicky Leivermann has dressed for four consecutive postseason wins...Aaron Ness' next game will be his 64th playoff contest with the Bears, tying him with Andrew Joudrey for seventh in franchise history...The Washington Capitals swapped goaltenders with Hershey yesterday, recalling Mitch Gibson while loaning Clay Stevenson to the Bears.

ON THIS DATE:

May 2, 2009 - The Bears skated to a 5-3 victory over the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in Game 1 of the East Division Finals. Staffan Kronwall and Chris Bourque gave the Bears a 2-0 lead in the first period, but Oskar Osala missed on a rare penalty shot and the Penguins countered with a pair of goals in the second to tie the game. Before the frame ended, however, Andrew Gordon gave Hershey a 3-2 lead with a power-play goal with just 17 seconds left. Kyle Wilson and Alexandre Giroux added goals in the third to seal the win, and Hershey went on to win the series in seven games.

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