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AHL Hershey Bears

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

May 3, 2023 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Hershey Bears News Release


(Hershey, PA) - The Hershey Bears continue the 2023 playoffs, presented by Penn State Health, as they return home to GIANT Center for Game 3 of the Atlantic Division Semifinals against the Charlotte Checkers. Hershey leads the best-of-five series 2-0, and can advance to the Atlantic Division Finals with a win tonight.

#2 Hershey Bears (2-0) vs. #3 Charlotte Checkers (2-3)

May 3, 2023 | 7 p.m. | Atlantic Division Semifinals - Game 3 | GIANT Center

Referees: Mike Dietrich (#15), Brandon Schrader (#46)

Linespersons: Jud Ritter (#34), Ryan Jackson (#84)

Tonight's Promotions:

- Penn State Health Light-Up Inflatable Cheer Stix - The first 8,000 fans in attendance will receive a light-up inflatable Cheer Stix, courtesy of Penn State Health. One (1) Cheer Stix per person.

Season Ticket Holders who have purchased a Playoff Package: please use Round 2, Home Game 1 ticket(s) for tonight.

Broadcast Information

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

RADIO: WFVY-100.1 FM, Fox Sports 1460-AM, SportsRadio 98.9-FM & WOYK 1350-AM (joined in progress), Capitals Radio Network, In-Arena on 88.9 FM

WATCH LIVE: AHLTV

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

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

LAST TIME OUT:

The Bears took a 2-0 lead in the series last Saturday in a 5-1 victory over the Checkers in Game 2. After both teams failed to light the lamp in the opening frame, the Bears broke through with a pair of goals in the second, as Joe Snively tallied on the power play at 6:46, and Mason Morelli netted his first career goal in the Calder Cup Playoffs at 14:55. Charlotte finally got through Hunter Shepard at 9:15 of the third to get on the board when Ryan McAllister scored on a rebound, but Connor McMichael beat Jean-Francois Berube with a backhand goal at 9:50 to restore the two-goal edge. Sam Anas added his first of the postseason at 10:13, and Garrett Pilon capped the scoring at 14:30 with an empty-net goal. Shepard went 19-for-20 to pick up his second consecutive postseason win, while Berube went 11-for-15.

BEARS SEEK SERIES SWEEP:

After taking a 2-0 series lead against the Checkers at Bojangles' Coliseum last weekend, the Atlantic Division Semifinals shifts back to Hershey, where the Bears will have three straight opportunities to close out the series with a single win. Hershey is looking for its first series victory over Charlotte after dropping the previous two encounters in 2019 (4-0 series loss) and 2011 (4-2 series loss). The last time the Bears swept a best-of-five series was in 2001, when Hershey won the Southern Division Semifinals against the Kentucky Thoroughblades in three games, taking the first two games at Kentucky by identical 3-2 overtime scores, before returning home to win the series-clinching game at Hersheypark Arena, 2-1.

HOME SWEET HOME:

Hershey boasted the Eastern Conference's top record (and third-best in the AHL) at home during the 2022-23 regular season, going 23-9-2-2 on GIANT Center ice. With the series against Charlotte now back in central Pennsylvania, the Bears look to continue their run of strong play on home ice. Hershey won its lone home playoff contest last spring in a three-game series with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.

MCMICHAEL LOOKS TO MAKE IT THREE IN A ROW:

With goals in each of the first two games of the series, Connor McMichael is poised to become the first Bears player to score in three consecutive playoff games since Carter Camper managed the feat in 2016, en route to an appearance in the Calder Cup Finals. Camper tallied in Hershey's series-clinching game against Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on May 15, then found the net in Games 1 and 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Toronto Marlies.

BEARS BITES:

Aaron Ness is the Bears' active leader for career playoff games with Hershey, skating in 38 postseason contests for the Chocolate and White...Connor McMichael is tied for the league playoff lead with two insurance goals...Hunter Shepard is fourth with a 1.50 goals-against average, and eighth with a .932 save percentage...Hershey has scored first in both of its wins...The Bears are third among all 23 playoff teams with a power play operating at 40 percent (2-for-5).

Check out the Hershey Bears Statistics

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