Sports stats



AHL Hershey Bears

Bears Approach Finish Line for Regular Season

April 10, 2023 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Hershey Bears News Release


(Hershey, PA) -The Hershey Bears continue the 2022-23 season, presented by Penn State Health, as they complete their regular season schedule with a sprint to the finish for the top spot in the American Hockey League's Eastern Conference. Hershey hosts Charlotte on Tuesday and visits Bridgeport on Friday before returning home to conclude the season at GIANT Center on Saturday against the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.

TEAM INFO:

Record: 43-17-5-4

Standings Position: 1st in Atlantic

Click here for full AHL standings

TEAM LEADERS:

Goals: Ethen Frank (27)

Assists: Mike Sgarbossa (37)

Points: Mike Sgarbossa (58)

Power-Play Goals: Ethen Frank (9)

Shorthanded Goals: Henrik Rybinski, Riley Sutter (1)

Plus/Minus: Gabriel Carlsson (24)

Wins: Zach Fucale (21)

GAA: Hunter Shepard (2.05)

SV%: Hunter Shepard (.921)

Only includes qualified players on active roster

RECENT RESULTS:

Wednesday, April 5: Hershey 1 at Providence 3

The Bears trailed 2-0 until Shane Gersich scored at 3:19 of the third period to get Hershey on the board. Vinni Lettieri added an empty-net goal to seal the game for Providence, snapping a season-high nine-game (7-0-0-2) point streak.

Friday, April 7: Hershey 3 at Springfield 2

The Bears concluded their five-game road trip against the Thunderbirds, and Hendrix Lapierre opened the scoring just 2:11 into the opening frame. After Springfield tied the game midway through the frame, the Bears re-took the lead at 16:08 thanks to a Garrett Pilon goal to head into the dressing room up by a goal. Springfield scored again early in the second period to tie the game, but Sam Anas netted the eventual game-winner with a power-play strike at 5:34 of the third period. Hunter Shepard made a season-high 37 saves to get his 19th victory of the season.

Saturday, April 8: Hershey 5 vs. Charlotte 2

For the second night in a row, Hendrix Lapierre opened the scoring for Hershey, finding twine on the man advantage just 2:58 into the contest. Charlotte's Dennis Cesana tied the game midway through the first. Lapierre then scored another power-play goal 9:30 into the second period, but Gerry Mayhew tied the game at 2-2 15:59 with a power-play goal for the Checkers. Lapierre scored at even strength at 17:09 to complete his first pro hat trick and put the Bears ahead 3-2. From there, Hershey never looked back, as Mike Sgarbossa scored at 9:14 of the third, and Shane Gersich sealed the game with an empty-net tally at 18:48. Matthew Strome picked up two assists, while Gerisch enjoyed a two-point night, and Zach Fucale made 34 saves to earn his 21st win while assisting on Lapierre's second goal.

LOCAL PRACTICE SCHEDULE FOR WEEK OF APRIL 10:

Monday, April 10

Practice, 10:30 a.m. at GIANT Center

Tuesday, April 11

Morning Skate, 10:30 a.m. at GIANT Center

Wednesday, April 12

Day Off

Thursday, April 13

Practice, 9:30 a.m. at Hersheypark Arena

Travel to Bridgeport

All practices are open to the public. Practice dates and times are subject to change.

UPCOMING GAME SCHEDULE:

- Tuesday, April 11 vs. Charlotte Checkers, 7 p.m. - CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE TICKETS

- Fairview Golf Course Bears Logo Chip Night - The first 4,000 fans in attendance will receive a Bears Logo Chip, courtesy of Fairview Golf Course.

- TRULY Takeover Tuesday - Fans cancome to Section 110 for $16 TRULY and empanada specials, samplings, giveaways, and a chance to win TRULY-branded hockey gear.

- Friday, April 14 at Bridgeport Islanders, 7 p.m.

- Saturday, April 15 vs. Lehigh Valley Phantoms, 7 p.m. - CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE TICKETS

- Fan Appreciation Night - All fans will receive a scratch-off card upon entrance for a chance to win a variety of prize.

- Jersey Off Our Backs Night - All fans will have a chance to win a game-worn jersey right off the back of a Hershey Bears player.

- Player Awards Night - The Player Awards ceremony will take place pre-game to celebrate player accomplishments throughout the 2022-23 season.

TV Coverage (Sunday only): Antenna TV; Video Coverage: AHLTV; Radio Coverage: Bears Radio Network

TEAM NEWS AND NOTES:

IT ALL COMES DOWN TO THIS WEEK:

The final week of the regular season will determine whether the Bears can claim the Atlantic Division and Eastern Conference titles. The Bears are already assured of a first-round bye in the 2023 Calder Cup Playoffs, but must gain a combination of six points out of their final three remaining matches and/or points lost by Providence over the Bruins' three remaining contests. Hershey last claimed a regular season conference title (during a season in which playoffs were held) during the 2009-10 campaign.

CHOPPING THE CHECKERS:

Thanks to Saturday's victory over the Checkers, the Bears now sport a 3-2-1-1 record against Charlotte. Hershey can still win the regular season series against the Checkers, but the club must win in regulation on Tuesday night in order to do so. Hershey last won a regular season series against the Checkers during the 2018-19 campaign, when the Bears went 3-0-0-1 in four matches. Mike Vecchione leads Hershey with seven points (3g, 4a) in six games against Charlotte, while Hendrix Lapierre notably now has five goals in five games against the Checkers following his hat trick on Saturday.

HATS OFF TO LAPPY:

Hendrix Lapierre's three-goal performance on Saturday night was the first multi-goal game and first hat trick of his professional career. In fact, it was the first-ever three-goal performance for the 22nd overall pick in the 2020 NHL Draft in either his professional or major junior career, after previously topping out with a pair of goals several times in his days in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. The Bears have posted a record of 11-2-0-0 this season when Lapierre finds the back of the net, and a 21-4-1-0 record when he notches at least a point.

BRIDGE-ING THE GAP:

The Bridgeport Islanders were eliminated from postseason contention last week, but they still have the ability to play the role of potential spoiler for the Bears on Friday in Hershey's third and final visit to Connecticut of the season. The Bears own a 4-1-0-0 record against the Islanders in the 2022-23 campaign, and have won both prior meetings at Total Mortgage Arena this season. Ethen Frank (out since sustaining an upper body injury in Hershey's game at Toronto on March 29) leads Hershey with eight points (3g, 5a) in five games against Bridgeport, while Mike Vecchione is second with six points (2g, 4a).

PHAN-ALE:

Saturday's game against Lehigh Valley will mark the final contest of a 14-game series this season. The Bears have largely dominated the head-to-head competition, going 10-2-0-1 against their I-78 rival. Much of that success has been fueled by Hershey's power play, which has operated at a 13-for-47 (27.7%) clip against the Phantoms. Ethen Frank and Mike Sgarbossa are tied for the Hershey scoring lead against Lehigh Valley, each with an identical 14 points. Seven of Zach Fucale's 21 wins this season have come against the Phantoms. The Chocolate and White have posted a record of 8-2-1-1 this season when returning home after playing on the road the previous day.

BEARS BITES:

The Bears are tied for the league lead with 47 first goals, and are second with 33 victories when scoring first...Mike Sgarbossa is tied for 18th in league scoring with 58 points (21g, 37a)...Gabriel Carlsson is tied for 10th among all skaters with a plus/minus of +24...Jake Massie is one game away from his 100th career AHL contest...Mike Vecchione needs two goals to reach 100 in his pro career...Sam Anas is four assists away from 200 in his pro career...Anas, Sgarbossa, and Vecchione are each tied for fifth in the league with five game-winning goals...Julian Napravnik has a five-game point streak (4g, 2a)...Hershey is second in the league and first in the Eastern Conference with 2.48 goals-against per game...Aaron Ness is four points from his 300th AHL point...Zach Fucale is tied for third among goaltenders in the Eastern Conference in wins with 21.

Check out the Hershey Bears Statistics

• Discuss this story on the American Hockey League message board...

American Hockey League Stories from April 10, 2023


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central