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AHL Hershey Bears

Bears Bid Farewell to 2022 with Games against Penguins, Bruins

December 27, 2022 - 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 visit the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on Tuesday before returning home to GIANT Center to host the Providence Bruins on Wednesday and Saturday.

TEAM INFO:

Record: 20-6-2-1

Standings Position: 1st in Atlantic

TEAM LEADERS:

Goals: Mike Vecchione (11)

Assists: Mason Morelli (15)

Points: Mike Vecchione (25)

Power-Play Goals: Ethen Frank, Mike Vecchione (3)

Shorthanded Goals: Riley Sutter (1)

Plus/Minus: Ethen Frank, Mike Vecchione (+15)

Wins: Zach Fucale (10)

GAA: Hunter Shepard (1.85)

SV%: Hunter Shepard (.932)

Only includes qualified players on active roster

RECENT RESULTS:

Wednesday, Dec. 27: Hershey 4 at Lehigh Valley 2

The Bears went into the holiday break on a high note, defeating the Lehigh Valley Phantoms by a 4-2 score on Wednesday at the PPL Center. Ethen Frank led the way with his first career two-goal game, starting things off with a goal six minutes into the first period knocking in a Jake Massie rebound for his ninth of the season. The Phantoms took a 2-1 lead with Artem Anisimov finding the net at 18:42 and Elliot Desnoyers scoring at 19:06. Connor McMichael scored at 11:05 of the second to draw Hershey level, and Frank netted the eventual game-winner at 10:22 of the third. Mason Morelli sealed the game with an empty-net tally at 19:50. Hunter Shepard made 27 saves for the win.

LOCAL PRACTICE SCHEDULE FOR WEEK OF DEC. 26:

Monday, Dec. 26

Holiday Break

Tuesday, Dec. 27

10:30 a.m. morning skate at GIANT Center/Travel day to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton

Wednesday, Dec. 28

10:30 a.m. morning skate at GIANT Center

Thursday, Dec. 29

10:30 a.m. practice at Hersheypark Arena

Friday, Dec. 30

10:30 a.m. practice at GIANT Center

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

UPCOMING GAME SCHEDULE:

- Tuesday, Dec. 27 at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, 7:05 p.m.

- Wednesday, Dec. 28 vs. Providence Bruins, 7 p.m. - CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE TICKETS

AAA Car Magnet Night - The first 5,000 fans in attendance will receive a Bears car magnet, courtesy of AAA.

Berks Dollar Dog Night - Berks Dollar Dogs and $6 beers available at Boulevard, Hot Shots and Hat Trick.

- Saturday, Dec. 31 vs. Providence Bruins, 5 p.m. - CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE TICKETS

TV Coverage: FOX43 (Dec. 31 game only), Video Coverage: AHLTV; Radio Coverage: Bears Radio Network

Video Coverage: AHLTV; Radio Coverage: Bears Radio Network

TEAM NEWS AND NOTES:

HOME COOKIN':

The Bears own the American Hockey League's best record on home ice at 12-2-1-1 entering the week. Following tonight's game at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, the Bears will dig into a season-high seven-game homestand that will feature some diverse opponents. Hershey will open the stretch at GIANT Center by welcoming Providence for a pair of games starting on Wednesday, Dec. 28. The Chocolate and White will also host the Syracuse Crunch on Saturday, Jan. 8 in their lone visit of the season to Hershey, and will conclude the homestand with a pair of games against the Springfield Thunderbirds, with the first taking place on Friday, Jan. 13.

SOMETHING BRUIN:

Hershey's two games against the Bruins this week will highlight a clash of the top two ranked teams in the AHL, with the Bears in first place and Providence in second. Hershey defender Aaron Ness previously spent the 2021-22 campaign with the Bruins, putting up 19 points (3g, 16a) in 55 contests for the club. Providence defender Connor Carrick laced his skates up for the Chocolate and White from the 2013-16 seasons, putting up 72 points (18g, 54a) in 133 contests. Bruins head coach Ryan Mougenel previously served as an assistant for Hershey during the 2013-14 season.

THE KIDS CAN PLAY:

Hershey (along with Providence) is one of two Eastern Conference teams with at least two rookies on their roster who rank in the Top 20 among freshman scoring. Ethen Frank's 19 points (10g, 9a) has him tied for eighth, while Hendrix Lapierre (8g, 9a) is tied for 17th. The last time Hershey had two rookies finish in the AHL's Top 20 in scoring among first-year players was during the 2005-06 campaign, when Eric Fehr's 53 points (25g, 28a) tied him for 12th and Joey Tenute's 50 points (20g, 30a) placed him 15th.

BEARS AND PENS BEGIN AGAIN:

Tuesday's game marks the ninth of 12 meetings between Hershey and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton this season, with each team earning four wins against the other through the first eight matchups. The Penguins have a slight edge by virtue of two additional points earned via overtime/shootout losses. The Bears were the most recent victors in the series, earning a 2-1 overtime win at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on Dec. 17. Mike Sgarbossa scored the overtime-winning goal for the Bears, and is tied with Mike Vecchione for the team lead in points against the Penguins this season, with five. Bears netminder Hunter Shepard enters Tuesday's game with seven straight victories, a streak that started on Nov. 6 in a 4-3 win over Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.

BEARS BITES:

Forward Shane Gersich picked up an assist on Wednesday for his 100th career pro point, his next point will mark his 100th point in a Bears sweater...Hershey is 2-0-0-0 this season in Tuesday games, with both prior victories coming at home...The Bears are a combined 9-0-2-0 on the road when tied after either the first or second period...Forward Mike Vecchione enters tonight's game on a five-game scoring streak (2g, 4a), and overall, Vecchione has points in eight of his past nine outings...Hershey's Connor McMichael has scored in back-to-back games.

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