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AHL Hershey Bears

Bears Gear up for Home-And-Home with Phantoms

November 6, 2023 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Hershey Bears News Release


(Hershey, PA) - The Hershey Bears (8-3-0-0) enter the week atop the American Hockey League standings as they get set to face the Lehigh Valley Phantoms as part of a home-and-home set. Hershey travels to Allentown on Saturday before returning to GIANT Center on Sunday afternoon to host Lehigh Valley for Hockey Fights Cancer Night.

TEAM LEADERS:

Goals: Ethen Frank (5)

Assists: Mike Sgarbossa (9)

Points: Mike Sgarbossa (12)

Power-Play Goals: Ethen Frank (4)

Shorthanded Goals: Bogdan Trineyev (1)

Plus/Minus: Joe Snively (+8)

Wins: Hunter Shepard (4)

GAA: Clay Stevenson (2.00)

SV%: Clay Stevenson (.919)

Only includes qualified players

LAST WEEK'S RESULTS:

- Wednesday, Nov. 1 - Hershey 4 vs. Lehigh Valley 3 (OT)

- Friday, Nov. 3 - Hershey 1 at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton 2

- Saturday, Nov. 4 - Hershey 3 vs. Bridgeport 1

LOCAL PRACTICE SCHEDULE FOR WEEK OF NOV. 6:

Monday, Nov. 6

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

Tuesday, Nov. 7

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

Wednesday, Nov. 8

DAY OFF

Thursday, Nov. 9

Practice at 10:30 a.m. at Hersheypark Arena

Friday, Nov. 10

Practice at 10:30 a.m. at Hersheypark Arena

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

UPCOMING GAME SCHEDULE:

- Saturday, Nov. 11 - Hershey at Lehigh Valley Phantoms, 7:05 p.m.

- Sunday, Nov. 12 - Hershey vs. Lehigh Valley Phantoms, 3 p.m. - BUY TICKETS

Hockey Fights Cancer Night - Joining the efforts of the National Hockey League, Hockey Fights Cancer unites the hockey community in support of cancer patients and their families.

Penn State Health Light-Up Inflatable Cheer Stix night - All fans in attendance will receive a light-up inflatable Cheer Stix, courtesy of Penn State Health (one Cheer Stix per person).

Hockey Fights Cancer Warm-Up Jersey Auction - Bears players will wear sublimated Hockey Fights Cancer-themed warm-up jerseys prior to the game that will be auctioned off post-game to benefit local charities as part of the Bears' community-focused Hershey Bears Cares initiative.

MORE INFO FOR HOCKEY FIGHTS CANCER NIGHT AVAILABLE HERE

TV Coverage: Antenna TV; Video Coverage: AHLTV; Radio Coverage: Bears Radio Network, Capitals Radio Network; Tickets: HersheyBears.com

All times Eastern

TEAM NEWS AND NOTES:

POWERED-UP POWER PLAY:

The Bears enter the week with a power play ranked eighth overall at 10-for-42 (23.8%). Hershey's play with the man advantage has been even more effective on home ice in front of Bear Nation, ranking fourth at a 6-for-23 (26.1%) clip. Forward Ethen Frank is tied with Lehigh Valley's Olle Lycksell for second in the American Hockey League with four power-play goals, while linemate Mike Sgarbossa is tied with Iowa's Nic Petan for first in the league with six power-play assists.

IN FOR THE KILL:

On the other side of the special teams puck, the Bears continue to play robust defense on the penalty kill. Hershey has killed 42-of-48 opposing chances on the power play (87.5%), tied for fifth in the AHL. The Bears are 5-1-0-0 when not allowing a power-play goal this season.

CLOSE 'EM OUT:

Thanks to Hershey's strong play in the opening first two periods of games, the Bears have been highly effective in closing out opposing teams, as the Bears have outscored their opponents 21-14 in the first 40 minutes of play. Hershey is a league-leading 6-0-0-0 when leading after two periods this season.

NELLY APPROACHING ANOTHER RUNG ON AHL COACHING WINS LADDER:

After Todd Nelson passed Robbie Ftorek for 12th on the AHL's head coaching wins list with his 355th AHL win on Oct. 20 at Providence, Hershey's bench boss finds himself closing in on 11th place. Nelson can pass former Bears player Terry Reardon (362 wins; coached Providence Reds and Baltimore Clippers) with his next two victories.

SUPER SGARBOSSA:

Mike Sgarbossa is off to a strong start this season, leading Hershey in scoring and enters the week tied for 10th in league scoring with 12 points (3g, 9a). The Bears have won all three games in which Sgarbossa has found the back of the net, and the team is also 8-1-0-0-0 in games in which he records at least a point. Sgarbossa enters the week carrying a five-game assist streak (6a).

WORKING OVERTIME:

Hershey has squeezed every available point out of games that have gone past regulation this season - the Bears are one of only two teams (along with Manitoba) to have played at least three overtime/shootout games and win every contest. Hershey's most recent victory came last week in its 4-3 Nov. 1 triumph over Lehigh Valley, with Chase Priskie netting the overtime-winner for the Chocolate and White.

PRISKIE ON THE CHASE:

Defender Chase Priskie is tied for 11th in AHL defensemen scoring with seven points (2g, 5a); both of his goals this season (both scored last week) have been game-winners, tied for second among defensemen. His overtime-winning goal on Wednesday against Lehigh Valley was his first tally as a Bear, as well as his 100th career pro/AHL point. Priskie's next game will mark his 200th pro game, and the native of Pembroke Pines, Florida is just five games away from his 200th in the AHL.

BEARS BITES:

The Bears are 2-0-0-0 in the regular-season series with Lehigh Valley, and Saturday night's game marks their first of six visits this season to Lehigh Valley; last season Hershey was 6-1-0-0 at the PPL Center...Hershey has won five consecutive home games dating back to Oct. 15 vs. Cleveland...Goaltender Hunter Shepard's four wins are tied for third in the AHL...Rookie forward Ivan Miroshnichenko is tied for 12th among AHL first-year players with six points (2g, 4a)...Fellow rookie forward Bogdan Trineyev is one of only four AHL rookies to score a shorthanded goal this season...Defenseman Aaron Ness is four points away from passing Patrick McNeill (152 points) for eighth all-time in Bears scoring among blueliners...Logan Day needs one point for 100 in his pro/AHL tenure.

THEY SAID IT:

"I think they rose to the challenge today. But we had to nip that in the bud - Wednesday's game [vs. Lehigh Valley], we got through that one. Then [Friday night at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton] was a debacle. And so we had a firm conversation this morning and the guys responded, and it was good that they did. If they didn't respond, there'd be an issue, but they responded. It wasn't perfect by any means. Our execution was still a bit off, but at least the work ethic was there."

- Bears head coach Todd Nelson following Saturday's win against Bridgeport on the coaching staff addressing performative concerns from earlier in the week.

"We've got a really good leadership group. [Dylan McIlrath] - obviously he's our leader in there, but we have other guys like [Mike Vecchione] and [Aaron Ness] who are all very vocal in there. There's guys like [Alex Limoges], [Chase Priskie], [Logan Day], they're all stepping up saying some stuff, just keeping everybody positive even when things aren't really going the best like it did in Wilkes-Barre [on Friday]. But we just turned the page today and we got challenged by Coach, and I think we did a good job today."

- Bears forward Matt Strome on player accountability within the locker room.

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