AHL Hershey Bears

Bears Weekly #13: Home-Heavy Month of January Underway

Published on January 4, 2022 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Hershey Bears News Release


(Hershey, PA) - The Hershey Bears continue the 2021-22 season, presented by Penn State Health, with four games this week. The Chocolate and White have won three straight contests and are 7-3-0-0 over the past 10 games. Hershey plays 13 games in the month of January with 10 of the contests coming at GIANT Center.

TEAM INFO:

Record: 15-9-2-1

Standings Position: 3rd in Atlantic

TEAM LEADERS:

Goals: Garrett Pilon (9)

Assists: Joe Snively (17)

Points: Joe Snively (25)

Power Play Goals: Cody Franson, Garrett Pilon, Joe Snively (3)

Shorthanded Goals: Shane Gersich, Kody Clark, Joe Snively (1)

Plus/Minus: Joe Snively (+16)

Wins: Pheonix Copley (8)

GAA: Zach Fucale (2.70)

SV%: Pheonix Copley (.897)

RECENT RESULTS:

Wednesday, December 29: Hershey 6, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton 1

The Hershey Bears closed 2021 on a high-note, beating the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins by a 6-1 margin on Dec. 29 at GIANT Center. After a scoreless opening frame, the Chocolate and White exploded for their highest-scoring period of the season with four tallies against Pens netminder Alex D'Orio. Tobias Geisser, Marcus Vela, Mason Morelli and Bobby Nardella all struck in the second period for the Bears, followed by goals in the final stanza from Dylan McIlrath and Ryan Dmowski. For Dmowski, the marker extended his goal-streak to five games.

Sunday, January 2: Hershey 3, Bridgeport 2 (OT)

The Bears opened 2022 with a victory, topping the Bridgeport Islanders, 3-2 in overtime last Sunday at GIANT Center. Shane Gersich opened the scoring at 9:04 of the first period for Hershey, but despite outshooting the Islanders 10-1 in the opening frame, the game was tied 1-1 after 20 minutes. Garrett Pilon gave Hershey a 2-1 lead in the second period, but Erik Brown tied the game only 2:15 into the third period for the visitors. In overtime, Gersich scored his second of the game, capitalizing on a breakaway at 2:13 of the extra session to give Hershey its fifth overtime win this season.

UPCOMING SCHEDULE:

-Wednesday, Jan. 5 vs. Lehigh Valley, 7 p.m.

-Friday, Jan. 7 at Syracuse, 7 p.m.

-Saturday, Jan. 8 vs. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, 7 p.m.

-Sunday, Jan. 9 vs. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, 5 p.m.

Toyota Ice Scraper Night (First 4,000 Fans)

Tickets available at HersheyBears.com via Ticketmaster

Video Coverage: AHLTV, Radio Coverage: Bears Radio Network, TV Coverage (Saturday only): FOX43

TEAM NEWS AND NOTES:

SHANE STRIKES:

Hershey forward Shane Gersich collected three assists in last Wednesday's win over Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. It was the first time he posted a trio of helpers in his professional career, and marked just the second three-point game of his AHL career. He followed up that performance with a two-goal game against Bridgeport last Sunday. The game-winning goal in overtime was his first professional goal in the extra session, and his third career game-winning goal. All three of the deciding markers in his career have come versus Bridgeport. The fourth-year Bear has scored 13 points (5g, 8a) in 25 games this season.

FREE HOCKEY FUN:

Hershey enters this week with a 5-2 record in overtime, and a 1-1 mark in shootouts. Hershey's five wins in the 3-on-3 session are the most in the league. Overall, Hershey has collected 15 points in overtime games, the most of any team in the AHL. The club's nine games that have gone beyond regulation is the second highest total in the AHL, trailing only the Cleveland Monsters' 10 overtime contests.

HOME COOKING FOR SNIVES:

Forward Joe Snively enters this week with points in six straight home games for the Chocolate and White. He has posted an assist in each of those games, and overall has scored nine points (2g, 7a) in that span. His home point streak is the second-longest in the AHL, trailing only Syracuse's Gabriel Dumont and his eight-game stretch. Snively leads the Bears with 25 points (8g, 17), ranking eighth in the league in scoring.

KEEPING THE BIRDS FLIGHTLESS:

The Bears play a pair of games against Wilkes-Barre/Scranton this weekend, and Hershey will look to keep the wins coming versus its I-81 rival. The Chocolate and White are 5-0-0-0 versus the Baby Pens, marking the first time in franchise history the Bears have won the first five games of the season series. The Bears have outscored Wilkes-Barre/Scranton 25-8 this year, including 14-4 in two games at GIANT Center. Hershey is 6-for-16 (37.5%) on the power play versus the Penguins so far this season. Hershey is paced by Bobby Nardella (3g, 4a), Matt Moulson (2g, 5a), and Mike Vecchione (1g, 6a) in the season series.

BEARS BITES:

Hershey captain Matt Moulson underwent a successful surgery on his back. The surgery was performed on Dec. 30. Moulson is out indefinitely...Defensemen Alex Alexeyev and Lucas Johansen became the latest players who have skated for the Bears this season to make their NHL debuts for the Washington Capitals. Alexeyev debuted on Dec. 29 versus Nashville while Johansen collected an assist in his first NHL game on Dec. 31 at Detroit. In total, 11 players who have played for the Bears this season have also skated with the Capitals...Defenseman Dylan McIlrath is one point away from 100 in his professional career...On Wednesday, head equipment manager Josh Carter is expected to work the 500th game of professional career, all spent with the Hershey Bears.

Check out the Hershey Bears Statistics

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