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AHL Hershey Bears

Bears Weekly #17: Rematch with Hartford on the Horizon

February 1, 2022 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Hershey Bears News Release


(Hershey, PA) - The Hershey Bears continue the 2021-22 season, presented by Penn State Health, with three games this week. The Chocolate and White open February tomorrow night against the Hartford Wolf Pack before back-to-back road tilts against the Cleveland Monsters on Feb. 4-5.

TEAM INFO:

Record: 21-13-3-2

Standings Position: T-2nd in Atlantic

TEAM LEADERS:

Goals: Garrett Pilon, Axel Jonsson-Fjallby (13)

Assists: Mike Vecchione (16)

Points: Garrett Pilon, Axel Jonsson-Fjallby (28)

Power Play Goals: Garrett Pilon (5)

Shorthanded Goals: Shane Gersich (2)

Plus/Minus: Dylan McIlrath (+12)

Wins: Pheonix Copley (12)

GAA: Pheonix Copley (2.50)

SV%: Pheonix Copley (.906)

RECENT RESULTS:

Saturday, January 29: Hershey 2, Bridgeport 1 (OT)

The Hershey Bears scored twice on the power play to edge the Bridgeport Islanders by a 2-1 margin in overtime on Saturday night at GIANT Center. The win marked Hershey's 2,990th all-time victory in franchise history. Following a scoreless opening 40 minutes, the Chocolate and White fell behind at 7:08 of the third period. Thomas Hickey tallied his third goal of the campaign with a blast low to the ice past Pheonix Copley. It was the only blemish for the Hershey netminder, who was sensational in goal with 26 stops on 27 Islanders shots. Less than two minutes later, the Bears drew even on a power play tally. Felix Bibeau was called for tripping at 7:52, and Shane Gersich blasted home the equalizer from the right face-off circle before the man-advantage expired. Jake Massie recorded the primary helper for his first point as a member of the Chocolate and White. Key stops by Copley down the stretch sent the 1-1 game into sudden-death overtime. A power move to the net by Massie drew a tripping minor on Arnaud Durandeau, and it took Hershey all but 12 seconds to walk off the game. After the face-off win, Axel Jonsson-Fjallby set up a blast from Mike Vecchione for his seventh goal of the season, and the Bears' seven overtime victory.

Sunday, January 30: Hershey 2, Lehigh Valley 3

Mike Vecchione continued his scoring touch, but the Hershey Bears dropped a 3-2 decision against the Lehigh Valley Phantoms on Sunday evening at the PPL Center. Cal O'Reilly opened the scoring with his first of two shorthanded goals against the Chocolate and White. After a defensive zone turnover, O'Reilly potted his chance from point-blank range following a setup from Charlie Gerard. Mike Vecchione brought the Bears even late in the second frame. On the power play, Vecchione wired a shot past Phantoms goaltender Felix Sandstrom at 17:56. Axel Jonsson-Fjallby and Lucas Johansen recorded the assists. The Bears led early in the 3rd period on Vecchione's second of the night, but Lehigh Valley roared back. At 6:45, Vecchione redirected a point shot from Johansen into the cage. Brian Pinho earned the secondary assist. Lehigh Valley tied the game on O'Reilly's second shorthanded goal of the night at 12:14. Winning a race to the loose puck, O'Reilly roofed a forehand-backhand try past Hershey goaltender Zach Fucale. Linus Sandin scored the eventual game-winner at 14:26 on a rebound attempt to provide the Phantoms a 3-2 edge.

UPCOMING SCHEDULE:

- Wednesday, Feb. 2 vs. Hartford, 7 P.M. (Hersheypark Pass Night)

- Friday, Feb. 4 at Cleveland, 7 P.M.

- Saturday, Feb. 5 at Cleveland, 3 P.M.

Tickets available at HersheyBears.com via Ticketmaster

Video Coverage: AHLTV, Radio Coverage: Bears Radio Network

TEAM NEWS AND NOTES:

HOME-COOKED IN JANUARY CONCLUDES:

The Chocolate and White tackled the ice for 10 home games at GIANT Center in January. In nine of those 10 games, the Bears came away with standings points and posted a 7-1-1-1 record. After a busy month in front of their hometown crowd, Hershey leads the American Hockey League in home games played (25) and wins on home ice (15). In February, the Bears will play only four times at GIANT Center and eight games on the road. Entering the new month, Hershey's record on the road is 6-7-1-0 after dropping their last three away tilts.

GOOD THINGS COME IN 3's:

Bears forward Mike Vecchione has scored the last three consecutive goals for the Chocolate and White in their recent weekend split. Vecchione provided overtime heroics last Saturday night against the Bridgeport Islanders and was his club's entire source of offense on Sunday in Hershey's 3-2 loss at Lehigh Valley. Entering the new week, the Saugus, Massachusetts native has averaged a point per game (9g, 16a) in his first 25 appearances with the Bears. Prior to this season, the 28-year-old product out of Union College made AHL stops with Lehigh Valley, San Antonio and Colorado.

HAMMOND SUMMONED:

The Hershey Bears announced Sunday that the club has signed defenseman Tariq Hammond to a professional tryout agreement. Hammond, 28, has appeared in 29 games with Hershey's ECHL affiliate, the South Carolina Stingrays, this season, tallying seven assists. He has also appeared in four games with the AHL's Henderson Silver Knights, posting one assist. The 6'2", 185-pound native of Calgary, Alberta was under contract to Hershey during the 2019-20 season, spending the entire year in South Carolina. That year, he registered his best professional season, compiling 14 points (3g, 11a) in 56 games. He was also part of South Carolina's squad last year that advanced to the Kelly Cup Finals. Hammond has played 56 career AHL games with Binghamton and Henderson, posting five points (1g, 4a).

MONSTER MASH:

The Bears will visit Cleveland, Ohio to battle the Monsters on Friday and Saturday. The back-to-back set marks the final two games against Cleveland this season. On Halloween weekend, the Chocolate and White hosted the Monsters for a pair of games at GIANT Center. After dropping a 2-1 shootout decision on Oct. 30, 2021, Hershey responded with a 4-3 overtime victory the next night. Mike Vecchione paced the club in points against Cleveland with three assists. Axel Jonsson-Fjallby scored the overtime winner on Halloween at 3:27 of the sudden-death to split the weekend for the Bears. Hershey last visited Cleveland in March 2019 and dropped consecutive games at Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse by 5-2 and 4-1 counts. Hershey will eye their first win in Cleveland since Feb. 5, 2013. That night, Jeff Taffe provided shootout heroics to help the Chocolate and White to a 3-2 victory. Goaltender Dany Sabourin made 35 saves on 37 shots to earn second-star honors.

BEARS BITES:

Jake Massie earned his first point as a Bear in Saturday's win versus Bridgeport. The former University of Vermont blueliner has six points (3g, 3a) in 46 career AHL games between Hershey and the Springfield Thunderbirds...Hershey's eight shorthanded goals this season are tied for most in the AHL with Stockton, Charlotte and San Jose...Kale Kessy is 4th in the league in penalty minutes (71)...Pheonix Copley is 7th in the league in wins (12).

BEARS MOURN PASSING OF MIKE NYKOLUK:

On Monday, the Hershey Bears were saddened to learn of the passing of Mike Nykoluk. He was 87 years old. Nykoluk is Hershey's all-time leader in games played (972), assists (636), and points (808). He played 14 years for Hershey from 1958-1972, winning Calder Cups in 1959 and 1969. A fan favorite, Nykoluk was affectionately known as "The Big Bear" to the Hershey faithful. His number 8 is retired by the club. A native of Toronto, Ontario, Nykoluk recorded 50-plus assists in seven straight seasons and was named the AHL's Most Valuable Player in 1966-67. Nykoluk was inducted into the AHL Hall of Fame in 2007, and was part of Hershey's inaugural 2012 Hall of Fame Class. He ranks third on the AHL's all-time list with 686 assists, sixth with 881 points, and fifth with 1,069 games played. The Bears will honor Nykoluk prior to Wednesday's game versus Hartford at GIANT Center.

Check out the Hershey Bears Statistics



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