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AHL Hershey Bears

Bears Weekly #22: Back in Win Column, More Atlantic Division Action Ahead

March 10, 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 a pair of Atlantic Division games this weekend. The Bears visit Bridgeport on Friday before returning home to host Lehigh Valley on Sunday.

TEAM INFO:

Record: 27-21-4-3

Standings Position: 5th in Atlantic

TEAM LEADERS:

Goals: Garrett Pilon (15)

Assists: Mike Vecchione (24)

Points: Mike Vecchione (36)

Power Play Goals: Garrett Pilon, Mike Vecchione (5)

Shorthanded Goals: Shane Gersich, Brian Pinho (2)

Plus/Minus: Lucas Johansen (+23)

Wins: Pheonix Copley (13)

GAA: Phoenix Copley (2.44)

SV%: Phoenix Copley (.910)

Only includes players on the active roster

RECENT RESULTS:

Wednesday, March 8: Hershey 4, Lehigh Valley 0

The Hershey Bears returned to the win column on Tuesday night, snapping a four-game skid, with a 4-0 win over the Lehigh Valley Phantoms in front of 10,486 fans at GIANT Center. Zach Fucale recorded his second consecutive shutout with 26 saves, and Beck Malenstyn had a career-best night with two goals and an assist. Brett Leason and Garrett Pilon also scored for Hershey in the victory as the Bears improved to 3-5-0-0 versus the Phantoms this season. The two teams rematch on Sunday at GIANT Center.

Saturday, March 5: Hartford 3, Hershey 1

The Bears were in action last Saturday, suffering a 3-1 loss to the Hartford Wolf Pack at the XL Center. After a scoreless first period, Matt Lorito opened the scoring for Hartford at 12:15 of the second frame, but Aliaksei Protas tied the game for Hershey at :55 of the third period. However, the Wolf Pack would score twice more, getting goals from Tanner Fritz and Austin Rueschhoff to earn the win.

UPCOMING SCHEDULE:

- Friday, Mar. 11 at Bridgeport, 7 p.m.

- Sunday, Mar. 13 vs. Lehigh Valley, 5 p.m.

St. Patrick's Day Jersey Auction, Penn State Health T-Shirt Night (All Fans)

Video Coverage: AHLTV, TV Coverage: Antenna TV (Sunday Only), Radio Coverage: Bears Radio Network, Tickets: HersheyBears.com

TEAM NEWS AND NOTES:

SHUTOUT KING:

Hershey goaltender Zach Fucale has posted shutouts in back-to-back starts. He stopped all 34 shots he faced for his first AHL shutout of the season, blanking the Eastern Conference's top team in a 4-0 win at Utica on Feb. 25. After a brief call-up to the Washington Capitals, Fucale returned to Hershey's net on Tuesday, stopping 26 Lehigh Valley shots to earn another 4-0 clean sheet. He is the first Hershey goaltender since Ilya Samosnov (Jan. 12 and Jan. 16, 2019) to post shutouts in two straight starts. Fucale is 9-8-4 this season for the Bears, recording a 2.72 goals-against average.

SGARBS STEPS IN:

Hershey forward Mike Sgarbossa returned to the lineup on Tuesday versus Lehigh Valley. It was his first AHL game since Jan. 29, when he sustained an upper-body injury. The night Sgarbossa was hurt was his first AHL game since Nov. 21, as the veteran forward spent several months with the NHL's Washington Capitals, playing 10 games. Sgarbossa's return is a big one for a team looking for more offense. He is a former 65-point scorer for the Bears, collecting 30 goals, including 14 on the power play during the 2018-19 campaign. Sgarbossa has 14 points (8g, 6a) in 17 games this season for the Chocolate and White.

BIG MAC ON THE CUSP:

Defenseman Dylan McIlrath enters this weekend just one point from 100 in his AHL career. He had an assist in Tuesday's win over Lehigh Valley, giving him 99 points (26g, 73a) in his 479-game AHL career. The veteran from Winnipeg, Manitoba has nine points (3g, 6a) in 53 games this season with Hershey. He is also approaching 1000 penalty minutes in his AHL career. He is second on Hershey with 74 minutes in the box this season, while he's collected 977 penalty minutes in his AHL tenure.

BECK DOES MORE THAN CHECK:

Forward Beck Malenstyn is coming off the best game of his pro career on Tuesday versus the Phantoms. The third-year Bear posted the first three-point game of AHL career, scoring two goals and adding an assist while earning First Star honors in Hershey's 4-0 win. Malenstyn has seven goals on the season in 44 games, tying his personal-best, posted in each of his previous two seasons with the Bears.

BEARS BITES:

Hershey defender Lucas Johansen is a +23 on the season, a mark tied for second in the AHL. Only Bakersfield's Vincent Desharnais (+31) is better in that category...Hershey's power play will look to get back on track this weekend as it has not connected in four straight outings, going 0-for-14...Mike Vecchione leads the Bears with 18 power play points, striking for five goals and 13 assists on the man-advantage...Hershey prospect Drake Rymsha was named the ECHL Player of the Week for Feb. 28-March 6. Rymsha scored four goals, added three assists, and was a +8 in three games for the Fort Wayne Komets over the stretch...Former Hershey Bears forward Ryan Bourque was named the new interim assistant coach of Hershey's ECHL affiliate, the South Carolina Stingrays.

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