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AHL Hershey Bears

Bears Weekly: March Features Key Atlantic Division Battles

March 5, 2019 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Hershey Bears News Release


(Hershey, PA) - The Hershey Bears battle for a playoff spot in the Atlantic Division intensifies this week. After a 1-1-1-0 performance in last week's slate of games, the Chocolate and White currently hold a one-point lead for 3rd in the Atlantic Division, and have a six-point cushion keeping them in a playoff spot. The Bears visit Providence, the team one point behind them, for a pair of games this week before skating Sunday afternoon in Hartford.

The Bears opened last week by getting back in the win column, scoring a 4-1 victory at Hartford last Wednesday. For the first time this year, the Bears scored four goals in a single period, striking for four unanswered tallies in the third period. Riley Barber scored twice, and Jonas Siegenthaler and Nathan Walker also struck. Ilya Samsonov earned his 15th win in goal for Hershey with 28 saves.

Last Friday, the Chocolate and White made the club's lone visit to Utica this season, and the Bears dropped a 3-2 overtime decision to the Comets. Devante Smith-Pelly earned his first point as a Bear, assisting on Liam O'Brien's second period goal. Mike Sgarbossa also scored, but Cam Darcy tallied the overtime winner for the Comets. Entering the game, Hershey was the only team in the AHL without an overtime loss.

The Bears rounded out last week with a 4-1 loss to Bridgeport at Giant Center. Garrett Pilon had the Bears lone goal as the Sound Tigers beat the Bears for the second time in a week.

UPCOMING GAMES:

-Friday, Mar. 8 at Providence, 7:05 p.m.

-Saturday, Mar. 9 at Providence, 7:05 p.m.

-Sunday, Mar. 10 at Hartford, 3 p.m.

#HersheyBearsCares:

The Bears are committed to giving back to the local community. Nathan Walker and Beck Malenstyn will appear at Ollie's in Harrisburg on Tuesday from 5-7 p.m. Following Wednesday's practice, players will participate in a sled hockey activity with PUCHOG and local players. Liam O'Brien and select players and coaches will appear at Dave & Busters in Camp Hill from 6-8 p.m. on Wednesday.

WEEKLY PRACTICE SCHEDULE:

Wednesday, Mar. 5: 10:30 a.m., Hersheypark Arena

Thursday, Mar. 6: 9:30 a.m., Hersheypark Arena

Friday, Mar. 7: 11:15 a.m., Morning Skate, Providence (Rink TBA)

Saturday, Mar. 8: 11:15 a.m., Morning Skate, Providence (Rink TBA)

*Practice schedule subject to change. Follow @TheHersheyBears on Twitter for updates.

200 ASSISTS FOR AARON: In last Friday's overtime loss at Utica, defender Aaron Ness posted a milestone when he registered his 200th professional assist. Ness has collected 195 helpers in the AHL and five in the NHL during his 549 pro games. Ness' 37 assists are tied for first in the AHL among defenders, and tie a personal best set during the 2014-15 campaign with Bridgeport.

KEEPING IT 100: Goaltender Vitek Vanecek's next appearance will be the 100th of his AHL career. The 23-year-old netminder is 46-32-12 in his 99 games with Hershey, registering a 2.75 goals against average, a .901 save percentage, and eight shutouts. Vanecek, Hershey's lone representative in the 2019 AHL All-Star Classic, has gone 17-for-20 in the shootout this season, securing three of Hershey's league-best seven shootout wins.

MARCH MADNESS: The Bears enter a critical stretch in the month of March as they attempt to secure a playoff position. The Chocolate and White have 11 games remaining this month, including eight versus Atlantic Division opponents. Five of Hershey's remaining games in March come on home ice, including a stretch of four contests at Giant Center in a span of seven days from Mar. 13-19. The Bears will also visit Cleveland Mar. 23-24, the club's first road games versus the Monsters since the 2016 Calder Cup Finals.

SOMETHING'S BRUIN: Three of Hershey's contests this month are versus the Providence Bruins, the team Hershey is neck-and-neck with in the Atlantic Division standings. The Bears visit the Dunkin' Donuts Center for a pair of games this weekend, then host Providence on Mar. 30. Hershey is 1-2-0-0 versus the P-Bruins this season, winning the last meeting, 2-1, at Giant Center on Dec. 30. Providence's roster features former Bear Paul Carey who has 11 goals in 18 games since joining the team from Belleville.

SIGGY'S WINNER: Defender Jonas Siegenthaler's goal last Wednesday at Hartford was the first game-winning goal of the defender's pro career in North America. The goal was his second of the year, and his first away from Giant Center since Mar. 18, 2018 when he scored twice at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.

BEARS BITES: Forward Riley Barber has tied his career-high in goals with 26. He continues to lead the AHL in power play points with 29...Hershey's overtime loss at Utica last Friday was the club's first road overtime loss since Feb. 10, 2017 at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton...The AHL's Playoff Primer ranks Hershey's strength of remaining schedule at .540, the lowest in the Atlantic Division.

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