Bears Weekly: New Point Streak Starts as Bears Eye Playoff Spot
March 20, 2019 - American Hockey League (AHL) - Hershey Bears News Release
(Hershey, PA) - The Hershey Bears collected a 3-0-1-0 record in a four-game homestand over the past week, improving the club's record to 36-22-3-4, just two points back of second place Bridgeport. Hershey is on a seven-game point streak (4-0-2-1), and with 11 games remaining in the regular season, the Bears magic number to clinch a playoff berth is 16. The Bears close this week out with a pair of road games at Cleveland, before returning home to the Giant Center to end the month on Mar. 30.
Last Wednesday, Hershey opened the homestand with a 5-3 win over Springfield. Mike Sgarbossa and Jayson Megna led the way with three points, and Ilya Samsonov stopped 26 shots in front of a crowd of 10,317.
On Friday, Hershey hosted defending champion Toronto, and the Bears rallied to force overtime, but fell 5-4. Trailing 4-2 entering the third period, Garrett Pilon scored at 10:34, and Devante Smith-Pelly tied the game at 12:05. Chris Mueller scored the overtime winner for Toronto at 1:39 of the extra session to give the Marlies the extra standings point.
In Saturday's contest, Hershey dominated from start to finish, beating Bridgeport 5-1 at Giant Center. Sgarbossa had a career-best four points, while Riley Barber tallied two goals and an assist.
This past Tuesday, the Bears continued the winning ways, defeating rival Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, 1-0 in overtime. Garrett Pilon had the lone goal while Vitek Vanecek led Hershey to the club's ninth win over the Baby Pens with a 17-save shutout
UPCOMING GAMES:
-Saturday, Mar. 23 at Cleveland, 7:05 p.m.
-Sunday, Mar. 24 at Cleveland, 3 p.m.
#HersheyBearsCares:
The Bears are committed to giving back to the local community. The 7th annual Running for Rachel event with Arooga's took place on Mar. 20 and helped fight cancer. Players also visited the PennState Health Children's Hospital for the final time this season this past Monday.
WEEKLY PRACTICE SCHEDULE:
Thursday, Mar. 21: 10:30 a.m., Hersheypark Arena
Friday, Mar. 22: 9:30 a.m., Hersheypark Arena
Saturday, Mar. 23: 11:15 a.m., Morning Skate, Quicken Loans Arena
*Practice schedule subject to change. Follow @TheHersheyBears on Twitter for updates.
TERRIFIC TURNAROUND: Heading into Hershey's game on Jan. 12 at Lehigh Valley, the Bears were in last place in the Atlantic Division at 15-20-0-2. Since then, the Bears have gone on a remarkable run, collecting points in 26 of the past 28 games, posting a 21-2-3-2 record, good for an exceptional .839 points percentage. In that time, Hershey has lowered the club's goals against per game from 3.41 (26th) to 2.92 (11th). Netminder Ilya Samsonov is 12-1-1-1 with a 1.64 goals against average and .934 save percentage in that span. Mike Sgarbossa has led the charge for the Bears offensively, collecting 30 points (11 goals, 19 assists) in the impressive stretch that has turned Hershey's season around.
HOME COOKING: After a strong homestand, Hershey is now 12-1-1-0 in the club's last 14 games at Giant Center. Hershey's 22 wins on home ice are the most in the Atlantic Division and tied for second in the AHL, only trailing Syracuse's 23 home wins. Hershey is 22-10-1-1 at Giant Center this year.
BARBOSSA CONNECTION: Hershey forward Riley Barber scored twice in last Saturday's win to give him a league-leading 31 goals this season. Barber has enjoyed great chemistry with linemate Mike Sgarbossa all season. Sgarbossa has assisted on 17 of Barber's goals this year, with 12 helpers being the primary assist. Sgarbossa and Barber each have a career-high 58 points on the season, a mark good for fifth in the AHL's scoring race.
GARRETT'S GOT IT GOING: Forward Garrett Pilon enters the week with goals in three straight contests. The rookie forward started out of the gate slow, tallying 11 points (two goals, nine assists) in 34 games in 2018, but has turned on his scoring touch since the calendar flipped to 2019, gathering 19 points (eight goals, 11 assists) in 31 games. He leads Bears rookies with 30 points.
SNIVELY SIGNS: After inking a two-year, entry-level deal with the Capitals, Yale forward Joe Snively signed an amateur tryout with Hershey on Wednesday. The 5-foot-9 forward led Yale in scoring all four years of his NCAA career, and posted 36 points (15 goals, 21 assists) in 33 contests this year for the Bulldogs. The Virginia native has joined the Bears and will wear #15.
BEARS BITES: This weekend's visits marks Hershey's first visit to Cleveland since the Bears dropped Games 3 and 4 of the 2016 Calder Cup Finals to the then Lake Erie Monsters...Aaron Ness' 43 assists lead all AHL defenders, and his 47 points this season are a new career-best...The Bears have points in five straight road games, going 2-0-2-1 in that span.
• Discuss this story on the American Hockey League message board...
American Hockey League Stories from March 20, 2019
- Sens Move Six Clear of Utica - Belleville Senators
- Bridgeport extends point streak at home to eight games in overtime loss to Toronto on Wednesday - Bridgeport Sound Tigers
- P-Bruins Drop Only Trip to Laval 3-2 in Shootout - Providence Bruins
- Special Teams Send Checkers over Syracuse - Charlotte Checkers
- Crunch Downed by Checkers, 4-2 - Syracuse Crunch
- Comets Late Push Not Enough in Belleville - Utica Comets
- Anaheim Ducks Recall Welinski - San Diego Gulls
- Eagles Add Defenseman Peter Tischke - Colorado Eagles
- Game #58 Preview: Tucson vs. Iowa - Tucson Roadrunners
- Moose Reassign Justin Woods - Manitoba Moose
- Tampa Bay Lightning Recall Defenseman Cameron Gaunce from Syracuse Crunch - Syracuse Crunch
- Bears Weekly: New Point Streak Starts as Bears Eye Playoff Spot - Hershey Bears
- Thunderbirds Sign F Brendan Robbins to ATO, Recall F Matt Marcinew from Manchester (ECHL) - Springfield Thunderbirds
- Drew Melanson Recalled from Maine of ECHL, Greg Chase Released from PTO - Hartford Wolf Pack
- Roadrunners Sign Aliu to Professional Tryout - Tucson Roadrunners
- Marlies Visit Bridgeport for Midweek Match Up - Toronto Marlies
- Griffins Sign Loggins to Three-Year Contract, Pearson to ATO - Grand Rapids Griffins
- Bring Your Dog to the BMO Tonight for Hogs' Lottery Cup Showdown - Rockford IceHogs
- Bears Sign Forward Joe Snively to Amateur Tryout Agreement - Hershey Bears
- Admirals Sign Novak to ATO - Milwaukee Admirals
- Libor Sulak Recalled by Detroit - Grand Rapids Griffins
- Monsters Celebrate the 50th Anniversary of the Apollo 11 Mission with 'Moon Landing Night' this Saturday - Cleveland Monsters
- Devils Ink Ryan Walker to Amateur Tryout - Binghamton Devils
- Game Day Build-Up: Senators vs. Comets, March 20 - Belleville Senators
- Sound Tigers Look for Eighth Straight Home Win Tonight - Bridgeport Sound Tigers
- Chaput's Two Spur Roadrunners to a 5-2 Victory over Iowa - Tucson Roadrunners
- Iowa Falters against Tucson in 5-2 Loss - Iowa Wild
- Moose Need OT to Repel San Diego - Manitoba Moose
- Griffins Win Second Consecutive Shootout, 2-1 - Grand Rapids Griffins
- Gulls Rally from Three Down to Grab Point - San Diego Gulls
- Rampage Fall to Griffins in Shootout - San Antonio Rampage
The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
