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AHL Hershey Bears

Bears Weekly: Playoff-Bound Bears Wrap up Regular Season

April 10, 2019 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Hershey Bears News Release


(Hershey, PA) - The Hershey Bears have qualified for the Calder Cup Playoffs and will have a chance to win the franchise's 12th title. Thanks to a strong 2019, and Lehigh Valley's 10-6 win over Wilkes-Barre/Scranton this past Sunday, Hershey officially clinched a berth in the postseason. The Bears currently sit in 3rd place in the Atlantic Division with a 40-25-4-4 record, but the club could finish anywhere from 2nd to 4th. After a trip to Canada last week and a home game versus Lehigh Valley, the Bears end the regular season this week with a three in three.

Hershey went 2-1-0-0 on the road in Canada last week, starting the trip with a 3-0 victory at Toronto last Thursday. The Bears blitzed the defending champs, scoring three goals on the first five shots of the game. Jayson Megna scored just 1:18 into the contest, and Mike Sgarbossa and Brian Pinho each scored in a span of 14 seconds. Ilya Samsonov earned his third shutout with 17 saves.

The next night in Belleville, Hershey topped the B-Sens, 3-1. Megna, Aaron Ness, and Shane Gersich scored, and Vitek Vanecek stood tall in goal, despite Hershey being out shot 10-1 in the third period of play. The win helped Hershey sweep the season series versus Belleville.

After a 5-2 loss in Laval last Saturday, Hershey returned home to Giant Center, dropping a 3-2 overtime decision to Lehigh Valley this Tuesday. The Bears rallied from a 2-0 deficit in the third period thanks to goals from Beck Malenstyn and Maximilian Kammerer, but Connor Bunnaman scored the OT winner.

UPCOMING GAMES/PROMOS:

Ticket information: http://www.hersheybears.com/tickets/single-game.php

-Friday, Apr. 12 at Hartford, 7:15 p.m.

-Saturday, Apr. 13 vs. Utica, 7 p.m.

Promotion: Dietz & Watson Ham Shoot Night

-Sunday, Apr. 14 vs. Hartford, 5 p.m.

Promotion: Fan Appreciation Night, Jersey Off Our Back Night, Team Awards Night

WEEKLY PRACTICE SCHEDULE:

Thursday, Apr. 11: 9:30 a.m., Hersheypark Arena

Friday, Apr. 12: 11:15 a.m., Morning Skate, XL Center

Saturday, Apr. 13: 10 a.m., Morning Skate, Giant Center

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

PLAYOFF-BOUND TURNAROUND: The Bears are playoff bound for the 68th time in franchise history thanks to an impressive climb up the American Hockey League standings after a slow start. On Dec. 21, the Bears were in last place in the entire AHL with just a .414 points percentage and an 11-16-0-2 record through 29 games. In the 44 games since then, Hershey has gone an amazing 29-9-4-2, moving from 8th in the Atlantic Division to 3rd place. In that span, Riley Barber has scored 41 points, including 22 goals, Mike Sgarbossa has added 40 points, and Ilya Samsonov has gone 15-5-0-1 with a 2.07 goals against average. The Bears turnaround was aided by a franchise record 17-game point streak (16-0-0-1) from Jan. 12-Feb. 23.

TO THE MAX: Forward Maximilian Kammerer has started to find his scoring touch and enters the final weekend of the regular season on a four-game point streak. Kammerer, who has four goals on the season, has scored in three of his past four games, and has three goals and one assist in the streak. The Dusseldorf, Germany native has 13 points in 31 games this season.

TAMING THE WOLF PACK: Two of Hershey's final three games are versus the last place team in the Atlantic Division, the Hartford Wolf Pack. Hershey is 4-0-0-0 versus Hartford this season, and have won five straight games at the XL Center. Nathan Walker leads all Bears scorers versus Hartford with six points (one goal, five assists).

MEET THE NEW GUYS: Hershey's roster features an influx of new players. Forward Dylan Steman, signed to an amateur tryout (ATO) out of Michigan Tech, had an assist in his pro debut on Apr. 9. Forward Steven Spinner, Washington's 2014 6th round selection, has also joined the team on an ATO. Defender Bobby Nardella of Notre Dame signed a two-year entry-level deal that starts with the Capitals in 2019-20, but has joined Hershey for the playoff push on an ATO. Hershey added forward Chris McCarthy on a professional tryout after a 74-point season with the ECHL's Reading Royals. Additionally, the Capitals assigned 2018 1st rounder Alexander Alexeyev to Hershey, but the defender is injured and is only expected to rehab his injury with the Bears.

BEARS BITES: Entering the final weekend of the regular season, only forwards Liam O'Brien and Mike Sgarbossa have played in all 73 games this season...Hershey allows just 27.84 shots per game, good for 5th in the AHL...Aaron Ness is now second in scoring among defenders with 51 points...Mike Sgarbossa and Riley Barber's 13 power play goals are the most by a Bear since Stan Galiev had 15 during the 2014-15 campaign.

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