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AHL Hershey Bears

Game Preview: Bears at Checkers, 1 p.m.

February 23, 2025 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Hershey Bears News Release


(Charlotte, NC) - The Hershey Bears close the month of February and play the final game in the season series versus the Charlotte Checkers this afternoon at Bojangles Coliseum. Hershey has gone 3-4-0-0 versus Charlotte this season heading into the eighth and final matchup of the campaign.

Hershey Bears (30-14-5-0) at Charlotte Checkers (28-14-3-2)

Feb. 23, 2025 | 1 p.m. | Bojangles Coliseum

Referees:

Stephen Hiff (46), James Kraft (89)

Linespersons: Luke Pye (42), Tyler Willie (47)

Broadcast Information

Voice of the Bears, Zack Fisch, and Bears media specialist Jesse Liebman on the call

TELEVISION: Antenna TV (WPMT FOX 43.2, Xfinity Ch. 247 and 1178, Verizon FiOS Ch. 463, Blue Ridge Ephrata Ch. 91, and Blue Ridge Newberry/Duncannon Ch. 88)

RADIO: WFVY-100.1 FM, Fox Sports 1460-AM, SportsRadio 98.9-FM & WOYK 1350-AM

WATCH LIVE: AHLTV on FloHockey

LISTEN LIVE: Fox Sports AM-1460 Stream

Radio pre-game coverage starts at 12:30 p.m.; television coverage begins at 1 p.m.

LAST TIME OUT:

The Bears surrendered the game-winning goal with just 28 seconds left in regulation as Charlotte defenseman Michael Benning broke a 1-1 tie and led the Checkers to an eventual 3-1 win at Bojangles Coliseum. Hershey battled back from a 1-0 deficit entering the third period thanks to a Hendrix Lapierre goal, but Benning scored at 19:32, and Kyle Criscuolo added an empty-net tally 20 seconds later to give the Checkers the win. Charlotte outshot the Bears 38-18, and both teams failed to score on the power play with the Checkers going 0-for-4 and the Bears going 0-for-5.

HIGH-FLYING HENDRIX:

Fresh off being named the Howies Hockey Tape/AHL Player of the Week, Hershey forward Hendrix Lapierre continued his hot hand, scoring the club's lone goal last night. Lapierre now has goals in three straight outings after being held off the scoreboard in his first 38 games this season (27 NHL, 11 AHL). This marks the second time in his AHL career that Lapierre has scored in three straight games, with the previous occurrence coming in his rookie season from Nov. 30-Dec. 6, 2022. The native of Aylmer, Quebec has registered 59 points (23g, 36a) in 95 career AHL games with Hershey.

SUNDAY FUNDAY :

Today's game is just Hershey's second road game this season on a Sunday. The Bears have only played once previously while away from home on a Sunday, earning a 2-1 win at Providence on Oct. 27. After today, the club will play once more on the road on a Sunday, doing the honors when they skate in a 3 p.m. contest at Chicago on March 16. Overall, Hershey owns a 7-3-0-0 record in Sunday games this season.

BACK TO THE SHEP STANDARD:

Despite the losing effort last night, Hershey goaltender Hunter Shepard played in one of his best games in recent memory, stopping 35 shots in the 3-1 defeat. For Shepard, it marked the first time since Dec. 28 versus Wilkes-Barre/Scranton that Shepard has allowed two or fewer goals, snapping a stretch of seven games. After numerous NHL call-ups over the past two years prevented him from taking the net in Charlotte, last night marked Shepard's first game at Bojangles Coliseum since a 3-2 shootout loss on Feb. 19, 2023. The goaltender has posted an 18-8-2 record this season, with two of those victories coming versus the Checkers.

RYBINSKI RISES:

Hershey forward Henrik Rybinski warmed up in yesterday's contest, and the third-year Bear could make his long-awaited return to the lineup in this afternoon's game. Rybinski has not played since Jan. 24 at Belleville due to an upper-body injury, missing Hershey's last eight games. The versatile forward is having a career season for Hershey, registering 23 points (6g, 17a) over just 37 games. He has one goal versus Charlotte this season, and overall, Rybinski is looking for his first goal since Dec. 7, a stretch of 13 games.

SHOTS AT A PREMIUM:

After registering just 18 shots yesterday, Hershey will go back to the drawing board this afternoon against one of the AHL's strongest defensive teams. Charlotte has held Hershey to under 20 shots on goal in five of the seven head-to-head games, and three different times this season, the Checkers have kept Hershey to a season-low three shots in a period. Charlotte enters today's game allowing the fewest shots per game in the AHL at just 23.23.

BEARS BITES:

Hershey captain Aaron Ness was a late scratch yesterday due to illness, marking only the second game this season the veteran has not played...Despite the Checkers having one of the AHL's top power plays, Hershey has gone 10-for-10 on the penalty kill in the last two games at Bojangles Coliseum...Last night marked Hershey's first loss on the road on a Saturday this season...Defender Chase Priskie had an assist last night for Hershey in his 300th professional game...Goaltender Clay Stevenson has gone 5-1-0 in his last six games in Charlotte...Tonight's game marks the end of Hershey's February slate. So far, they have gone 3-2-0-0 in the club's lightest month...Charlotte's John Leonard had a goal last night and leads the season series in scoring, registering six points (3g, 3a) versus Hershey...Mike Vecchione's next assist will mark his 100th career helper as a Bear.

ON THIS DATE:

Feb. 23, 2019 - Garrett Pilon scored in the third period to tie the game against the Rockford IceHogs at 2-2 and force overtime, and the Bears then earned an additional point as Riley Barber and Nathan Walker scored in the shootout to lift Hershey to a 3-2 victory at GIANT Center. The win pushed Hershey's point streak to a franchise-record 17 games (16-0-0-1) and earned the Bears an 11th straight win.

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