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AHL Hershey Bears

Game Preview: Bears at Checkers, 4 p.m.

February 18, 2023 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Hershey Bears News Release


(Charlotte, NC) - The Hershey Bears continue the 2022-23 season, presented by Penn State Health, as they take the ice for the first of two weekend games against the Charlotte Checkers.

Hershey Bears (30-12-5-1) at Charlotte Checkers (28-16-2-2)

February 18, 2023 | 4 p.m. | Game 49 | Bojangles Coliseum

Referees: Stan Szczurek (73), Jack Young (24)

Linespersons: Shane Gustafson (18), Sean D'Loughy (95)

Broadcast Information

Voice of the Bears, Zack Fisch on the call

RADIO: WFVY-100.1 FM, Fox Sports 1460-AM, SportsRadio 98.9-FM & WOYK 1350-AM (joined in progress)

WATCH LIVE: AHLTV

LISTEN LIVE: Fox Sports AM-1460 Stream

Radio pre-game coverage starts at 3:30 p.m.

LAST TIME OUT:

The Bears visited the Penguins on Wednesday in what was an eventual 3-2 overtime loss. After Mason Morelli scored to tie the game at 1-1 at 18:21 of the first period, Wilkes-Barre Scranton took a 2-1 lead early in the third. With goaltender Hunter Shepard pulled for an extra skater in the final two minutes of regulation, Bobby Nardella tied the game at 2-2 with a shot from the right point at 18:31. The Penguins won the game in overtime courtesy of a goal from Valtteri Puustinen at 1:31 of the extra frame. The Checkers completed a two-game sweep of the Lehigh Valley Phantoms on Wednesday with a 4-1 win, as Gerry Mayhew led the way with a hat trick, and Mack Guzda turned aside 17 of 18 shots.

BEARS-CHECKERS AT A GLANCE:

The Bears are 1-2-1-0 against Charlotte in head-to-head action this season. Mike Vecchione (1g, 3a) and Mason Morelli (0g, 4a) are tied for the team scoring lead against Charlotte, while Riley Nash has paced the Checkers against the Bears with five points (3g, 2a). Zach Fucale earned Hershey's lone win against Charlotte, a 4-2 decision on Dec. 6. Following this weekend's pair of games, the Bears will host the Checkers for two final games in early April at GIANT Center.

QUEEN CITY ADVERSITY:

Since the Checkers moved to the Atlantic Division in 2017-18, Hershey has struggled to find success at Bojangles Coliseum. The Bears are seeking their first win at Charlotte since Oct. 23, 2021, a 2-1 overtime victory over the Checkers in which Lucas Johansen scored the winning goal. Since that game, Hershey has gone 0-3-1-0 at Bojangles Coliseum. Overall, Hershey is just 3-9-1-1 on the road in Charlotte since 2017-18, and the Bears have been outscored 55-34 in that time frame.

MO' POINTS PILING UP:

With his goal on Wednesday at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, Mason Morelli collected his ninth goal and 28th point this season. Hershey has a record of 17-1-3-1 this season when Morelli collects at least a point. The fourth-year pro only needs four more goals, three more assists and six more points to surpass his previous career-bests in all three statistical categories. Morelli is also six points away from 100 in his pro career.

BEARS BITES: Forward Ethen Frank is tied for the rookie goal-scoring lead with 21 goals and is tied with Iowa Wild rookie Sammy Walker for the lead among all players with six insurance goals...The Bears are second in the AHL with the lowest goals-against per game (2.50) and are first in shots against per game (25.92)...Defender Aaron Ness is three points away from his 300th pro point...Hershey leads the Eastern Conference with the most first goals this season, and sports a 22-5-3-1 record when getting on the board first...The Bears own a road penalty kill that ranks fourth in the AHL at 83.6%.

Check out the Hershey Bears Statistics



American Hockey League Stories from February 18, 2023


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