Game Preview: Bears at Checkers, 4 p.m.
February 19, 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 conclude a three-game road trip with the second of two weekend games against the Charlotte Checkers.
Hershey Bears (31-12-5-1) at Charlotte Checkers (28-17-2-2)
February 19, 2023 | 4 p.m. | Game 50 | Bojangles Coliseum
Referees: Stan Szczurek (#73), Jack Young (#24)
Linespersons: Brandon Grillo (#79), Ken Radolinski (#13)
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, Capitals Radio Network
WATCH LIVE: AHLTV
LISTEN LIVE: Fox Sports AM-1460 Stream, Caps Radio
Radio pre-game coverage starts at 3:30 p.m.
LAST TIME OUT:
The Bears and Checkers met on Saturday, with Hershey taking the first meeting of the weekend by a 6-3 score. Ethen Frank scored a power-play goal to give Hershey a 1-0 lead at 14:11 of the first period. The Checkers tied the game with a goal from Logan Hutsko at 13:15 of the second period, but Mike Vecchione deflected a point shot from Connor McMichael for another power-play goal at 15:58 to put Hershey ahead 2-1. Henrik Borgstrom scored at 2:20 of the third to extend the lead to a pair of goals, but the Checkers responded with a goal at 4-on-4 from Riley Nash at 3:38. Mike Sgarbossa then scored on a delayed penalty at 17:16, but Charlotte pulled Alex Lyon and Lucas Carlsson converted with the extra man at 18:19. The Checkers again pulled Lyon twice, but in both instances Hershey got empty-net goals from Vecchione (18:43) and McMichael (19:15). Vecchione, Sgarbossa, and McMichael each finished the night with three points, while Zach Fucale got his 15th win of the season with 22 saves.
QUEST TO QUIET THE QUEEN CITY:
Saturday's victory was Hershey's first win at Bojangles Coliseum since Oct. 23, 2021, a 2-1 overtime win. Hershey had previously gone winless over its last four visits to Charlotte, with a record of 0-3-1-0 during that span. The win was also Hershey's first victory in regulation since Oct. 20, 2018, a 2-0 triumph. The Bears are seeking their first set of back-to-back wins at Charlotte since the Checkers moved to the Atlantic Division in 2017-18; Hershey last achieved consecutive wins on the road against Charlotte by going 5-0-0-0 between Jan. 11, 2012 to Dec. 20, 2017.
HOT MIKE:
Hershey forward Mike Sgarbossa potted three points last night (1g, 2a) for his team-leading 13th multipoint game of the season. For Sgarbossa, his tally last night was his fourth game-winning goal of the season, which ties a career-high, set during the 2019-20 season with the Bears. Sgarbossa now has 44 points (17g, 27a), which is tied for the second most points he's had in a season, a mark he established twice, with Lake Erie in 2012-13 and San Diego in 2015-16. The veteran center has 27 career points (11g, 16a) in 29 career games versus the Checkers.
THE STROME EFFECT:
Hershey forward Matt Strome dressed in last night's victory, skating in his first game since Jan. 25 at Lehigh Valley, and only his third game in 2023. Even though Strome has just tallied a single assist on the season, Hershey owns an impressive 19-4-2-0 record when the Mississauga, Ontario native is in the lineup. A noted penalty killer, when Strome gets a sweater, the Bears have an 84% success rate (63-for-75) on the penalty kill, a mark that would rank in the top-five in the AHL.
BEARS BITES:
Henrik Borgstrom had a goal last night for Hershey, striking for his first tally since Jan. 13 versus Springfield...Mike Vecchione's three-point night yesterday gives him seven points (3g, 4a) in five outings versus the Checkers this season, the most of any player in the season series... The Bears are 20-2-3-0 when they do not surrender a power play goal, including an impressive 11-2-1-0 on the road this season.
American Hockey League Stories from February 19, 2023
- Roadrunners Win Sixth-Straight Matchup at Home with 3-2 Victory Against Henderson - Tucson Roadrunners
- Hats Off For Garrett Wilson - Lehigh Valley Phantoms
- Rydahl's Hat-Trick Pushes Wolf Pack to Thrilling 6-4 Victory Over Phantoms - Hartford Wolf Pack
- Silver Knights Drop Second of Back-To-Back to Roadrunners - Henderson Silver Knights
- Cooley Shines as Ads Earn Point in OT Loss - Milwaukee Admirals
- Bridgeport scores twice in the first period; Skarek makes 30 saves - Bridgeport Islanders
- Sikura's Hat Trick Propels Hogs Past Wild - Rockford IceHogs
- Bears End Road Trip Finale with 3-2 Shootout Loss to Checkers - Hershey Bears
- Rockford Edges Iowa 5-3 - Iowa Wild
- Blumel Blasts Overtime Winner for Stars in Milwaukee - Texas Stars
- Monsters Late Scoring Leads to 3-2 Win over Wolves - Cleveland Monsters
- Amerks Fall to Crunch in Overtime in Weekend Finale - Rochester Americans
- Checkers Tie Game Late, Get Shootout Win against Hershey - Charlotte Checkers
- Wolves Fall to Monsters 3-2 - Chicago Wolves
- Penguins Fall in Tight Contest to Islanders, 2-1 - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
- P-Bruins Fall to Thunderbirds 3-2 - Providence Bruins
- Crunch Edge Amerks, 3-2, in Overtime - Syracuse Crunch
- Hoelscher, Hofer Lead Gutsy T-Birds to Win at Providence - Springfield Thunderbirds
- Gulls' Drew Suspended Two Games - AHL
- Abbotsford Canucks Sign Ryan Bednard to PTO - Abbotsford Canucks
- Capitals Recall McIlrath, Loan Snively to Bears - Hershey Bears
- Dallas Loans Karlstrom and Olofsson to Texas - Texas Stars
- Game #52 - Henderson Silver Knights at Tucson Roadrunners - Tucson Roadrunners
- Toronto Marlies Host Utica Comets in Family Day Matchup - Toronto Marlies
- Wranglers Open Second Level Seating for Sunday Matchup with Colorado - Calgary Wranglers
- Wolf Pack Search for Revenge against Phantoms - Hartford Wolf Pack
- Game Preview: Iowa Wild vs. Rockford IceHogs - Iowa Wild
- Game Preview: Bears at Checkers, 4 p.m. - Hershey Bears
- Bridgeport Islanders End the Weekend in Wilkes-Barre - Bridgeport Islanders
- Hogs and Wild Tangle for 10th Time - Rockford IceHogs
- Roadrunners Return Home Saturday with 3-2 Win Over Henderson - Tucson Roadrunners
- Barracuda Outlast Canucks, 4-3 - San Jose Barracuda
- Ontario Reign Wins in Overtime - Ontario Reign
- San Diego Loses in Overtime - San Diego Gulls
- Canucks Can't Come Back From Third Period Surge, Fall To Barracuda 4-3 - Abbotsford Canucks
- Silver Knights Defeated by Roadrunners, 3-2 - Henderson Silver Knights
- Nylander, Puustinen Reach 20 Goals in Shootout Loss - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
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