Game Preview: Bears at Checkers, 4 p.m.
Published on April 11, 2026 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Hershey Bears News Release
(Charlotte, NC) - The Hershey Bears continue the 2025-26 season, presented by Penn State Health, as they take the ice at Bojangles Coliseum this afternoon for the first of two weekend games against the Charlotte Checkers.
Hershey Bears (29-29-6-3) at Charlotte Checkers (42-21-5-0)
April 11, 2026 | 4 p.m. | Bojangles Coliseum
Referees: Jake Kamrass (3), Mathieu Menniti (30)
Linespersons: Brian Pincus (25), Jake Rennert (10)
Broadcast Information
Voice of the Bears, Zack Fisch, FOX43 sports director Todd Sadowski, 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: Froggy Valley 100.1-FM Stream, Fox Sports 1460-AM Stream
Radio pre-game coverage starts at 3:30 p.m.; Television coverage starts at 4 p.m.
LAST TIME OUT:
The line of Andrew Cristall, Ilya Protas, and Bogdan Trineyev erupted for six goals to lead the way as the Bears took down the Hartford Wolf Pack with an 8-1 road win last Saturday. Cristall turned in a hat trick and two assists, Trineyev enjoyed the first multi-goal game and four-point (2g, 2a) outing of his career, and Protas tallied one goal and added five assists for the first six-point game in the American Hockey League since 2019. The Checkers enter today's game riding a five-game winning streak following a 5-1 win at Toronto on Saturday, as Charlotte reeled off five straight goals and Louis Domingue made 24 saves.
ATLANTIC PLAYOFF CHASE:
Following last night's 3-1 win by Springfield over Rochester, Hershey has slid back to sixth place in the Atlantic Division with 67 points through 67 games. The Bears trail the fourth-place Bridgeport Islanders by three points in the standings, and Hershey sits just one point behind the sixth-place Thunderbirds, who have played the same number of games. Hershey remains five points ahead of seventh-place Lehigh Valley, which sits below the playoff line with 62 points through 67 games. Hershey's Magic Number to clinch a berth in the 2026 Calder Cup Playoffs is now six.
GET THE LEAD OUT:
Building a substantial lead against Charlotte will be critical to Hershey's chances of success today. Charlotte's 42 first goals are third in the league, and the Checkers boast a record of 35-5-2-0 when scoring first. Hershey is 23-10-4-3 when scoring first this season, and last Saturday's win against Hartford represented only the fifth time this season that the Bears had built a 2-0 lead against their opponent after the first period; one of the previous instances occurred against the Checkers in Hershey's 4-0 win over Charlotte on Dec. 13.
CHECKING IN WITH THE CHECKERS:
The Bears conclude their season series with the Checkers this weekend with a pair of games in Charlotte. Hershey has a 3-2-0-1 record against the defending Eastern Conference champions this season and took three of a possible four points at Bojangles Coliseum in January, including a 4-3 overtime victory that saw Andrew Cristall pot his first career OT-winner. The Checkers boast the Eastern Conference's top home penalty kill, going 105-for-119 (88.2%).
BEARS BITES:
Hershey announced the re-signing of winger Sam Bitten to a one-year AHL contract for the 2026-27 season yesterday...Bears leading scorer Ilya Protas and goaltender Mitch Gibson were both recalled by the Washington Capitals on Monday, with Protas making his NHL debut on Wednesday at Toronto, collecting an assist...Kyler Kupka scored his first AHL goal in Hershey's 8-1 win at Hartford last Saturday...The Bears are 12-0-0-1 on the road when leading after two periods...Henrik Rybinski is four points away from his 100th professional point...Charlotte goaltender Cooper Black is tied for third in wins with 25...Charlotte forward Jack Devine is 12th in rookie scoring with 39 points (18g, 21a)...Bears defenseman Corey Schueneman is tied for first among blueliners with three shorthanded assists.
ON THIS DATE IN BEARS HISTORY:
April 11, 1979 - The Bears opened the 1979 Calder Cup Playoffs with a comeback 4-3 win over the Binghamton Broome Dusters. After the Broome Dusters pelted Hershey to take a 3-0 lead after the first period, Ron Lalonde started the rally just 23 seconds into the middle frame, Claude Noël and Eddy Godin scored 72 seconds apart, and Bob Bilodeau scored the eventual game-winner midway through the second.
American Hockey League Stories from April 11, 2026
- Gulls Soar into Playoffs with 7-3 Win over Condors - San Diego Gulls
- Lafreniere Nets First Pro Goal in Condors' Loss - Bakersfield Condors
- Gaucher Hat Trick Downs Bridgeport - Lehigh Valley Phantoms
- Reign Edges out Firebirds in Overtime Thriller, 3-2 - Ontario Reign
- REIGN Preview - Ontario at Coachella Valley - Ontario Reign
- San Diego Gulls Clinch 2025-26 Calder Cup Playoff Berth - San Diego Gulls
- Roadrunners Rally Late, Fall, 3-2, in Overtime to Eagles - Tucson Roadrunners
- Skid Continues, Barracuda Fall to Knights, 4-1 - San Jose Barracuda
- Amerks Close out Road Trip with 6-3 Loss in Providence - Rochester Americans
- MacDonald's OT Winner Lifts Colorado to 3-2 Victory over Roadrunners - Colorado Eagles
- Griffins Defeated by Rockford in Final Regular Season Home Game - Grand Rapids Griffins
- The Canucks Shut out the Wranglers in a 4-0 Win - Abbotsford Canucks
- Ads Earn Comeback Win over Wolves - Milwaukee Admirals
- P-Bruins Power Past Americans for 53rd Win of the Season - Providence Bruins
- Syracuse Crunch Extinguish Utica Comets, 5-1 - Syracuse Crunch
- Dylan James Joins Griffins - Grand Rapids Griffins
- Wolves Fall to Admirals 4-3 in Shootout - Chicago Wolves
- Comets Come up Short in Final Trip to Syracuse - Utica Comets
- Islanders Drop Road Contest to Phantoms, 7-3 - Bridgeport Islanders
- Gandy Dancers Muscle Their Way to 4-1 Win - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
- Callum Tung Stellar as Wolf Pack Down Thunderbirds 3-1 - Hartford Wolf Pack
- Michal Postava Reassigned to Griffins - Grand Rapids Griffins
- T-Birds Held at Bay by Wolf Pack, 3-1 - Springfield Thunderbirds
- Bears Hang on for 2-1 Win over Checkers - Hershey Bears
- Senators Unable to Hold Lead in 5-2 Loss to Laval - Belleville Senators
- Checkers Announce First-Round Playoff Schedule - Charlotte Checkers
- Checkers Fall to Bears 2-1 - Charlotte Checkers
- Gravel Recalled by Predators - Milwaukee Admirals
- IceHogs' Mylymok Suspended Three Games - AHL
- Last Dance at Home - Calgary Wranglers
- Panthers Recall Wilmer Skoog - Charlotte Checkers
- Wranglers Drop 5-4 Decision to Canucks - Calgary Wranglers
- Tampa Bay Lightning Reassign Forward Jakob Pelletier to Syracuse Crunch - Syracuse Crunch
- Preview: Condors vs Gulls, 7 p.m. - Bakersfield Condors
- Game Preview: Bears at Checkers, 4 p.m. - Hershey Bears
- Preview: Phantoms vs Bridgeport, Game 68 - Lehigh Valley Phantoms
- Penguins Recall Nolan Renwick from Nailers - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
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