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AHL Hershey Bears

Game Preview: Bears at Checkers, 7 p.m.

December 1, 2023 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Hershey Bears News Release


(Charlotte, NC) - The Hershey Bears continue their road trip with the first of two weekend games against the Charlotte Checkers. Hershey and Charlotte will duel eight total times during the 2023-24 campaign, with each team hosting four games.

Hershey Bears (16-4-0-0) at Charlotte Checkers (10-7-0-0)

December 1, 2023 | 7 p.m. | Game 21 | Bojangles' Coliseum

Referees: Stephen Hiff (46), Chris Rumble (65)

Linespersons: Kirsten Welsh (10), Shane Gustafson (18)

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

WATCH LIVE: AHLTV

LISTEN LIVE: Fox Sports AM-1460 Stream, Caps Radio 24/7

Radio pre-game coverage starts at 6:30 p.m.

LAST TIME OUT:

The Bears picked up their seventh consecutive win on Wednesday, a 7-5 win at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. After ending the first period trailing 3-1, Hershey reeled off four consecutive goals in a span of 9:20 in the second period to take a 5-3 lead, as Mike Sgarbossa (9:33), Joe Snively (11:09), Pierrick Dubé (15:34), and Riley Sutter (18:53) dented the net. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton pushed back in the third, but Hershey added goals from Ivan Miroshnichenko (10:17) and an empty-net goal from Snively (18:17) sealed the game. The Checkers have been idle for six days, coming off their Teddy Bear Toss game, a 4-1 home loss to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton last Saturday at Bojangles' Coliseum, in which Wilkes-Barre/Scranton raced out to a three-goal edge by the 12:06 mark of the first period, then made it 4-0 late in the second period with a John Gruden power-play goal. Will Lockwood finally broke through Joel Blomqvist's armor in the third period, but the Penguins netminder stopped a total of 44 Charlotte shots.

SWEET 16 - ON TO 20:

Wednesday's contest at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton marked the Bears' 16th victory of the season, establishing a new franchise record for the most wins through the first 20 games of a campaign; the prior mark of 15 had been established by the 1957-58 and 1946-47 Bears squads. Hershey's next hurdle in the record book will be to match or best the club mark for fastest 20 wins - the 2008-09 Bears reached 20 wins in their 26th game with a 20-5-0-1 record, bolstered by winning 11 straight games to achieve the feat.

ANOTHER BATTLE AT 'THE BISCUIT':

This weekend's road set at Charlotte will mark the first time the Bears have faced the Checkers since dispatching of Charlotte in the 2023 Atlantic Division Semifinals by taking the best-of-five series in four games, highlighted by winning both of their road games in the series at Bojangles' Coliseum. In the 2022-23 regular season, Hershey was 1-1-1-1 in four games at Charlotte, and 3-3-1-1 against the Checkers overall; Mike Vecchione led the series with nine points (4g, 5a) in seven contests; since-departed netminder Zach Fucale was responsible for all of the Bears' regular-season wins against Charlotte.

CHECKING IN ON THE CHECKERS:

Charlotte has lost three of its last four games, and five of its last seven; the Checkers are also tied for the league lead for wins when trailing after the first period, with three. Returning defender Lucas Carlsson leads all AHL defensemen with seven goals and 67 shots; he is also tied for third in league scoring among blueliners with 15 points (7g, 8a). Four of Carlsson's goals have been game-winners. Charlotte has played three overtime games this season, winning all three. The Checkers own the league's top-ranked penalty kill, at 89.3% (67-for-75). Charlotte is in its third season as a Florida Panthers affiliate, and its third season with Geordie Kinnear as head coach.

BEARS BITES:

Mike Sgarbossa is tied for sixth in league scoring with 20 points (4g, 16a); his 16 assists are also tied for third in the AHL...Hershey leads the AHL with 12 regulation wins...The Bears are 12-0-0-0 this season when leading after the second period...Hershey is 9-1-0-0 this season in games decided by one goal... Aaron Ness (153 points) recorded three assists in Wednesday's win to pass Patrick McNeill (152 points) for eighth all-time in Bears scoring among defensemen - up next in seventh place is Mike Gaul (1997-00, 168 points)...Jimmy Huntington's next point will be the 100th of his professional career...Bears defender Chase Priskie played for Charlotte during the 2019-20 and 2021-22 seasons, collecting 62 points (14g, 48a) in 106 games.

ON THIS DATE:

Dec. 1, 2002 - The Bears held a pre-game ceremony at GIANT Center to honor the retirement of former Hershey defender Ralph Keller's No. 3 to the rafters. The number had previously been retired in honor of Frank Mathers; Keller's name was added to the existing banner that night. Hershey went on to tie the Bridgeport Sound Tigers by a 3-3 score. Cail MacLean, Brian Wilsie, and Brent Thompson scored for the Bears, while Philippe Sauve made 27 saves.

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