Game Preview: Bears at Comets, 7 p.m.
Published on March 1, 2019 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Hershey Bears News Release
(Utica, NY) - Tonight, the Hershey Bears visit the Utica Comets, American Hockey League affiliate of the Vancouver Canucks, for the lone time this season. The game marks the first of 13 games in the month of March, after the Bears completed a successful February on Wednesday night.
Hershey Bears (32-21-0-3) at Utica Comets (29-21-5-2)
March 1, 2019 | 7 PM | Game 57 | Adirondack Bank Center at the Utica Memorial Auditorium
Referees: Olivier Gouin (54), Terry Koharski (10)
Linesmen: Jason Brown (44), Tory Carissimo (54)
Broadcast Information (Pre-game 6:30 p.m.)
RADIO: WQIC-100.1 FM, WOYK 1350-AM, Fox Sports 1460-AM, Voice of the Bears Zack Fisch on the call.
LISTEN LIVE: Fox Sports AM-1460 Stream
WATCH LIVE: AHLTV
ATLANTIC DIVISION STANDINGS
LAST TIME OUT:
The Hershey Bears successfully bounced back on Wednesday night, and did so in come from behind fashion with a 4-1 win over the Hartford Wolf Pack. Trailing 1-0 after 40 minutes, Riley Barber found the equalizer on a power play goal at 12:55, following a crisp pass from Mike Sgarbossa. Only 24 seconds later, Jonas Siegenthaler gave Hershey the lead with a shot from the left point past a screened Brandon Halverson. Barber added insurance with 2:01 left, after Halverson turned the puck over behind the net, right to Barber's tape in front of an open net. Nathan Walker added the empty netter to complete the scoring at 18:41. The Utica Comets are coming off a 3-1 loss on Wednesday to the Rochester Americans. Reid Boucher scored the Comets only goal on the power play at 16:38 of the first period.
FEBRUARY WAS LEGENDARY:
The Bears closed the book on Wednesday night on one of the most memorable months in the franchise's 81-year history. Hershey went an astounding 11-1-0-0 in February's 12 games, and are now 18-3-0-1 since the calendar has turned to 2019. The Chocolate and White set a franchise record with points in 16 consecutive games in a 4-2 win over Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on Feb. 22, before stretching the streak to its record 17th straight the next day. In February, Riley Barber led the club with 11 points (eight goals, three assists), Aaron Ness tallied nine assists for nine points, and Mike Sgarbossa earned nine points (three goals, six assists). During the month, goaltender Ilya Samsonov was 6-0-0-0 with a 1.46 goals against average and a .947 save percentage.
KNOCKING ON THE DOOR:
Tonight's game features two teams knocking on the door for a spot in the 2019 Calder Cup Playoffs. The Bears enter tonight in sole possession of 3rd place in the Atlantic Division with a three point lead on 4th place Providence, and seven point lead on 5th place Lehigh Valley. Currently, the Comets are clinging to the final playoff spot in the North Division, and only have one point worth of separation from the 5th place Belleville Senators. Last season, Utica locked up the 4th and final playoff spot in the North, but did so with 20 more standings points than the 5th place Binghamton Devils.
WINNER FOR JONAS:
Bears defenseman Jonas Siegenthaler was credited with his first professional game-winning goal Wednesday night in Hartford. Siegenthaler scored his second goal of the season, and eighth of his AHL career with a seeing-eye shot from the left point at the 13:19 mark of the third period to fuel Hershey's comeback. His one prior goal for the Chocolate and White this season was also a snap shot from the point on Feb. 9 to help Hershey to a 3-2 shootout win over Charlotte.
BARBER'S BEST:
Riley Barber tied his career-high for most goals in a single season (26) with a two goal performance on Wednesday night in Hartford. He finished his rookie campaign in 2015-16 with 26 goals in 74 games, and matched the mark in only 50 games this season. Barber leads the team with 15 multi-point games and four multi-goal games. The reigning CCM/AHL Player of the Month for January is fourth in the AHL in points since Jan. 1 with 25 points (15 goals, 10 assists) in 22 games with a plus-nine rating. His 12 power play goals is tied for second-best in the AHL.
American Hockey League Stories from March 1, 2019
- Rampage Comeback Spoiled in Overtime - San Antonio Rampage
- Sens Fall in Overtime to Manitoba - Belleville Senators
- Stars Early Lead Ripped Away in 2-1 Overtime Loss - Texas Stars
- Penguins Pull off 2-1 Shootout Win at Providence - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
- Phantoms Fall at Syracuse - Lehigh Valley Phantoms
- Wolves Push Winning Streak to Six - Chicago Wolves
- Crunch Shutout Phantoms, 4-0 - Syracuse Crunch
- Moose Go OT to Topple Belleville - Manitoba Moose
- Monsters Ground Rocket at the Q, 4-1 - Cleveland Monsters
- Wolf Pack Struggles at Springfield Continue - Hartford Wolf Pack
- P-Bruins Fall 2-1 in OT Shootout to Penguins - Providence Bruins
- T-Birds Dominant in Win over Wolf Pack - Springfield Thunderbirds
- Bears Drop OT Decision in Utica, 3-2 - Hershey Bears
- Checkers Strike Down Devils for Third Straight Win - Charlotte Checkers
- Comets Kiss Hershey Goodbye in Overtime - Utica Comets
- Checkers Escape with 4-2 Win over Devils - Binghamton Devils
- Iowa Wild Signs Forward Riley Bourbonnais to PTO - Iowa Wild
- Brookfield Native Grosenick Resigned by Predators - Milwaukee Admirals
- Thunderbirds Sign D Keoni Texeira and D Alex Breton to PTOs - Springfield Thunderbirds
- Senators Announce Season Ticket and Flex Packages for 2019-20 AHL Season - Belleville Senators
- Anaheim Ducks Reassign Boyle to Gulls - San Diego Gulls
- Batherson Named February CCM/AHL Rookie of the Month - Belleville Senators
- Carr Earns AHL Player of Month Honor - Chicago Wolves
- Carr, Batherson, Starrett Named CCM/AHL Award Winners for February - AHL
- Florida Panthers Loan D Riley Stillman to Springfield - Springfield Thunderbirds
- Stockton Faces off with San Diego Friday - Stockton Heat
- Judah & the Lion to Perform Post-Game March 8 - Milwaukee Admirals
- Super Bowl LIII Lombardi Trophy Coming to Springfield Saturday Night for Fan Photos with Trey Flowers - Springfield Thunderbirds
- Appleby Reassigned to Moose - Manitoba Moose
- Jets Recall Eric Comrie from the Manitoba Moose - Manitoba Moose
- Condors Home Tonight on 17-Game Win Streak - Bakersfield Condors
- Minnesota Wild Recalls Forward Matt Read from Iowa - Iowa Wild
- Griffins Host Winning Wednesday and Purple Community Game - Grand Rapids Griffins
- Thunderbirds Begin 3-Game Weekend vs. Division Foes against Wolf Pack - Springfield Thunderbirds
- Game Preview: Bears at Comets, 7 p.m. - Hershey Bears
- Game Day Build-Up: Senators vs. Moose, March 1 - Belleville Senators
- Character and Resiliency Make the Difference in a 5-4 Rocket Victory - Laval Rocket
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