Game Preview: Bears at Comets, 7 p.m.
Published on February 10, 2023 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Hershey Bears News Release
(Utica, NY) - The Hershey Bears continue the 2022-23 season, presented by Penn State Health, as they make their lone visit of the regular season to the Adirondack Bank Center, where they will face the Utica Comets this evening for the second and final time in this season's head-to-head series.
Hershey Bears (29-11-4-1) at Utica Comets (22-16-5-2)
February 10, 2023 | 7 p.m. | Game 46 | Adirondack Bank Center
Referees: Laura White (5), Cody Beach (45)
Linespersons: Jarrett Burton (6), Tory Carissimo (54)
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), Capitals Radio Network
WATCH LIVE: AHLTV
LISTEN LIVE: Fox Sports AM-1460 Stream, Caps Radio Network
Radio pre-game coverage starts at 6:30 p.m.
LAST TIME OUT:
The Bears faced the Lehigh Valley Phantoms on Feb. 4. Aliaksei Protas scored the opening goal for Hershey at 14:13 of the first period, but Lehigh Valley scored five goals unanswered to upend the Bears in the club's final game before the All-Star break. Bobby Brink posted a goal and two assists for Lehigh Valley, as the Phantoms scored two goals in the second period and three more in the third period to hand the Bears a second straight loss in the head-to-head season series. The Comets are coming off a 4-1 loss to Providence on Feb. 4. Joe Gambardella scored a power-play goal midway through the first period to give Utica a 1-0 lead, but the Bruins equalized with a power-play goal from Fabian Lysell with 13 seconds left in the frame to tie the game. Providence scored three more times to hand the Comets the defeat.
COMET CLASH:
Hershey claimed the initial meeting with the Comets this season on Opening Night at GIANT Center, outlasting Utica in a 3-1 win. Henrik Borgstrom, Mike Vecchione, and Riley Sutter had goals in that contest for Hershey, and netminder Zach Fucale made 19 saves to earn the victory in net. Forward Brian Pinho had a goal in the game for Utica, and the former Bear has posted 23 points (8g, 15a) in 37 games this season for the Comets to rank third on the team. Utica enters Friday's game second in North Division, but they have dropped a season-high four straight contests (0-3-0-1). Hershey has won its past two outings versus the Comets at the Adirondack Bank Center, including a 4-0 win on Feb. 25, 2022, in which Zach Fucale made 34 saves to earn the shutout. The Bears have a lifetime record of 10-2-2-1 against the Comets, with a 5-1-1-0 record at Utica.
STRONG STARTERS:
The Bears are the AHL's top team when it comes to opening a contest with the first goal of the game. The Bears have scored the icebreaker a league-best 30 times this season, posting a 21-5-3-1 record when they take a 1-0 lead. In the first period, only Tucson (55) has more goals scored than the Bears (52), while Hershey has allowed a league-low 26 tallies in the initial stanza. Additionally, the Bears have outshot opponents 439-350 in the first period, with no team in the AHL permitting fewer shots in the first 20 minutes than the Bears. The Bears are 14-5-1-1 when they lead after the first period.
MCMICHAEL PACING BEARS IN FEBRUARY:
Since his loan from Washington in late November, forward Connor McMichael has served as one of Hershey's top offensive weapons, often slotted in on the team's second line. In that stretch of time, he ranks fourth in team scoring with 22 points (11g, 11a) in 31 games, and is second on the team with 98 shots on goal, trailing only Ethen Frank's 99. The third-year pro's three points (2g, 1a) in the month of February leads Hershey through three games, and the Bears are 8-1-0-1 when McMichael finds the net, and 4-0-0-1 in games in which he records multiple points.
BEARS BITES:
Hershey is 12-0-0-1 when Mike Vecchione scores a goal this season...Forward Mike Sgarbossa is set to play his 200th game as a Bear on Saturday at home vs. Hartford...The Bears are 9-2-0-0 when out-shooting opponents on the road this season...The club is 11-0-1-0 when defender Vincent Iorio records at least a point...Hershey is a combined 12-2-2-0 this season on the road when either tied or leading after the first period...Defender Aaron Ness is three points from 300 in his professional career...The Bears are allowing a league-low 2.51 goals per game and 25.56 shots per game.
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