Game Preview: Bears at Comets, 7 PM
December 27, 2019 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Hershey Bears News Release
(Utica, NY) - Tonight, the Hershey Bears return from Holiday Break and seek their ninth consecutive victory in a 7 PM battle against the Utica Comets. It's the second and final game of a brief, two-game set against the Comets.
Hershey Bears (16-9-2-3) at Utica Comets (18-10-1-2)
December 27, 2019 | 7 PM | Game #31 | Adirondack Bank Center at the Utica Memorial Auditorium
Referees: Guillaume Labonte (35), Olivier Gouin (54)
Linesmen: Jason Brown (44), Adam Wood (23)
ATLANTIC DIVISION STANDINGS
Broadcast Information (Pre-game 6:30 PM)
RADIO: WQIC-100.1 FM, Fox Sports 1460-AM, WOYK 1350-AM, Voice of the Bears Zack Fisch and Matt Trust on the call.
LISTEN LIVE: Fox Sports AM-1460 Stream
WATCH LIVE: AHLTV
LAST TIME OUT:
The Hershey Bears extended their current winning streak to eight games after scoring a 3-2 victory over the Springfield Thunderbirds last Sunday afternoon at Giant Center. Trailing 2-0 after 40 minutes, Matt Moulson tallied twice, scoring at 1:39, and adding a goal on the power play at 7:45. Philippe Maillet earned the primary helper on both Moulson goals, and both players completed a three-point night at the 10:43 mark. Moulson connected with Maillet on a long stretch pass, and Maillet converted on the breakaway chance for his second game-winning goal in the last four games. The Utica Comets return to action for the first time in six days after previously beating the Rochester Americans, 4-3, last Saturday. Olli Juolevi snapped a 3-3 tie and scored the game-winner at the 18:33 mark of the third period to help Utica to a dramatic win.
COMET DISINTEGRATION:
Tonight marks the final meeting between the Bears and the Comets this season. In the previous meeting at the Giant Center on Oct. 26, the Bears pushed the Comets to a shootout, but Reid Boucher had the lone goal of the skills competition to give Utica at 2-1 win. At the time, the victory pushed the Comets to a perfect 7-0-0-0 record. Since the game, Boucher has continued his tear, and the veteran forward enters tonight's game leading the AHL in goals with 20. This evening's contest is Hershey's first game in Utica since Mar. 1 of last season, when the Comets upended the Bears, 3-2 in overtime. Liam O'Brien and Mike Sgarbossa had goals for Hershey, but Cam Darcy notched the game-winning goal at 44 seconds of overtime. Since the Comets came into the AHL in 2013, the Bears hold a 7-1-2-1 record versus the Comets, and Hershey has gone 3-1-1-0 at the Adirondack Bank Center.
SYMMETRIC AND EFFECTIVE:
Both netminders Vitek Vanecek and Pheonix Copley have been a nearly symmetric and reliable 1-2 punch for the Hershey Bears. Entering tonight, both Vanecek and Copley have allowed three goals in a single game on three occasions, two goals on five occasions, and yielded only one goal on four occasions. Both goaltenders have one shutout in the 2019-20 season. Vanecek, 2019 AHL All-Star selection enters the weekend with a stellar 9-4-1 record, 2.20 goals against average, .915 save percentage, and has won his last five consecutive starts. Copley enters with a 7-5-4 line, 2.63 goals against average, a .899 save percentage and three straight wins.
BETTER LATE THAN NEVER:
The Bears have displayed late game heroics and third period success throughout their current winning streak. In the month of December, Hershey is outscoring opponents in the third period by a 7-2 margin. On two occasions during the current streak, the Chocolate and White have erased 2-0 deficits in the third period, and won by a 3-2 score on Dec. 8 versus Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, and more recently on Dec. 22 versus Springfield. The Bears have also received overtime heroics on three occasions with sudden-death goals from Brett Leason, Joe Snively, and Axel Jonsson-Fjallby.
ROOKIE REARGUARDS:
Tonight's game features several rookie blue liners off to a great start in their AHL careers. Utica's Brogan Rafferty leads all AHL defenders in points with 29 (four goals, 25 assists) through 31 games. He also ranks first among AHL rearguards with a +17 plus/minus rating. Meanwhile, Hershey's Martin Fehervary also boasts a strong plus/minus, ranking fifth among AHL blue liners with a +10 rating. That mark also leads the Bears this season. Like Utica, Hershey is also led in defensive scoring by a rookie. First-year defender Alex Alexeyev has 13 points (one goal, 12 assists), the most points of any defender on Hershey's active roster.
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