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AHL Hershey Bears

Game Preview: Bears at Penguins, 6:05 p.m.

December 11, 2021 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Hershey Bears News Release


(Wilkes-Barre, PA) - The Hershey Bears return to the ice to resume the 2021-22 season, presented by Penn State Health, on the road this evening versus their rival Wikes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. It's Hershey's first game since Nov. 26, and the Baby Pens first game since Nov. 27, as both teams have had numerous games postponed due to COVID-19 protocol issues. Tonight is the first of 12 meetings between the two clubs this season, with five coming this month. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton is the AHL affiliate of the National Hockey League's Pittsburgh Penguins, while the Bears are the AHL affiliate of the Washington Capitals.

Hershey Bears (8-6-2-1) at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (8-8-0-2)

December 11, 2021 | 6:05 PM | Game #18 | Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza

Referees: Riley Yerkovich (#37), Jake Rekucki (#84)

Linespersons: Bill Lyons (#27), Patrick Dapuzzo (#57)

Broadcast Information

Matt Trust and Jim Jones on the call. Trust is filling in for Voice of the Bears, Zack Fisch (COVID-19 protocol)

RADIO: WFVY-100.1 FM, Fox Sports 1460-AM, SportsRadio 98.9-FM & WOYK 1350-AM

WATCH LIVE: AHLTV

LISTEN LIVE: Fox Sports AM-1460 Stream

Radio pre-game coverage starts at 5:35 p.m.

LAST TIME OUT:The Hershey Bears return to action tonight for the first time since Nov. 26. That night, Hershey lost on the road for the second straight game by a 7-3 margin, falling to Rochester after dropping a contest of the same score at Hartford the previous weekend. The Bears allowed a pair of power play goals from Michael Mersch in the opening frame and fell behind 4-0 to the Americans before Kody Clark scored late in the second period. Rochester went 4-for-9 on the power play, and the team's combined for 135 penalty minutes, with Hershey posting a season-high 84 minutes in the box. The Penguins were last in action on Nov. 27, a 5-1 loss to Providence on home ice. Radim Zohorna scored first for the Baby Pens, but Providence scored five unanswered, including a hat trick from forward Zach Senyshyn.

RIVALRY RENEWED:

Tonight is the first head-to-head matchup in the I-81 rivalry season series. This evening's game also marks the first of five matchups between the two clubs in the month of December, and the first of three within an eight day span. Last season, the Chocolate and White went 8-2-0-0 versus the Baby Pens. Hershey captain Matt Moulson registered seven points (5g, 2a) in 10 head-to-head contests, while netminder Pheonix Copley posted a 4-1-0 record with a 2.39 goals-against average. The season series last year featured bad blood between the two teams, as Hershey registered 239 penalty minutes, including 110 over the last three games. That carried over to this preseason, as Hershey won an exhibition game between the two clubs, 5-4, on Oct. 8 at the Mohegan Sun Arena. The game featured four fights and the two teams combined for 82 penalty minutes.

JOE ON THE GO:

After posting just three assists in his first nine games of the season, forward Joe Snively has been on a tear of late for the Chocolate and White. Over his previous eight games, Snively has tallied 14 points (7g, 7a). He has scored three power play goals and a shorthanded goal in that span, while also tallying the game-winning marker twice. He leads the club with six multi-point performances and enters tonight's game on a three-game point streak (2g, 5a). He has 17 points in 17 games this season, the same point total he had last year in 30 games.

PILON POWERS ON:

Forward Garrett Pilon enters tonight's game with a five-game point streak. He has six points (3g, 3a) in his previous five outings with the Bears, and the verstitle center/winger has tallied a goal in three straight games for the first time in his AHL career. Pilon enters this week just two points from 100 in his AHL career, and the fourth-year Bear is tied for first on the team in power play goals (3) while ranking tied for second in goals overall (7). Last season versus Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, Pilon had four helpers in three games.

BEARS BITES:

Hershey forward Mason Morelli has goals in his past two games...The Bears also have shorthanded goals in two straight contests...Hershey netminder Zach Fucale was called up by Washington on Friday, and the Bears summoned goaltender Ryan Bednard from South Carolina (ECHL). Bednard was the winning goaltender in Hershey's exhibition victory over the Penguins on Oct. 8, stopping 12 shots in 20 minutes of action...Wilkes-Barre/Scranton's leading scorer is rookie Valtteri Puustinen, who has scored 11 points (5g, 6a) in 18 games this season...Wilkes-Barre/Scanton's power play ranks last in the AHL at just 9.6% and the Penguins are tied for a league-worst four shorthanded goals allowed.

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