Sports stats



AHL Hershey Bears

Game Preview: Bears at Phantoms, 7:05 p.m.

January 23, 2019 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Hershey Bears News Release


Tonight, the Hershey Bears battle the Lehigh Valley Phantoms for the eighth of 12 meetings this season. The Bears will look to extend their season-long winning streak to six games. Hershey's current winning streak started with a 3-0 shutout win in Lehigh Valley on Jan. 12.

Hershey Bears (20-20-0-2) at Lehigh Valley Phantoms (22-15-3-2)

January 23, 2019 | 7:05 PM | Game 43 | PPL Center

Referees: Alex Normandin (65), Jonathon Sitarski (23)

Linesmen: Bob Goodman (90), Tom George (61)

Broadcast Information (Pre-game 6:35 p.m.)

RADIO: WQIC-100.1 FM, 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 return to action after extending their current winning streak to five games on Jan. 20. The Bears allowed the game's first goal for the first time in 11 games, but proceeded to score four answered in a 4-1 win over the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. Riley Barber tied the game for the Chocolate and White at 19:46 of the first period. Juuso Ikonen provided Hershey a 2-1 lead at 4:28 of the second period with his third goal of the season, and Mike Sgarbossa contributed a power play blast at 9:00 to double his team's lead. Garrett Pilon rounded out the scoring at 2:53 of the third period after Beck Malenstyn forced a turnover on the forecheck. Lehigh Valley is back in action after dropping a 2-1 overtime decision on Monday to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. Mike Huntebrinker scored the lone Phantoms goal.

GOING BACK TO THE CORNER:

The Bears return to the scene where they began their current winning streak, the PPL Center on the corner of 7th and Hamilton Street in Allentown. On Jan. 12, Hershey bounced back from a 6-2 loss to the Springfield Thunderbirds the previous night and won 3-0 over the Phantoms. Ryan Sproul opened the scoring with his eventual game-winner at 2:58 of the second period, and Riley Barber scored a pair of 4-on-4 goals before the frame expired. Ilya Samsonov made 18 stops for his first career AHL shutout. The victory snapped a nine-game losing skid at the PPL Center, and was Hershey's first win in Allentown since Apr. 5, 2017.

PURE POWER BARBS:

Riley Barber earned a secondary assist on Hershey's lone power play goal on Monday to increase his power play point total to 22 (nine goals, 13 assists). The 22 points on the man-advantage is a league-best, one better than Syracuse's Cory Conacher, Chicago's Daniel Carr, and Toronto's Chris Mueller. Barber will look to add his special teams success to the season series against the Phantoms, as Hershey's power play is 0-for-21 against Lehigh Valley this season.

STREAKING BEARS:

The Bears enter tonight tied for the longest active win streak in the AHL at five games. This marks the Bears first five-game win streak since Feb. 11-23, 2018. Hershey has not won six straight games since Mar. 11-22, 2017. The last time the Bears won seven straight games was from Mar. 17- 28, 2012.

SIX IN A ROW FOR SGARBOSSA:

Forward Mike Sgarbossa enters tonight with a six-game point streak that has seen him rack up eight points in that stretch (four goals, four assists). His goal Monday at Bridgeport gave him a team-best 19 markers on the season, and also tied his career-high in goals, a milestone established during his rookie season in 2012-13. He also has eight power play goals, equaling his previous best total on the man-advantage, which also came in 2012-13 with Lake Erie.

BREAKING THE ICE:

Monday's game marked the first time this season the Bears allowed the first goal of the game on the road, but earned a victory. For the Chocolate and White, scoring the opening goal on the road has proven to be critical more often than not. Hershey is 8-2-0-0 when they score first away from Giant Center, but only 1-9-0-1 when they surrender the first goal on the road.

Check out the Hershey Bears Statistics

• Discuss this story on the American Hockey League message board...

American Hockey League Stories from January 23, 2019


The opinions expressed in this release are those of the organization issuing it, and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.

OurSports Central