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AHL Hershey Bears

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

December 30, 2023 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Hershey Bears News Release


(Allentown, PA) - The Hershey Bears conclude the 2023 portion of the schedule tonight as they go for an eighth straight victory in a Keystone State clash with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms at PPL Center.

Hershey Bears (26-6-0-0) at Lehigh Valley Phantoms (13-11-4-1)

December 30, 2023 | 7:05 p.m. | Game 33 | PPL Center

Referees: Tanner Doiron (1), Peter Schlittenhardt (12)

Linespersons: Tommy George (61), Michael Magee (41)

Broadcast Information

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

WATCH LIVE: AHLTV

LISTEN LIVE: Fox Sports AM-1460 Stream

Radio pre-game coverage starts at 6:35 p.m.

LAST TIME OUT:

The Bears prevailed in a rematch of the 2023 Eastern Conference Finals, recording a 4-2 win last night at Rochester. Lucas Johansen got the scoring started for Hershey at 14:20 of the first period with his first goal of the season, and Mike Sgarbossa scored a power-play goal in the middle stanza. Mike Vecchione provided the winning marker, breaking a 2-2 deadlock at 14:13 of the third period, and Bogdan Trineyev sealed the win for Hershey with an empty-net goal at 18:25. Clay Stevenson earned the win in goal for Hershey with 26 saves. The Phantoms have been off since Wednesday when they scored a 5-4 win over Utica. Alexis Gendron and Garrett Wilson had a goal and an assist for the Phantoms in the victory.

A BANNER YEAR:

Tonight marks Hershey's final game of 2023, and it's certainly been a year to remember for the Bears. The club capped the 2022-23 season with a playoff run for the ages, winning the franchise's 12th Calder Cup in overtime of Game 7 at Coachella Valley. In the 2023-24 campaign, Hershey has posted the best start in franchise history through 32 games, leading the AHL with an impressive 26-6-0-0 record. In the calendar year 2023, Hershey has played 92 total games between the regular season and playoffs combined, owning a 62-24-3-3 record. Over that stretch, goaltender Hunter Shepard has recorded 40 wins with a 2.30 goals-against average, while forward Mike Sgarbossa played in 68 of the games, scoring 67 points (18g, 49a).

BIG GOAL VECCHIONE:

Hershey forward Mike Vecchione struck for the game-winning goal last night, connecting for his eighth goal of the season. For Vecchione, the strike was his first tally in 11 games (Nov. 18 at Bridgeport). The veteran winger has points in two straight games, and he's now tallied the winning goal four times this season, second on the club to

Pierrick Dubé (5). The former Phantom has 16 points (8g, 8a) in 27 games this season.

FUN WITH THE PHANTOMS:

Tonight marks the fifth of 12 meetings this season with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, and Hershey's first game versus its Keystone State rival since Nov. 12. The Bears won the first three meetings, including a 2-0 decision at PPL Center on Nov. 11, before the Phantoms bested the Bears 4-1 in the latest meeting on Nov. 12 at GIANT Center.

Pierrick Dubé has four goals in four games versus the Phantoms this season, and Clay Stevenson has gone 2-1-0 with a 1.33 goals-against average. The Phantoms enter tonight's game with points in their last three games, going 2-0-0-1 in that stretch. Lehigh Valley forward Cooper Marody has points in six of his past seven games, scoring three goals and seven assists over the time period.

DECEMBER TO REMEMBER:

Hershey's special teams have vaulted into the top five of the AHL thanks to a strong performance in the month of December. Hershey's power play has scored in eight of the 12 games this month, and in that span, the Chocolate and White are 12-for-34 on the man advantage, good for a 35.3% conversion rate. They are fourth in the league on the power play at 23.8% overall this season. The penalty kill has also been strong in December, going 38-for-42, sitting at 90.5% in that span. With the string of success, Hershey is now third in the league with a penalty kill of 86.5%.

BEARS BITES:

With an assist last night, Hershey's Riley Sutter has 12 points (5g, 7a) this season. That total has come in just 32 games, and it ties his career-best in points set last year in 69 games, when he posted an identical stat line to his current output. The center has assists in two of his past three games...Mike Sgarbossa's goal last night was the 50th power-play tally of his AHL career...Hershey's Garrett Roe has four assists over his past four games...The Bears have scored the first goal in every game of the club's seven-game win streak...Hershey has outscored opponents 37-17 in the first period this season...The Chocolate and White's 109 goals this season are second to just the Texas Stars' 111 goals.

ON THIS DATE:

Dec. 30, 2016 - The Bears go 4-for-8 on the power play in front of a sold-out crowd of 10,518 at GIANT Center to post a 6-2 victory over the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. Hershey scores four times in the third period and Liam O'Brien finishes the night with two goals and an assist for the Bears.

Check out the Hershey Bears Statistics



American Hockey League Stories from December 30, 2023


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