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AHL Hershey Bears

Game Preview: Bears Make First Visit to Utica Since 2016

March 30, 2018 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Hershey Bears News Release


(Utica, NY)- The Hershey Bears visit the Utica Comets this evening for the final game of the season series. Hershey enters tonight's game having lost their past two contests, while the Comets have won two straight. Utica has already clinched a spot in the Calder Cup Playoffs, while Hershey was eliminated from playoff contention last week.

Hershey Bears (28-32-4-5) at Utica Comets (34-24-6-4)

Friday, March 30, 2018, 7 p.m.

Adirondack Bank Center

RADIO: WQIC-100.1 FM, Fox Sports 1460-AM,

LISTEN LIVE: Fox Sports AM-1460 Stream

WATCH LIVE: AHLLive.com

LAST TIME OUT: Hershey suffered a 6-4 setback on Wednesday in Bridgeport. The Sound Tigers raced out to a 2-0 lead in the first 4:19 on goals by John Stevens and Ryan Hitchcock. Hershey broke a seven-game scoreless drought on the power play at 15:48 of the first period on Joe Whitney's 14th goal of the season. Bridgeport took over in the second period, scoring three goals and chasing Hershey netminder Vitek Vanecek from the game. Anthony Peluso scored twice in the third period for Hershey, and Hampus Gustafsson added his second goal of the season, but it was not enough in the end for the Bears, despite outshooting Bridgeport 40-28. Hershey was 1-for-6 on the power play while Bridgeport was 0-for-1. The Comets were also in action on Wednesday, earning a 3-2 overtime win in Rochester. Michael Chaput scored in regulation for the Comets, and also added the overtime marker at 3:36 of the extra session. Goaltender Thatcher Demko stopped 31 shots for Utica in the win.

LAST TIME VS. UTICA: Hershey and Utica met last on Mar. 3 at the Giant Center, with Hershey earning a 3-0 win. Pheonix Copley was perfect in goal for the Bears, stopping 24 shots to earn the clean sheet. After a 0-0 first period, Aaron Ness opened the scoring for the Bears in the second period. The defender tallied his third goal of the season at 7:36 of the middle stanza, beating Utica goaltender Thatcher Demko with a shot from the slot. Chris Bourque also added a goal in the second period, finishing a give-and-go with Dustin Gazley at 14:52. Zach Sill posted the lone marker of the third period at 14:07, and Hershey earned its fourth shutout of the season. The Bears were 0-for-7 on the power play, while Utica was 0-for-6.

GROUNDING THE COMETS: Since Utica came into the AHL in 2013, the Bears are 3-0-0-0 at the Adirondack Bank Center at the Utica Memorial Auditorium. However, it's been awhile since Hershey's last visit to town. The Bears last game in Utica was on Nov. 16, 2016, a game in which Hershey scored a 4-2 victory. Nathan Walker tallied twice, and in his first game with Hershey, Dominic Monardo had two assists. Liam O'Brien and Chris Bourque also scored for the Bears.

POWERED BY PELUSO: Forward Anthony Peluso enjoyed the best night of his AHL career on Wednesday, posting his first professional three-point game with two goals and an assist. Peluso now has six goals on the season, a new career-high for the rugged winger. He had scored five goals twice during his tenure in Peoria, a club that is no longer part of the AHL. In fact, the Rivermen were purchased by Vancouver in 2013 and moved to Utica to become the Comets.

ROSTER MOVES: Hershey got goaltender Pheonix Copley back from Washington yesterday, but Copley has headed straight to Giant Center to prepare for tomorrow's game vs. Laval. With that said, Adam Carlson is the likely starter between the pipes tonight after coming in relief of Vitek Vanecek on Wednesday. Additionally, the Bears re-assigned forward Mason Mitchell to South Carolina (ECHL) this morning. Mitchell is returning from an upper-body injury suffered on Mar. 10.

SCOUTING THE COMETS: Michael Chaput, a former Lake Erie Monster, leads Utica's active skaters with 38 points (16 goals, 22 assists) while defender Patrick Wiercioch has 35 points (nine goals, 26 assists). The Comets have both Andrew Cherniwchan (seven goals, zero assists) and Frankie Simonelli (two goals, one assist) up from South Carolina on PTO's. Both players participated in Hershey's training camp. Netminder Thatcher Demko was an All-Star this season and is 23-12-6 on the season with a 2.49 goals against average.

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