Game Preview: Bears vs. Bruins, 7 p.m.
December 28, 2022 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Hershey Bears News Release
(Hershey, PA) - The Hershey Bears continue the 2022-23 season, presented by Penn State Health, as they host the Providence Bruins at GIANT Center in a battle of the top two teams in the American Hockey League.
Hershey Bears (21-6-2-1) vs. Providence Bruins (16-5-5-2)
December 28, 2022 | 7 p.m. | Game 31 | GIANT Center
Referees: Casey Terreri (#75), Adam Tobias (#16)
Linespersons: Nick Briganti (#58), Tommy George (#61)
Tonight's Promotion:
AAA Car Magnet Night (First 5,000 fans)
Berks Dollar Dog Night & $6 Beers Available At Boulevard, Hot Shots, And Hat Trick
Broadcast Information
Voice of the Bears, Zack Fisch, Hershey Bears Hockey Club Hall of Famer Dave Fenyves, and Jim Jones on the call
RADIO: WFVY-100.1 FM, Fox Sports 1460-AM, Capitals Radio Network, SportsRadio 98.9-FM & WOYK 1350-AM, In-arena at 88.9 FM
WATCH LIVE: AHLTV
LISTEN LIVE: Fox Sports AM-1460 Stream, Caps Radio Network
Radio pre-game coverage starts at 6:30 p.m.
LAST TIME OUT:
The Hershey Bears returned from a holiday break with a 2-1 shootout victory over the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins last night at Mohegan Sun Arena. The victory was Hershey's fourth straight win, and it marked Hershey's third shootout win this year. The game was scoreless through 20 minutes despite the Bears outshooting the Penguins 15-5. Hershey broke through in the middle frame as Ethen Frank connected on the power play with his 11th goal of the season at 6:06 to make it 1-0. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton responded with a power-play goal of their own as Alex Nylander scored from the goal line at 18:19 of the middle frame to make it 1-1. In the shootout, Connor McMichael scored the lone goal, and Zach Fucale went 3-for-3 to give Hershey the win. The Bruins were last in action on Dec. 23, dropping a 5-2 decision at Charlotte. Jack Ahcan and Mike Reilly had the goals for the Bruins in a game in which Providence went 0-for-7 on the power play.
BATTLE OF THE BEST:
Tonight's game pins the top two teams in the American Hockey League against each other for the first time this season. The Bears lead the league with a 21-6-2-1 record, good for 45 points and a .750 points percentage, while Providence is 16-5-5-2, sitting in second with 39 points a .696 points percentage. The Bruins have dropped two straight games coming into tonight's contest and are 5-3-2-0 over the past 10 games. Veteran forward Vinni Lettieri leads the Bruins with 25 points (11g, 14a) in 27 games this season, while Hershey's Mike Vecchione paces the Bears with an identical stat line through 29 games. Last season, the Bears were just 1-5-0-0 versus the Bruins, and Providence has won the past four head-to-head matchups, shutting out the Bears in three of those contests.
POWER PLAY WEAPON:
Forward Ethen Frank is now tied with Mike Vecchione for the team lead with 11 goals this season. The rookie ranks first on the Bears with four power-play goals, and he's posted tallies on the man-advantage in back-to-back games. Frank, who ranked tied for fourth in the NCAA last season with 10 power-play goals for Western Michigan, is tied for the team lead for Hershey with a +15 rating. Among AHL rookies, Frank is third in the league in goals (11) and fifth in points (20).
MEET THE NEW GUYS:
Due to injuries and illness to Hershey's forward corps, the Bears added a pair of forwards from South Carolina earlier this week. Experienced winger Alex Fortin made his Hershey debut last night after scoring 17 points (7g, 10a) in 19 games with South Carolina (ECHL) this season. He has played 202 career AHL games with Rockford, Colorado, Laval, and Hershey, notching 62 points (22g, 40a). Rookie winger Kevin O'Neil made his AHL debut last night after signing a professional tryout with the Bears earlier in the day. He skated in 21 games with South Carolina this season, posting 21 points (9g, 12a), ranking third on the team in goals, assists, and points.
BEARS BITES:
Hershey defender Aaron Ness previously spent the 2021-22 campaign with the Bruins, putting up 19 points (3g, 16a) in 55 contests for the club... Providence defender Connor Carrick laced his skates up for the Chocolate and White from the 2013-16 seasons, scoring 72 points (18g, 54a) in 133 contests....Bruins head coach Ryan Mougenel previously served as an assistant for Hershey during the 2013-14 season....The Bears are 12-1-2-1 in one-goal games this season and an impressive 12-0-2-1 when tied after two periods.
American Hockey League Stories from December 28, 2022
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- Grand Rapids' Offense Slows in 4-1 Loss to Rockford - Grand Rapids Griffins
- Belleville Sens Unable to Slow Down Marlies - Belleville Senators
- Andreoff Scores Once And Adds Two Assists In Wednesday Setback - Bridgeport Islanders
- Phantoms Take Wild 6-5 Shootout Win Over Bridgeport - Lehigh Valley Phantoms
- Amerks Edge Comets in Overtime for Fourth Straight Win - Rochester Americans
- Gust Sends Hats Flying, IceHogs Topple Griffins - Rockford IceHogs
- Wild Ride Three-Point Nights by Giroux, Mermis to 5-3 Victory Over Eagles - Iowa Wild
- Wolf Pack Can't Hold off Second Period Surge from Thunderbirds, Fall 7-4 - Hartford Wolf Pack
- Bears Kick off Homestand with 1-0 Blanking of Bruins - Hershey Bears
- Greg Moore to Lead North Division at 2023 AHL All-Star Classic - Toronto Marlies
- Wild Net Late Goal to Defeat Colorado, 5-3 - Colorado Eagles
- Crunch Downed by Rocket, 6-3 - Syracuse Crunch
- Comets Score Four Unanswered, But Fall in Overtime - Utica Comets
- P-Bruins Topped by Bears 1-0 - Providence Bruins
- Iowa Wild Announces Dakota Mermis as Captain - Iowa Wild
- Series Preview vs. SD: December 28, December 30, & January 1 - Henderson Silver Knights
- Anaheim Ducks Reassign Olle Eriksson Ek to San Diego - San Diego Gulls
- This Week in Iowa Wild Hockey - Iowa Wild
- Monsters Sign Forward Ben Copeland to AHL Contract - Cleveland Monsters
- Frasca, Gauthier Reassigned to Wheeling - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
- Lycksell Recalled by Flyers - Lehigh Valley Phantoms
- Holy Theme Night Batman: Gotham City Invades RMFH Tomorrow for Monsters Batman Night - Cleveland Monsters
- Wolf Pack Conclude Back-To-Back Set with Visit to Thunderbirds - Hartford Wolf Pack
- Game Preview: Iowa Wild vs. Colorado Eagles - Iowa Wild
- Beck Malenstyn Loaned to Bears - Hershey Bears
- Toronto Marlies Visit Belleville Senators in Divisional Matchup - Toronto Marlies
- Game Preview: Bears vs. Bruins, 7 p.m. - Hershey Bears
- Blue Jackets Assign Defenseman Jake Christiansen to Monsters, Recall Forward Emil Bemstrom from Cleveland - Cleveland Monsters
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