Game Preview: Bears vs. Crunch, 5 p.m.
Published on January 8, 2023 under 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 Syracuse Crunch at GIANT Center on Hersheypark Pass Night at 5 p.m. Hershey is looking to snap a two-game skid as they host a fourth straight home game.
Hershey Bears (22-8-2-1) vs. Syracuse Crunch (13-12-2-3)
January 8, 2023 | 5 p.m. | Game 34 | GIANT Center
Referees: Rob Hennessey (#87), Peter Schlittenhardt (#12)
Linespersons: John Rey (#16), Josh Cleary (#45)
Tonight's Promotion:
Hersheypark Pass Night
All fans will receive a 2023 Hersheypark ticket, valid for one-day admission through June 30, 2023
BUY TICKETS NOW
Broadcast Information
Voice of the Bears, Zack Fisch, AHL Hall of Famer Mitch Lamoureux, and Jim Jones on the call
RADIO: WFVY-100.1 FM, Fox Sports 1460-AM, In-arena at 88.9 FM
WATCH LIVE: AHLTV
LISTEN LIVE: Fox Sports AM-1460 Stream
Radio pre-game coverage starts at 4:30 p.m.
LAST TIME OUT:
The Hershey Bears opened 2023 with a 3-1 loss to the visiting Charlotte Checkers last night at GIANT Center. The defeat handed the Bears a second straight regulation loss for the first time this season. The teams traded goals in the first period as Aleksi Heponiemi scored for Charlotte off a turnover at 12:57, but Hershey's Hendrix Lapierre won a puck race at 17:30 and scored on a low wrist shot to make it 1-1. After both teams failed to score in the middle frame, Charlotte's Cameron Morrison tallied the eventual game-winner with a power-play goal via a deflection at 14:16, and Riley Nash sealed the win with an empty net goal. The Crunch were also in action last night, falling on home ice to Rochester, 4-3. The Crunch rallied from a 3-0 deficit to tie the game in the third period on a Gemel Smith goal, but Jeremy Davies tallied the winner for Rochester at 13:40 in a game that saw the teams combine for 100 penalty minutes.
CRUNCH COME TO TOWN:
The Bears host Syracuse this evening for the Crunch's lone visit to GIANT Center this season. Last season, the Crunch beat the Bears twice in Chocolatetown, scoring a 3-2 overtime win on Oct. 27, 2021 and a 5-3 victory in the regular season finale on Apr. 24. Hershey was just 1-2-1-0 versus Syracuse last year, and forward Garrett Pilon led the way for the Bears with five points (2g, 3a) in four head-to-head games. Hershey's last home ice victory versus the Crunch came on Nov. 3, 2019 as Beck Malenstyn and Mike Sgarbossa each tallied goals in the 4-2 victory.
CRUNCHING THE NUMBERS:
The Crunch feature a pair of the league's top players. Defender Darren Raddysh ranks sixth in the AHL in scoring with 37 points (9g, 28a) over 29 games. That mark is second in scoring among AHL defenders to Abbotsford's Christian Wolanin (39 points). Additionally, forward Alex Barre-Boulet has 35 points (8g, 27a) in 28 games, tying him for eighth in the league in scoring. The Crunch also are one of the league's most penalized teams. Last night Syracuse posted 60 penalty minutes in the 4-3 loss to Rochester, and overall, the Crunch are averaging 18.77 penalty minutes per game. Syracuse's Shawn Element is tied for the most major penalties in the league this season with seven. The Crunch's penalty kill has been put to work 125 times this season, and ranks 20th in the AHL at 78.4%.
WELCOME BACK PRO:
Forward Aliaksei Protas made his season debut last night for the Bears after being loaned by the NHL's Washington Capitals earlier in the day. Protas skated in 41 games with the Capitals this season, striking for 10 points (3g, 7a). The 6'6", 225-pound forward played in 42 games with the Bears in 2021-22, finishing with 24 points (8g, 16a), and earning Hershey's Rookie of the Year award. Protas joined the Bears for the final 16 games of the 2020-21 season, scoring seven points (2g, 5a) after completing his first professional season in the KHL for HC Dinamo Minsk.
BEARS BITES:
The Capitals placed forward Joe Snively on waivers yesterday. If he were to clear and be loaned to the Bears, he would be looking to extend a 14-game home point scoring streak, dating back to Nov. 14, 2021...Hershey forward Henrik Borgstom returned to the lineup last night and skated in his 100th career AHL contest...Hershey netminder Zach Fucale is a former member of the Crunch, playing in one game for Syracuse in 2019-20...The Bears are 16-1-0-0 when they hold opponents scoreless in the first period, but just 6-7-2-1 when they surrender a goal in the opening 20 minutes...The Crunch enter tonight winless in four straight games (0-3-0-1) and have also dropped two straight road games...Syracuse's Ilya Usau and Hershey's Aliaksei Protas are both from Belarus and were teammates with Prince Albert (WHL) and HC Dinamo Minsk (KHL).
American Hockey League Stories from January 8, 2023
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- Tucson Roadrunners Road Ahead: Midweek with Milwaukee - Tucson Roadrunners
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- Syracuse Crunch Sign Goaltender Kaden Fulcher to PTO - Syracuse Crunch
- Elmer Soderblom Reassigned to Grand Rapids - Grand Rapids Griffins
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