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Hershey Bears

Game Preview: Bears vs. Islanders, 3 p.m.

January 29, 2023 - 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 return from a four-game road trip to GIANT Center, where they will face the Bridgeport Islanders. The Bears are set to host their annual GIANT Teddy Bear Toss, in which fans are encouraged to throw teddy bears and other stuffed animals onto the ice following Hershey's first goal of the game. Hershey enters today's game riding an eight-game point streak (6-0-2-0).

Hershey Bears (28-8-4-1) vs. Bridgeport Islanders (18-17-6-1)

January 29, 2023 | 3 p.m. | Game 42 | GIANT Center

Referees: Rob Hennesy (87), Adam Tobias (16)

Linespersons: Bob Goodman (90), John Rey (16)

Today's Promotion:

GIANT Teddy Bear Toss Night - During the GIANT Teddy Bear Toss, all fans are encouraged to bring new, stuffed items to the game to toss onto the ice as the Bears score their first goal. All items collected will be donated to local charities. CLICK HERE for a comprehensive GIANT Teddy Bear Toss FAQ.

BUY TICKETS NOW (Please note that only Standing Room Only tickets remain available)

Broadcast Information

Voice of the Bears, Zack Fisch, and FOX43 Sports Director Todd Sadowski on the call

TELEVISION: Antenna TV, WPMT 43.2, Comcast 247, Verizon Fios 463, Blue Ridge Ephrata 91, Blue Ridge Newberry/Duncannon 88

RADIO: WFVY-100.1 FM, Fox Sports 1460-AM, In-arena at 88.9 FM

WATCH LIVE: Antenna TV and AHLTV

LISTEN LIVE: Fox Sports AM-1460 Stream

Radio pre-game coverage starts at 2:30 p.m., TV coverage at 3 p.m.

LAST TIME OUT:

Hershey faced Lehigh Valley last night at PPL Center, scoring a 7-3 victory. The Bears built a 3-0 lead in the first period on the strength of goals from Mike Vecchione (7:55), Shane Gersich (11:05), and Mike Sgarbossa (19:31). Garrett Pilon scored the eventual game-winning goal at 1:49 of the second period, beginning a back-and-forth sequence of scoring with the Phantoms. Cal O'Reilly scored a shorthanded goal at 10:34. Ethen Frank then scored 34 seconds into the third period, before Ronnie Attard responded at 2:53. Frank scored again at 12:05, and Jackson Cates pulled the Phantoms to within three goals with a tally at 14:03, before Mason Morelli netted a power-play goal at 16:46 to close the scoring, as the Bears finished with a season-high seven goals in the victory. Hershey went 1-for-2 on the power play, and 1-for-1 on the penalty kill, while Zach Fucale picked up his 14th win of the season with 20 saves. The Islanders were at Mohegan Sun Arena last night and fell 3-1 to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, as Cole Bardreau scored Bridgeport's only goal at 4:32 of the second period. Ty Glover broke a 1-1 tie with the eventual game-winner for the Penguins.

TEDDY BEAR TOSS TIME:

In a sight that truly must be seen, thousands upon thousands of stuffed animals will come raining down today at GIANT Center. Today's world-famous GIANT Teddy Bear Toss sees fans throw teddy bears and other stuffed animals onto the ice following Hershey's first goal of the game. In 2022, Hershey collected 52,341 plush toys, a world record. As part of the club's Hershey Bears Cares initiative, which showcases the philanthropic activities and volunteer efforts of Bears players and staff members throughout the community, teddy bears and stuffed animals are collected and donated to more than 35 local organizations.

TEDDY BEAR TOSS HISTORY:

This year's GIANT Teddy Bear Toss marks the 21st event in team history. The club has collected an estimated 322,199 plush toys since 2001. In 2022, Hershey defeated the Hartford Wolf Pack by a 5-0 score on Jan. 22. Axel Jonsson-Fjallby scored at 6:13 of the first period to ignite a world-record 52,341 stuffed animals flying to the ice. A total of 11 players on Hershey's current roster dressed in that game, including forward Shane Gersich, who assisted on Jonsson-Fjallby's goal. Since 2001, Hershey's all-time record in Teddy Bear Toss games is 14-2-0-2 in addition to two ties. The Bears also hosted a drive-thru event in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Hershey has won six straight Teddy Bear Toss games, scoring four or more goals in each of those contests.

TEDDY BEAR TOSS SCORERS:

Hershey has a pair of players on the roster who have scored a Teddy Bear Toss goal in previous stops. Injured forward Kale Kessy scored a Teddy Bear Toss goal with ECHL Bakersfield on Dec. 4, 2013, while forward Mason Morelli notched a Teddy Bear Toss goal just 15 seconds into the game for the North American Hockey League's Minot Minotauros in 2012. No currently-rostered player has previously scored a Teddy Bear Toss goal for Hershey in their career, although Shane Gersich, Aaron Ness, Mike Sgarbossa, and Joe Snively have all assisted on previous Teddy Bear Toss goals, with Sgarbossa assisting twice (2018 and 2019).

BEARS BITES:

The Bearshave not lost in regulation to Bridgeport since Nov. 23, 2019, and have posted a record of 13-0-0-1 against the Islanders in that time...Ethen Frank leads Hershey in scoring against Bridgeport with seven points (2g, 5a) in three games, and now leads all AHL rookies with 20 goals...Forward Connor McMichael has 10 points (3g, 7a) in his last 10 games...Forward Garrett Pilon has eight points (4g, 4a) in his last seven contests...Defender Gabriel Carlsson has a three-game assist streak (5a) and a plus-minus of +9 over that stretch...Defender Aaron Ness is four points away from his 300th pro point.

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