Game Preview: Bears vs. Phantoms, 7 PM
February 1, 2020 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Hershey Bears News Release
(Hershey, PA) - Tonight, the Hershey Bears close out their weekend and open February with a 7 PM tilt against the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. The Bears enter with wins in six of seven games against the Phantoms this season (6-0-1-0).
Hershey Bears (28-14-2-3) vs. Lehigh Valley Phantoms (18-22-1-5)
February 1, 2020 | 7 PM | Game #48 | Giant Center
Referees: Jim Curtin (90), Furman South (44)
Linesmen: Ben O'Quinn (92), Colin Gates (3)
ATLANTIC DIVISION STANDINGS
Ticket Information: http://www.hersheybears.com/tickets/single-game.php
Tonight's Promotion: Chocolate-Covered February, Chocolate-Covered Jersey Auction
Broadcast Information (Pre-game 6:30 p.m.)
RADIO: WQIC-100.1 FM, Fox Sports 1460-AM, WOYK-1350 AM, Voice of the Bears Zack Fisch and Mitch Lamoureux on the call.
LISTEN LIVE: Fox Sports AM-1460 Stream, Caps Radio 24/7
WATCH LIVE: AHLTV
LAST TIME OUT:
The Hershey Bears returned from the AHL All-Star break last night with a 4-1 victory on the road versus the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. It was Hershey's first win in Bridgeport this season and gave the Bears three straight victories heading into tonight's game. After a scoreless opening stanza, Shane Gersich opened the scoring at 2:15 of the second period, deflecting a Garrett Pilon shot past Bridgeport goaltender Christopher Gibson. Bridgeport immediately responded as Kieffer Bellows tied the game at 2:52. Gersich struck again on a wrist shot at 6:38 to put Hershey ahead, and forward Kody Clark finished the frame for Hershey with his third goal of the season at 19:22 to put Hershey ahead 3-1 after 40 minutes. Gersich added an empty-net goal in the third period to seal the hat-trick and the win for Hershey. The victory helped Hershey win 10 games in consecutive months for the first time in franchise history. The Phantoms lost last night at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, 4-1. Andy Andreoff had the lone goal for Lehigh Valley, who lost for the 4th straight game.
SHARP-SHOOTING SHANE:
With his three-goal performance last night, Hershey forward Shane Gersich earned the first multi-goal contest of his professional career. For Gersich, his three points was also a career-high over his 104 games in the AHL and three contests in the NHL. Gersich now has nine goals in 39 games this season, surpassing the eight goals he tallied in 66 games in his rookie season with the Bears. He is the first Bear to earn a hat-trick since Devante Smith-Pelly tallied three times in Hershey's 5-3 win at Hartford on Mar. 10, 2019. The hat-trick was also Gersich's first since his sophomore season at the University of North Dakota. On Nov. 18, 2016, Gersich scored three times for the Fighting Hawks in a 4-0 win at St. Cloud State.
TRIO FOR CLARK:
Hershey forward Kody Clark tallied the first multi-point game of his pro career last night, adding a goal and two assists. With that, Clark became the 20th different Bear this season to strike for a multi-point game. Clark has points in two of his past three games and now has collected seven points (three goals, four assists) in the first 21 games of his professional career. The winger was selected by the Capitals in the 2nd round, 47th overall, in the 2018 NHL Draft.
SECOND PERIOD SUCCESS:
Hershey scored three of its four goals in the middle stanza last night, continuing a trend of second period success. The Bears have scored 54 goals in the second period this season, as compared to 33 in the opening frame, and 41 in the third period. That bodes well for Hershey, as Lehigh Valley is most vulnerable in the second period, surrendering 46 goals. Hershey also fires more shots in the second period, posting 17 last night for a season total of 509.
DOMINANCE OF LEHIGH VALLEY:
The Bears enter tonight's game having dominated the rival Lehigh Valley Phantoms so far this season, going 6-0-1-0 versus their Keystone State foes. Hershey has won five straight games versus the Phantoms, and five of the seven games in the season series have been decided by just one goal. Hershey netminder Vitek Vanecek is a sensational 5-0-0 versus the Phantoms, sporting an impressive 1.36 goals against average and .950 save percentage. Mike Sgarbossa (two goals, five assists) and Christian Djoos (five assists) are the leading scorers in the season series, while no Phantom has more than three points over the seven games.
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