Game Preview: Bears vs. Thunderbirds, 7 PM
December 21, 2019 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Hershey Bears News Release
(Hershey, PA) - Tonight, the Hershey Bears put their six-game winning streak on the line against the Springfield Thunderbirds. The Bears currently enter unbeaten in the month of December. Both teams will rematch tomorrow at Giant Center with a special 1 PM start time.
Hershey Bears (14-9-2-3) vs. Springfield Thunderbirds (16-14-1-0)
December 21, 2019 | 7 PM | Game #29 | Giant Center
Referees: Corey Syvret (42), Jeremy Tufts (78)
Linesmen: Kyle Flemington (55), Jonathan Deschamps
ATLANTIC DIVISION STANDINGS
Ticket Information: http://www.hersheybears.com/tickets/single-game.php
Broadcast Information (Pre-game 6:30 PM)
RADIO: WQIC-100.1 FM, Fox Sports 1460-AM, WOYK 1350-AM, Voice of the Bears Zack Fisch, Dave Fenyves and Jim Jones on the call.
LISTEN LIVE: Fox Sports AM-1460 Stream
WATCH LIVE: AHLTV
LAST TIME OUT:
The Hershey Bears pushed their win streak to six games last Sunday with a 3-1 victory over the Lehigh Valley Phantoms at Giant Center. The victory marked Hershey's third regulation win this month over Lehigh Valley in three tries. Halfway through the 12 game season-series, the Chocolate and White have bested the Phantoms five times in six tries, and have recorded points in all six games (5-0-1-0). The Springfield Thunderbirds enter tonight fresh off a 3-1 win last night over the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. Even at 1-1 after 40 minutes, Ryan Haggerty and Anthony Greco tallied for Springfield to give them a two-goal edge.
WINS IN SIX AND IN THE MIX:
The Bears are in the midst of the club's longest winning streak of the season with six straight victories. Both Mike Sgarbossa and Christian Djoos have a team-best seven points in the streak, while Vitek Vanecek is a perfect 4-0-0. The club's power play has scored in four straight games, and over the last six contests, the penalty kill is 31-for-34 (91.2%). Hershey enters tonight's game sitting 4th in the Atlantic Division.
CHANCE FOR RETRIBUTION:
Hershey last played Springfield on Nov. 1, 2019 in the only previous meeting between the two clubs during the 2019-20 campaign. Tied 1-1 after 20 minutes, the Thunderbirds scored seven unanswered to beat the Bears by an 8-1 margin, which stands as Hershey's most lopsided loss of the season. Both Paul Thompson and Anthony Greco tallied twice for the T-Birds, and Axel Jonsson-Fjallby scored Hershey's only goal. Prior to the game, the last time the Chocolate and White yielded eight goals within a single 60 minute contest was on Oct. 20, 2012 in an 8-7 loss to the Rochester Americans on Hershey's 75th Home Opener.
BIG TIME BOBBY:
Defender Bobby Nardella scored his first professional goal in Sunday's win over Lehigh Valley. The rookie out of Notre Dame has points in three straight games, tallying one goal and two assists in that span. Despite missing time due to injuries, Nardella has been productive this season, posting six points (one goal, five assists) in just seven games. Half of his points have come on the power play, which is 4-for-10 (40%) since Nardella returned from injury on Dec. 7.
PINHO'S PART:
Second-year forward Brian Pinho collected three points on the weekend, including notching a goal and an assist Saturday in a contest he earned first star honors. He tallied an assist on Sunday, giving him 12 points (four goals, eight assists) in 28 games this season. That stat line is the exact same mark that Pinho finished with last season in 73 games played. The former Providence College standout played in his 100th AHL game last Saturday.
American Hockey League Stories from December 21, 2019
- Tucson Buries Reign - Ontario Reign
- Colorado Makes It Four Straight with 4-1 Win over Bakersfield - Colorado Eagles
- Condors Drop Opener in Colorado - Bakersfield Condors
- Wolves Drop Stars Late - Chicago Wolves
- Wolves Top Stars in 2-1 Heartbreaker - Texas Stars
- Amerks Head into Christmas Break with Loss to Comets - Rochester Americans
- Post Game Notes: Texas 1 at Chicago 2 - Texas Stars
- Moose Top Rampage on Griffith Hat Trick - San Antonio Rampage
- Shesterkin Pitches Shutout vs. Providence - Hartford Wolf Pack
- P-Bruins Fail to Score, Fall to Hartford Wolf Pack, 3-0 - Providence Bruins
- Skarek earns first North American shutout and St. Denis scores twice on Saturday - Bridgeport Islanders
- Bears Win in Overtime over T-Birds, Win Streak Pushed to Seven - Hershey Bears
- Sens Beaten by Marlies in Final Game Before Break - Belleville Senators
- Penguins Downed in Bridgeport, 3-0 - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
- Laberge Strikes Twice at Charlotte - Lehigh Valley Phantoms
- Monsters Come Back for 3-2 Win over IceHogs - Cleveland Monsters
- Comets Merry with Divisional Win in Rochester - Utica Comets
- Crunch Defeat Devils, 5-2 - Syracuse Crunch
- Devils Lose To Crunch, 5-2 - Binghamton Devils
- Jonsson-Fjallby Spoils Montembeault's Marvelous Night in OT - Springfield Thunderbirds
- Phantoms Survive Checkers' Late Rally Attempt - Charlotte Checkers
- San Diego Gulls Sign Brett Pollock to PTO - San Diego Gulls
- Game 28 Preview: Ontario at Tucson - Tucson Roadrunners
- Battle of Ontario Heads to Belleville - Toronto Marlies
- Rochester Americans Game Preview: Saturday, December 21, 2019 vs. Utica Comets - Rochester Americans
- Heat Bring Six-Game Point Streak to San Diego Saturday - Stockton Heat
- Game Day Build-Up: Senators vs. Marlies, December 21 - Belleville Senators
- Game Preview: Bears vs. Thunderbirds, 7 PM - Hershey Bears
- Third-Period Comeback Sparks 4-2 Win at San Diego - San Jose Barracuda
- Fasching Records Hat Trick As Roadrunners Extend Franchise Record Winning Streak To Seven - Tucson Roadrunners
- San Jose Gets Better of Gulls, 4-2 - San Diego Gulls
- Iowa Earns 4-2 Victory against Grand Rapids - Iowa Wild
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