AHL Hershey Bears

Game Preview: Phantoms at Bears, 7 p.m.

Published on February 2, 2019 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Hershey Bears News Release


(Hershey, PA) - Tonight, the Hershey Bears return to the ice following the All-Star break and kickoff their February schedule. The Bears finished January with a successful 7-2-0-1 record and enter tonight's game on a seven-game point streak.

Hershey Bears (21-20-0-3) vs. Lehigh Valley Phantoms (25-16-3-2)

February 2, 2019 | 7:00 PM | Game 45 | Giant Center

Referees: Jason Williams (18), Ryan Jenken (24)

Linesmen: Bob Goodman (90), Tom George (61)

Tonight's Promotions:

AAA License Plate Frame Night (First 5,000 Fans)

Ticket Information: http://www.hersheybears.com/tickets/single-game.php

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, Freddy Cassivi and Jim Jones on the call.

LISTEN LIVE: Fox Sports AM-1460 Stream

WATCH LIVE: AHLTV, Caps Radio 24/7

ATLANTIC DIVISION STANDINGS

LAST TIME OUT:

The Hershey Bears last took the ice one week ago in a 4-2 win over the Laval Rocket in front of 9,926 fans at Giant Center. Nathan Walker started the scoring 6:56 in for the Chocolate and White, and Mike Sgarbossa doubled his team's lead in the second period after finishing a tic-tac-toe passing play at 10:06. Only 48 seconds later, Beck Malenstyn scored the Bears third shorthanded goal of the season with a quick snipe to provide Hershey a 3-0 lead. After Laval scored a pair to pull within one, Riley Barber tallied the empty net goal at 19:21 to round out a 4-2 final. Last night, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms returned from the All-Star Break with a 7-5 victory at Bridgeport. Mike Vecchione had four points, and Justin Bailey tallied a pair of goals for Lehigh Valley.

BARBERSHOP OF THE MONTH:

On Friday, the American Hockey League announced forward Riley Barber was named the CCM/AHL Player of the Month for January. Barber enters tonight averaging one point in each of his 38 games this season (18 goals, 20 assists). The Pittsburgh native collected 14 points (seven goals, seven assists) in 10 games for the Chocolate and White in January. The winger had five multi-point games in the month, and added a pair of game-winning goals, as well as two markers on the power play. He contributed to the scoresheet in eight of Hershey's 10 games over the month, and played a large role in the club's current seven game point streak (6-0-0-1).

20 ON THE BOARD FOR SGARBS:

Mike Sgarbossa's goal from last Saturday's game against Laval marked his first 20-goal season in professional hockey. The veteran is one of just 12 players in the AHL to accomplish this feat so far this year. Nine of Sgarbossa's goals have come on the power play, a mark that is tied for fourth in the AHL. Last season, Hershey just had one 20-goal scorer in Riley Barber, as the forward hit that mark in 60 games. This year Barber already has 18 goals in 38 contests.

CONQUERING THE PK :

Lehigh Valley enters tonight's game with the AHL's top ranked penalty kill at 88%. They are 25-for-26 on the penalty kill over the past six games. Hershey's power play has come up empty handed versus Lehigh Valley this season, as the Bears are 0-for-26 on the man-advantage versus the Phantoms in the eight head-to-head meetings this season.

GAME-WINNER FOR BECK:

Bears rookie forward Beck Malenstyn will return to action after tallying his first professional game-winning goal in last Saturday's victory. Malenstyn's goal, scored shorthanded, was his fourth of the season, coming at 10:54 of the second period. The tally provided the Bears a 3-0 cushion, later proving crucial in a 4-2 final. The Delta, British Columbia native enters tonight with eight points (four goals, four assists) in 44 games this season, and he has points in three of his last four games (one goal, two assists).

MCKENNA'S JOURNEY CONTINUES:

On Wednesday, the Philadelphia Flyers announced goaltender Mike McKenna had been loaned to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms on conditioning purposes. He earned the win in his Phantoms debut, stopping 33 shots in a 7-5 win at Bridgeport last night. The last time McKenna appeared in a game against the Bears was on Mar. 3, 2017. That night, Hershey scored four goals on nine shots to chase McKenna from the crease after only 27:54, before ultimately winning the game 5-1. McKenna has played in 11 NHL games this season, including one with the Flyers against the Washington Capitals on Jan. 8. He also appeared in 10 games for the Ottawa Senators this season, and recorded a 1-4-1 record with a 3.96 goals against average and a .897 save percentage.

Check out the Hershey Bears Statistics

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