Game Preview: Toronto at Hershey, 7 p.m.

February 25, 2017

TONIGHT’S GAME NOTES
Toronto Marlies (29-22-3-1, 62 points, 3rd in North) at Hershey Bears (27-16-8-3, 65 points, 5th in Atlantic)
February 25, 2017- 7 p.m.
Giant Center

Broadcast Information (Pre-game 6:30 PM)
LISTEN ON: WQIC-100.1 FM, WOYK-AM 1350, the Bears app via Fox Sports 1460 Harrisburg
WATCH: AHLLive.com

MARLIES AT BEARS: The Hershey Bears return to home ice for the first time in two weeks as they host the Toronto Marlies. This is Hershey’s first meeting with Toronto this season. The Bears are coming off one of the club’s biggest wins of the season last night. Hershey topped Hartford, 6-1, on the road to tighten the Atlantic Division standings. The Marlies scored a 5-3 win at Binghamton last night and enter tonight’s contest with an 8-1-1-0 record over the past 10 games. Tonight is Ames Janitorial Services Rally Towel Night for the first 8,000 and Banking/Finance Night.

2016-17 REGULAR-SEASON SERIES VS TORONTO (0-0-0-0)
February 25    TORONTO    Giant Center    
April 8    At Toronto    Ricoh Coliseum    

2015-16 REGULAR-SEASON SERIES VS TORONTO (1-1-0-0)
December 19, 2015    TORONTO    Giant Center    L, 6-2
February 26, 2016    At Toronto    Ricoh Coliseum    W, 5-2

RECENT RESULTS:
Friday, February 25: Hershey 6, Hartford 1
The Hershey Bears hockey team exploded offensively in the second period on Friday night, scoring five goals on 20 shots, en route to a 6-1 victory over the Hartford Wolf Pack at the XL Center. The five goals in a single period tied a season-high for Hershey, and the 20 shots in a single period set a new season-high for the club. 

Hershey's offense started slow on Friday, firing just two shots in a scoreless opening period. The tide quickly turned in the second period. Christian Thomas, a former Hartford winger, opened the scoring against his former club at 7:17. Christian Djoos and Ryan Bourque assisted, as Thomas finished a pretty passing play for his team-leading 18th goal of the season. 

Just 1:19 later, Hershey struck again. With Hershey making a line change, Travis Boyd stole the puck in the corner and made a falling, spinning pass to Jakub Vrana. Coming off the bench, Vrana was left uncovered, and he beat Hartford netminder Brandon Halverson with a shot through the five-hole to make it 2-0. 

Stanislav Galiev added to the lead at 12:06, beating Halverson with a long-range wrist shot that surprised the netminder. Just 44 seconds later, Hershey made it 4-0 as Boyd scored his 12th goal of the season. Liam O’Brien found Boyd streaking down the right wing, and Boyd’s wrist shot beat Halverson blocker side. For Boyd, the goal marked his 100th career point with Hershey. Netminder Vitek Vanecek also assisted, collecting his second assist of the year. The goal ended Halverson’s night as he was lifted after allowing four goals on 19 shots. 

With Magnus Hellberg now in goal, Hershey continued the offensive onslaught. O’Brien scored at 16:43 to make it 5-0. The forward collected a loose puck in neutral ice and beat Hellberg with a snap shot from the right wing for his seventh goal of the year. Tom Gilbert assisted on the goal, notching his first point with Hershey. 

After a Ryan Graves goal put Hartford on the board at 19:34 of the second period, Hershey answered mid-way through the third period. Galiev scored his second goal of the game, striking on a five-on-three power play. His one-time slap shot from the left wing beat Hellberg under the right arm to make it 6-1 Hershey. 

Hershey outshot Hartford 32-23. It was the first time Hershey had outshot an opponent since Jan. 18. 

BEARS vs. MARLIES - SPECIAL TEAMS: (As of February 25:)

HERSHEY
Power Play    50-for-234 (21.4%) – 6th in AHL
Penalty Kill    198-for-244 (81.1%) – 19th in AHL

Toronto
Power Play    58-for-242 (24.0%) 4th in AHL
Penalty Kill    207-for-253 (81.8%) – 16th in AHL

BEARS vs. HARTFORD – TEAM LEADERS (Stats Exclude Players on NHL Recall):

HERSHEY
Goals    Christian Thomas (18)
Assists    Travis Boyd (33)
Points    Chris Bourque (46)
PIMs    Tyler Lewington (114)
Plus/Minus    Tyler Lewington (+14)
Power-Play Goals    Christian Thomas (10)
Shorthanded Goals    Brad Malone (1)
Game-Winning Goals    Paul Carey (5)
Wins    Vitek Vanecek (14)
Goals-Against Average    Vitek Vanecek (2.71)
Save Percentage    Parker Milner (.913%)

Toronto
Goals    Byron Froese (24)
Assists    Brendan Leipsic (27)
Points    Byron Froese (39)
PIMs    Kerby Rychel (85)
Plus/Minus    Andrew Campbell (+10)
Power-Play Goals    Kerby Rychel, Kasperi Kapanen (9)
Shorthanded Goals    Byron Froese (2)
Game-Winning Goals    Kerby Rychel (4)
Wins    Garret Sparks (16)
Goals-Against Average    Garret Sparks (2.19)
Save Percentage    Garret Sparks (.924)


BEARS RECENT TRANSACTIONS:
Feb. 23    DEL    D    Aaron Ness    Recalled from loan by Washington (NHL)
Feb. 23    DEL    RW    Riley Barber    Recalled from loan by Washington (NHL)
Feb. 23    ADD    C    Travis Boyd    Returned on loan from Washington (NHL)
Feb. 21    DEL    C    Travis Boyd    Recalled from loan by Washington (NHL)
Feb. 20    ADD    G    Joe Cannata    Reassigned by Washington (NHL) from South Carolina (ECHL) 
Feb. 17    DEL    LW    Jakub Vrana    Recalled from loan by Washington (NHL)
Feb. 17    DEL    C    Zach Sanford    Recalled from loan by Washington (NHL)
Feb. 16    ADD    C    Kelly Zajac    Recalled from loan to South Carolina (ECHL)

MARLIES RECENT TRANSACTIONS:
Feb. 21    ADD    RW    Shane Conacher    Recalled from loan to Orlando (ECHL)
Feb. 21    DEL    RW    Eric Faille    Returned on loan to Orlando (ECHL)
Feb. 21    DEL    C    Frederik Gauthier    Recalled from loan by Toronto (ECHL)
Feb. 21    ADD    LW    Mason Marchment    Recalled from loan to Orlando (ECHL)
Feb. 21    DEL    D    Brenden Miller    Returned on loan to Orlando (ECHL)
Feb. 19    ADD    D    Brenden Miller    Recalled from loan to Orlando (ECHL)
Feb. 18    ADD    C    Sergey Kalinin    Loaned from Toronto (NHL)

BEARS NEWS AND NOTES:

PLAYOFF REMATCH: Tonight is the first meeting between Hershey and Toronto since the two teams met in the Eastern Conference Finals of the 2016 Calder Cup Playoffs. Hershey won the best-of-7 series, 4-1, to advance to the Calder Cup Finals. Hershey claimed a pair of wins at home and on the road in the series, closing the series out on the road with a 3-2 win in Game 5 on May 29. Jakub Vrana Christian Djoos, and Dustin Gazley all had four points in the series to lead the way for Hershey. 

GIVE HIM A LAICH: Former Hershey Bears forward Brooks Laich returns to the Giant Center tonight as a member of the Marlies. Laich helped the Bears to the 2006 Calder Cup Championship, scoring 15 points (eight goals, seven assists) in 21 playoff games. Laich’s last game at the Giant Center was June 13, 2006 in the Calder Cup Finals versus Milwaukee. 

BOYD HITS 100: It’s been a busy week for Hershey’s Travis Boyd. The forward earned his first NHL recall on Monday, but did not appear in Washington’s win at Philadelphia on Wednesday. His return to Hershey was good news for the Bears, because he notched a goal and an assist in Friday’s win versus Hartford. The goal gave him 100 career points (34 goals, 66 assists) in 132 games with Hershey. He ranks second on the club with 45 points this season. 

CUP OF JOE: Netminder Joe Cannata joined the South Carolina Stingrays, Hershey’s ECHL affiliate, last week on reassignment. He sparked a big week for South Carolina, going 3-0-0 with a 2.33 goals against average and a .916 save percentage. His strong play saw him return to Hershey, and Cannata is expected to see his first game action with the Bears since Jan 22 when Hershey lost 5-1 to Lehigh Valley on home ice. 

BEARS-MARLIES FAST FACTS: Stanislav Galiev has points in eight of his last 10 games, and has 11 points (seven goals, four assists) in nine games during the month of February. His seven goals are the second most in the AHL in February behind St. John’s forward Chris Terry who has eight. Toronto’s Byron Froese also has seven goals in February and has notched 13 points in just eight games this month…Hershey forward Garrett Mitchell is four points from 100 in his AHL and Hershey career…Hershey’s Riley Barber made his NHL debut last night in Washington’s 2-1 win over Edmonton.