Game Preview: Hershey at Bridgeport, 3 p.m.

February 26, 2017

TONIGHT’S GAME NOTES
Hershey Bears (28-16-8-3, 67 points, 5th in Atlantic) at Bridgeport Sound Tigers (33-18-1-1, 71 points, 4th in Atlantic)
February 26, 2017- 3:00 p.m.
Webster Bank Arena

Broadcast Information (Pre-game 2:30 PM)
LISTEN ON: WQIC-100.1 FM, WOYK-AM 1350, the Bears app via Fox Sports 1460 Harrisburg, Caps Radio 24/7
WATCH: AHLLive.com

BEARS AT SOUND TIGERS: The Hershey Bears return to the Webster Bank Arena to battle the Bridgeport Sound Tigers for the third consecutive Sunday. The Sound Tigers topped the Bears, 5-1, last Sunday. However, Hershey has opened the busy weekend with a pair of wins, topping Hartford 6-1 on Friday and beating Toronto 4-3 on Saturday, while Bridgeport has dropped its last two contests to Providence.  

2016-17 REGULAR-SEASON SERIES VS BRIDGEPORT (2-2-0-1): 
October 22    BRIDGEPORT    Giant Center    W, 5-2
November 12    BRIDGEPORT    Giant Center    SOL, 4-3
December 30    BRIDGEPORT    Giant Center    W, 6-2
February 12    At Bridgeport    Webster Bank Arena    L, 5-4
February 19    At Bridgeport    Webster Bank Arena    L, 5-1
February 26    At Bridgeport    Webster Bank Arena    
March 19    At Bridgeport    Webster Bank Arena    
April 1    BRIDGEPORT    Giant Center    

RECENT RESULTS:
Saturday, February 25: Hershey 4, Toronto 3
Liam O’Brien scored with 3:03 remaining to complete a comeback and earn the Hershey Bears hockey team a 4-3 victory over the Toronto Marlies in front of 10,369 at Giant Center on Saturday night. 

O’Brien broke a 3-3 tie late on the power play in the closing minutes of regulation. Hershey won an offensive zone draw and cycled the puck to Christian Djoos at the right point. The defender fed a pass to the top of the crease for O’Brien. The forward wrapped a shot around the left pad of Toronto goalie Antoine Bibeau to give Hershey a 4-3 lead that they would not relinquish. 

A wild second period saw the start of Hershey’s comeback. The period saw five goals scored as the two teams skated to a 3-3 tie through 40 minutes. The Marlies jumped out to a 2-1 lead, scoring two goals in just 13 seconds. Colin Smith beat Hershey netminder Joe Cannata with a wrist shot from the left wing at 2:25, then Mason Marchment scored on a breakaway at 2:38 to give the Marlies a lead. 

Andreas Johnsson made it 3-1 for the Marlies, beating Cannata with a slap shot from the slot at 10:43. However, Hershey roared back, tying the game with a pair of goals. Veteran Chris Bourque got the scoring started, deflecting a Djoos pass over the blocker of Bibeau to make it 3-2 on the power play at 13:48.

Bourque factored in again on the tying goal, setting up Hershey defender Darren Dietz in the slot for his sixth goal of the season. Bourque collected the puck in the corner and centered a pass to Dietz. The defender snapped a shot over the left pad of Bibeau to make it 3-3. 

Christian Thomas also scored in the win, notching a goal at 9:09 of the first period to make it 1-0. The forward capitalized on a turnover and maneuvered around netminder Garret Sparks to score his 19th goal of the season. Sparks was injured on the play, and left the game after allowing a goal on the only shot he faced. Bibeau replaced him and allowed three goals on 22 shots. 

Cannata stopped 22 shots and earned his first win since Jan. 14. Hershey was 2-for-6 on the power play while Toronto was 0-for-2. 

BEARS vs. SOUND TIGERS - SPECIAL TEAMS: (As of February 26:)
HERSHEY
Power Play    52-for-240 (21.7%) – 6th in AHL
Penalty Kill    200-for-246 (81.3%) – 19th in AHL

Bridgeport
Power Play    34-for-214 (15.9%) –22nd in AHL
Penalty Kill    187-for-231 (81.0%) – 21st in AHL

BEARS vs. SOUND TIGERS – TEAM LEADERS (Stats Exclude Players on NHL Recall):
HERSHEY
Goals    Christian Thomas (19)
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%)

Bridgeport
Goals    Bracken Kearns (18)
Assists    Josh Ho-Sang (25)
Points    Bracken Kearns (40)
PIMs    Ross Johnston (88)
Plus/Minus    Bracken Kearns (+15)
Power-Play Goals    Steve Bernier (9)
Shorthanded Goals    Connor Jones (2)
Game-Winning Goals    Bracken Kearns (5)
Wins    Jaroslav Halak (13)
Goals-Against Average    Jaroslav Halak (1.96)
Save Percentage    Jaroslav Halak (.932)


BEARS RECENT TRANSACTIONS:
Feb. 26    ADD    D    Aaron Ness    Returned on loan from Washington (NHL)
Feb. 26    ADD    RW    Riley Barber    Returned on loan from Washington (NHL)
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) 

SOUND TIGERS RECENT TRANSACTIONS:
Feb. 26    ADD    LW    Bracken Kearns    Returned on loan from NY Islanders (NHL)
Feb. 22    DEL    LW    Bracken Kearns    Recalled from loan by NY Islanders (NHL)
Feb. 16    DEL    G    Stephon Williams    Reassigned by NY Islanders (NHL) to Missouri (ECHL)
Feb. 14    DEL    G    Alex Vazzano    Released from PTO
Feb. 13    ADD    G    Eamon McAdam    Reassigned by NY Islanders (NHL) from Missouri (ECHL)
Feb. 12    ADD    G    Alex Vazzano    Signed to PTO
Feb. 8    ADD    C    Carter Verhaeghe    Reassigned by NY Islanders (NHL) from Missouri (ECHL)
Feb. 6    ADD    D    Jesse Graham    Reassigned by NY Islanders (NHL) from Missouri (ECHL)

BEARS NEWS AND NOTES:

LAST TIME VERSUS BRIDGEPORT:  Hershey battled with the Sound Tigers one week ago at the Webster Bank Arena. Bridgeport earned a 5-1 over Hershey thanks to three goals in the third period. Hershey’s lone goal came from forward Chris Bourque early in the third period on the power play to cut Bridgeport’s lead to 2-1. However, the Sound Tigers pulled away as Carter Verhaeghe and Kyle Burroughs added insurance markers, and Josh Ho-Sang scored an empty net goal. 

DJOOSY: Hershey defender Christian Djoos notched a pair of assists in last night’s 4-3 victory over Toronto to extend his point streak to four games. Djoos has one goal and five assists in that span and currently leads all Hershey defenders with 37 points (eight goals, 29 assists). He is tied for fourth on the team in points and his 29 assists rank third. 

BIG TUNA, BIG YEAR: Forward Liam O’Brien scored the game-winning goal in last night’s 4-3 victory over Toronto at Giant Center. The goal was O’Brien’s eighth goal of the season, a new career-high for the third-year forward. The Halifax, Nova Scotia native has a career-best 25 points this season, surpassing his mark of 16 set last year. 

BEARS-SOUND TIGERS FAST FACTS: Hershey’s Chris Bourque has nine points (one goal, eight assists) in five games versus Bridgeport, the most points of anyone in the season series this year…Bridgeport’s Ryan Pulock has six assists in the season series versus Hershey… Garrett Mitchell is four points from 100 in his Hershey and AHL career…Paul Carey’s next assist will be the 100th of his AHL career…Hershey’s Riley Barber made his NHL debut Friday for the Capitals.