Game Preview: Wolf Pack at Bears, 7 p.m.

December 8, 2018

Hershey Bears (10-13-0-1) vs. Hartford Wolf Pack (11-11-1-2)
December 8, 2018 | 7 PM | Game 25 | Giant Center
Referees: Alex Ross (7), Peter Tarnaris (17)
Linesmen: Richard Jondo (55), Colin Gates (3)

Tonight's Promotions: 
Advance Auto Car Flag Night (First 5,000 fans), Healthcare Night

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, Zack Fisch, the Voice of the Bears and Mitch Lamoureux, on the call. 
LISTEN LIVE: Fox Sports AM-1460 Stream
WATCH LIVE: AHLTV

ATLANTIC DIVISION STANDINGS

LAST TIME OUT: 
Last night, the Bears lost their eighth consecutive game at PPL Center after dropping a 1-0 decision to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. The loss marked the first time this season the Chocolate and White were shutout. Carter Hart stopped all 26 Hershey shots for his first professional shutout. Connor Bunnaman scored the game’s only goal at 16:51 of the first period on the rebound of a David Kase shot. The Bears went a perfect 5-for-5 on the penalty kill including a successful 5-on-3 kill in the third period. The loss snapped a three-game winning streak for Bears goaltender Vitek Vanecek. The defeat handed Vanecek his first loss since Oct. 26 at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. 

THE PACK IS BACK:
The Hershey Bears last battled the Hartford Wolf Pack on Nov. 4 at Giant Center. On Hockey Fights Cancer night, the Bears erased a third-period deficit and came away with a thrilling 2-1 victory in a shootout. Juuso Ikonen scored his first AHL goal to even the score 1:49 into the third period. In the seventh round of a shootout, Aaron Ness snapped a scoreless gridlock with the eventual game-winner. Parker Milner backstopped Hershey to a perfect 7-for-7 in the shootout to earn the win.

LEWY, LEWY:
Tonight marks Tyler Lewington’s 200th career AHL game, with all representing the Chocolate and White. In his 199 previous games, Lewington has tallied 37 points (10 goals, 27 assists). The former seventh round pick by Washington in the 2013 NHL Draft has led the Bears in penalty minutes the last two seasons, and currently holds 447 career penalty minutes in the midst of his fourth pro season. 

QUICK START, FINISH STRONG:
The Bears have struggled in the second period through 24 games this season, being outscored 29-18. For the Wolf Pack, the middle period has been its most dominant against opponents. Hartford enters tonight outscoring its opponent 25-18 in the second period. On the flip side, the Pack have struggled mightily in the first and third periods, being outscored 36-29 and 32-20. 

HARTFORD CONNECTIONS:
Hershey newcomer Ryan Sproul will not only make is home debut tonight with the Chocolate and White, but will do so against his former team. Sproul appeared in 44 games with the Hartford Wolf Pack last season and tallied 25 points (10 goals, 15 assists). The Mississauga, Ontario native scored his last game-winning goal against the Bears on Feb. 10, 2018. 
 
FAST FACTS:
Hartford’s Peter Holland is fourth in the AHL with 80 shots...Vitek Vanecek is currently ranked sixth among AHL goaltenders in goals against average with 2.29...Hershey is 8-0-0-0 when leading after two periods this season, while Hartford is 7-2-1-2. One of their two shootout losses when leading after 40 minutes occurred when the Bears and Wolf Pack last met on Nov. 4.