Game Preview: Checkers at Bears, 5 p.m.

February 10, 2019

The Hershey Bears close their four-game season-series tonight against the Charlotte Checkers. Both teams rematch after a 3-2 shootout win for Hershey the previous night. A win tonight would be Hershey's sixth victory in a row. The Bears have climbed to fifth in the Atlantic Division and are just two points out of a playoff spot. 
 
Hershey Bears (25-20-0-3) vs Charlotte Checkers (32-12-6-1)

February 10, 2019 | 5 PM | Game 49 | Giant Center
Referees:  Stephen Reneau (34), Tim Mayer (19) 
Linesmen:  Tom George (61), Scott Pomento (25)

Broadcast Information (Pre-game 4:30 p.m.)
RADIO: WQIC-100.1 FM, Fox Sports 1460-AM, WOYK 1350-AM, Zack Fisch, the Voice of the Bears, 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 are fresh off a 3-2 shootout win over the Charlotte Checkers last night at Giant Center. For only the second time in the current point streak, the opposition drew first blood against the Chocolate and White with a Patrick Brown goal at 14:59. After Beck Malenstyn was whistled for roughing, Brown squeezed a loose puck through the pads of Vitek Vanecek to open the scoring. Jonas Siegenthaler tied the game for Hershey in his first game with the Bears since Nov. 4. A wrist shot from the center point beat Checkers goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic at 8:47 of the second period. Charlotte retook the lead with another power play goal at 12:38 of the third period scored by Jake Bean, but Hershey rallied in the final minutes. Riley Barber found the equalizer with 96 seconds left, sending the game to overtime and extending the point streak. After a scoreless overtime, Nathan Walker scored the lone shootout goal in the fifth round, and Vanecek went a perfect 5-for-5 in goal to secure the win.

THE STREAK ROLLS ON:
With the shootout win last night, Hershey extended its point streak to 11 games. The last time the Bears had a point streak longer than this came during the 2015-16 campaign in a season that the Bears advanced to the Calder Cup Finals. The Bears collected points in 13 straight games from Jan. 10-Feb. 10, 2016. Hershey went 9-0-2-2 in that stretch and went on to win the Atlantic Division. Hershey is 10-0-0-1 in its current 11-game point streak. 

MY NAME IS JONAS: 
Defender Jonas Siegenthaler was re-assigned to the Bears by the Washington Capitals on Friday. The blue liner made an immediate impact in his return to Hershey, scoring his first goal of the season in the second period last night. It was Siegenthaler's first goal, at any level, since Apr. 14, 2018, when he scored with the Bears versus the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. He has four assists in 25 games with the Capitals this season, and has now registered three points (one goal, two assists) in 15 games with the Chocolate and White. 

#19 HITS #20:
Hershey forward Riley Barber's late tying goal last night was his 20th tally of the season. For Barber, it's the third time in his four-year AHL career that the forward has collected 20 or more goals. Barber tallied 20 goals last season to lead the Bears, and posted a career-high 26 strikes in his rookie season in 2015-16. His 40 points in 42 games this season has already surpassed his point total (38) in 60 games last year, and is 15 points off his career-best of 55, also collected during his rookie season. 

SHOOTOUT CITY:
The Bears have appeared in seven shootouts this season, and three during the current 11-game point streak. Last night marked the second shootout this season between Hershey and Charlotte, with the first dating back to Oct. 19 at Bojangles' Coliseum. That night, Vitek Vanecek yielded goals to both shooters he faced, and Checkers goaltender Alex Nedeljkovic earned the win in goal after stopping Riley Barber and Mike Sgarbossa. Vanecek won the rematch last night by stopping all five shooters, and Nathan Walker scored the lone goal in the skills competition on Nedeljkovic. Both of Charlotte's shootouts this season have come versus the Chocolate and White. Hershey is now 4-3 in shootouts this season, and Vanecek sports a 2-2 record with a .842 save percentage (16 saves on 19 attempts).