STAR WARS Night Game Preview: Admirals at Bears, 5 p.m.

January 6, 2019

Tonight, the Hershey Bears battle the Milwaukee Admirals, AHL affiliate of the Nashville Predators in a rematch of the 2006 Calder Cup Finals. The Bears enter with wins in three of their last four games and look to sweep the weekend. 
 
Hershey Bears (15-18-0-2) vs. Milwaukee Admirals (18-12-5-1)
January 6, 2019 | 5:00 PM | Game 36 | Giant Center
Referees: Conor O’Donnell (41), Mitch Dunning (43)
Linesmen: Bob Goodman (90), Richard Jondo (55)

Tonight's Promotions: 
STAR WARS Night, Post game jersey auction 

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

Broadcast Information (Pre-game 4:30 p.m.)
RADIO: WQIC-100.1 FM, Fox Sports 1460-AM, WOYK-1350 AM, Voice of the Bears Zack Fisch, Mitch Lamoureux and Jim Jones on the call. 
LISTEN LIVE: Fox Sports AM-1460 Stream
WATCH LIVE: AHLTV

ATLANTIC DIVISION STANDINGS

LAST TIME OUT:
The Hershey Bears tied a season-high by posting six goals last night in a 6-4 rout over the Grand Rapids Griffins. The victory was the first ever win over Grand Rapids on home ice in franchise history. Hershey posted three goals in both the first and third periods and saw a lead as large as four goals. Brian Pinho opened the scoring at 8:55 after burying a perfect saucer pass from Juuso Ikonen on a transition play. Riley Barber doubled his team's lead to 2-0 at 11:01 on his first of two goals, and Shane Gersich scored in his first game back from a 10-game absence due to injury at 15:14. Hershey's 3-1 lead at first intermission carried into the third period, where Aaron Ness, Barber and Ryan Sproul added three more goals. Vitek Vanecek stopped 35 of 39 shots in goal for the win. Last night, the Milwaukee Admirals scored a 5-3 win over the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. The Admirals saw goal contributions from Emil Pettersson, Nicholas Baptiste, Jared Tinordi and Tanner Jeannot. 

LAST TIME VERSUS MILWAUKEE:
The Bears and Admirals last met on Oct. 13, 2018 at UW-Milwaukee Panther Arena. Derek Hulak scored for the Chocolate and White, but the Bears fell by a 5-1 count. On Hulak's goal, Maximilian Kammerer tallied the primary assist for his first career American Hockey League point. Both teams split the 2017-18 season series with Milwaukee winning 4-1 on Oct. 20, 2017, and Hershey earning retribution in a 3-0 win on Dec. 2, 2017. 

200 FOR NESS:
Tonight marks the 200th game for Aaron Ness in a Bears uniform. In 199 previous contests, Ness has posted 95 points (18 goals, 77 assists). He is fresh off a three-point performance last night against Grand Rapids which ties a career-high. In 479 total American Hockey League games, Ness has 31 multi-assist games. He currently leads the team in assists with 19, good for eighth-best among AHL defensemen. 

WELCOME BACK SHANE:
Shane Gersich appeared in his first game with the Chocolate and White since Dec. 7 at Lehigh Valley. Gersich missed a span of 10 games due to an upper-body injury. Only 15:14 into last night's game, Gersich scored his fourth goal of the season after burying a pass from beneath the goal line to give Hershey a 2-0 lead. Tonight will mark Gersich's 26th game of the season with the Chocolate and White and 29th total pro game. 

GARRETT'S APPLE ORCHARD: 
Garrett Pilon tallied three assists in last night's win over Grand Rapids to set a new career-high in single game points. In Pilon's first professional season, he has skated in 35 games and posted 14 points (two goals, 12 assists). Pilon is the second player this season to post three assists in a game. Colby Williams reached the three assist mark on a Dec. 8th win over the Hartford Wolf Pack. 

ONE OUT OF ELEVEN:
Tonight's game is a rematch of the 2006 Calder Cup Finals. On June 15, 2006, the Bears topped the Admirals, 5-1, to capture their ninth Calder Cup in franchise history. Joey Tenute, Jakub Klepis and Brooks Laich scored for Hershey in the first period to chase current Nashville Predators goalie Pekka Rinne from the crease. Bears Radio Network color analyst Freddy Cassivi captured the Jack A. Butterfield Trophy for playoff MVP.