Game 3 Preview: Sound Tigers at Bears, 7 p.m.

April 23, 2019

Tonight, the Hershey Bears continue the 2019 Calder Cup Playoffs presented by CJ’s Tire and Automotive. Hershey and Bridgeport shift the best-of-five series to Giant Center for Game 3 and Game 4. 

#2 Bridgeport Sound Tigers (1-1) at #3 Hershey Bears (1-1)
Series Tied, 1-1
April 23, 2019 | 7 PM | Round 1; Game 3 | Giant Center
Referees: Alex Ross (7), Jeremy Tufts (78)
Linesmen: JP Waleski (14), Tommy George (61)

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

Tonight's Promotion:
CJ's Tire & Automotive Fan Clapper Night

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. 
LISTEN LIVE: Fox Sports AM-1460 Stream, Caps Radio 24/7
WATCH LIVE: AHLTV

CALDER CUP PLAYOFFS BRACKET
LAST TIME OUT: 
The Hershey Bears evened their best-of-five first round series with a 2-0 win over the Bridgeport Sound Tigers on Saturday night in Game 2 of the Atlantic Division Semifinals in Bridgeport. Mike Sgarbossa opened the scoring for the Chocolate and White and earned the eventual game-winner only 11:15 into the game on a net front deflection past Sound Tigers goaltender Jeremy Smith. Riley Barber won a board battle behind the net and worked the puck to Lucas Johansen at the left-point. Johansen's shot found Sgarbossa in the low-slot for the redirect. Barber added a goal at 4:07 of the second period on an odd-man rush to round out the scoring. Hershey goaltender Vitek Vanecek stopped 39 shots for his first career AHL playoff clean sheet. 

O'BRIEN IS BACK:
Bears forward Liam O'Brien completed his three game suspension and returned to the lineup for Game 2 on Saturday night for the Chocolate and White. O'Brien inserted his presence on Hershey's top forward line with Riley Barber and Mike Sgarbossa. Although O'Brien has not tallied a point since Mar. 16, and has not scored a goal since Mar. 1, his physical presence on the ice creates room for his fellow linemates. Saturday marked O'Brien's 37th career Calder Cup Playoff game and he has previously earned 12 postseason points (seven goals, five assists).  

GOALIE 1-2 PUNCH:
The Bears are one of two teams in the AHL during the 2018-19 regular season with two, 20-win netminders. Both Ilya Samsonov and Vitek Vanecek have already shared the crease in the young playoff series, with Samsonov receiving the nod in Game 1, and Vanecek in Game 2. Both goaltenders have combined for a remarkable 88 saves on 91 shots in the series against Bridgeport, good for a .967 save percentage. Vanecek's 39-save shutout in Game 2 is the first clean sheet in a Hershey playoff game since Game 1 of the 2017 Atlantic Division Semifinals against the Lehigh Valley Phantoms on Apr. 21, 2017. That night, Pheonix Copley turned aside 32 shots in a 1-0 overtime win for the Bears.

PLAYOFF HOCKEY RETURNS TO CHOCOLATETOWN:
Following a one-year absence, the Hershey Bears will bring playoff hockey back to Chocolatetown for the first time since May 2017. The Bears last playoff game at Giant Center was a Game 7 loss in the Atlantic Division Finals to the Providence Bruins on May 17, 2017. Riley Barber scored in the first period for the Chocolate and White, and Vitek Vanecek made 23 stops on 26 shots in a 4-2 loss that ended the Bears season. 

POSTSEASON BULLETS:
The 2019 Calder Cup Playoffs mark Hershey's 68th all-time playoff appearance...The Bears all-time playoff series record is 71-56 with a 334-288 overall record in 622 playoff games...Following a double overtime loss in Game 1, Hershey is now 66-57 all-time in playoff overtime games...Vitek Vanecek recorded Hershey's 43rd all-time playoff shutout in Game 2 on Saturday...Hershey is 6-5 in their last 11 Game 3's dating back to Round 1 of the 2011 Calder Cup Playoffs against the Charlotte Checkers.