Game Preview: Bears at Phantoms, 7:05 PM

November 9, 2019

Tonight, the Hershey Bears battle the Lehigh Valley Phantoms in the front end of a home-and-home stretch. It's the second of 12 meetings in the 2019-20 season-series between the Bears and Phantoms, with the Chocolate and White claiming the previous matchup on Oct. 12, winning 4-3 in overtime at the PPL Center. 
 
Hershey Bears (6-5-1-1) at Lehigh Valley Phantoms (5-2-1-3)
November 9, 2019 | 7:05 PM | Game #14 | PPL Center  
Referees: Mackenzie Nichol (68), Jim Curtin (90)
Linesmen: Patrick Dapuzzo (57), Luke Murray (92) 

ATLANTIC DIVISION STANDINGS

Broadcast Information (Pre-game 6:35 p.m.)
RADIO: WQIC-100.1 FM, Fox Sports 1460-AM, WOYK 1350-AM, Voice of the Bears Zack Fisch and Matt Trust on the call.
LISTEN LIVE: Fox Sports AM-1460 Stream
WATCH LIVE: AHLTV

LAST TIME OUT:
The Hershey Bears return to action after dropping a slim, 2-1 decision to the Atlantic Division leading Hartford Wolf Pack last night. Mike Sgarbossa scored his team-best sixth goal of the season in the 2nd period, and Vitek Vanecek stopped 25 of 27 shots in goal. The Lehigh Valley Phantoms last played on Wednesday night, doubling the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins by a 4-2 margin at the PPL Center. Kyle Criscuolo broke a 2-2 tie with the eventual game-winning goal at 18:20 of the second period before adding an empty net goal at 19:35 in the third. Andy Welinski and Greg Carey also scored for the Phantoms.  

SGARBOSSA FOR 400:
Tonight will mark the 400th American Hockey League game for Bears forward and top goal producer, Mike Sgarbossa. In his second season with the Chocolate and White, and first year of a new, two-year extension, Sgarbossa has produced at a point per game rate with six goals and six assists in 12 games throughout 2019-20. Last season, the Campbellville, Ontario native finished the season with 65 points (30 goals, 35 assists). Tonight will mark his 88th game as a member of the Bears. Sgarbossa made his AHL debut on Oct. 12, 2012 with the Lake Erie Monsters.

SPECIAL TEAMS: 
Hershey's power play goal drought extended to nine games after going 0-for-1 on the man-advantage last night in Hartford. The Bears last power play strike came on Oct. 13 versus Wilkes-Barre/Scranton at Giant Center, and since then are 0-for-its-last-30. Hershey's record in games without a power play goal this season is 4-4-1-1, and 2-1-0-0 when scoring one or more goals on the man-advantage. On the flip side, the Bears penalty kill unit is perfect in its last five games, going 15-for-15 dating back to Oct. 26 versus Utica. 

PAIR OF STREAKERS:
Both Mike Sgarbossa and Christian Djoos enter tonight's game riding a three-game point streak. Sgarbossa has tallied four points (two goals, two assists) in his last three games, highlighted by his third multi-point night of the season on Nov. 3 versus Syracuse. Djoos has tallied an assist in each of his last three games, and sits tied for the most points among AHL blueliners (10) with six others. 

FROSTBITE WARNING:

The Lehigh Valley Phantoms roster features 20-year-old rookie forward and 2017 1st Round pick, Morgan Frost. Despite being held off the scoresheet in his last three games, Frost leads the Phantoms in points (9), and is tied for the team lead in goals (4) with Nicolas Aube-Kubel. The Aurora, Ontario native is third among AHL rookies in scoring, only behind Chicago's Lucas Elvenes and Springfield's Owen Tippett.