Game Preview: Bears vs. Wolf Pack, 5 PM

December 1, 2019

Tonight, the Hershey Bears kickoff the month of December with their annual CommunityAid and abc27 Teddy Bear Toss Night against the Hartford Wolf Pack. The Wolf Pack are the American Hockey League affiliate for the Hartford Wolf Pack. 
 
Hershey Bears (8-9-2-3) vs. Hartford Wolf Pack (11-4-1-5)
December 1, 2019 | 5 PM | Game #23 | Giant Center   
Referees: Reid Anderson (49), Andrew Bruggeman (22)
Linesmen: Bob Goodman (90), Bill Lyons (27)

ATLANTIC DIVISION STANDINGS

GAME NOTES SHEET

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

Tonight's Promotion: CommunityAid and abc27 Teddy Bear Toss Night

Broadcast Information (Radio Pre-game 4:30 p.m.)
TELEVISION: abc27.3, Comcast 245, Verizon 462, Blue Ridge 152, Nittany 227, and Kuhn 69.
RADIO: WQIC-100.1 FM, Fox Sports 1460-AM, Voice of the Bears Zack Fisch and Mitch Lamoureux on the call.
LISTEN LIVE: Fox Sports AM-1460 Stream, Caps Radio 24/7
WATCH LIVE: AHLTV

LAST TIME OUT:
The Hershey Bears concluded the month of November with a 3-1 loss to the Belleville Senators last night at Giant Center. Kody Clark recorded the secondary assist on Hershey's only goal for his first professional point. Eddie Wittchow put the Chocolate and White on the board at 6:20 to give his club a 1-0 lead after one period. The Bears held Belleville to only one shot on goal in the first 20 minutes, marking a new season-low for shots against in a single period. Josh Norris and Jordan Szwarz both tallied on the power play in the 2nd period for the Sens, and Drake Batherson added his team's best ninth goal of the season to complete a 3-1 final. The Hartford Wolf Pack are coming off their first overtime loss of the regular season last night in Lehigh Valley. Matt Beleskey scored the Pack's only goal at 15:08 of the first period, but Lehigh Valley rallied to tie in the 3rd period, before Andy Welinski won the game in overtime for the Phantoms. 

TEDDY BEAR TOSS FACTS:
Teddy Bears are set to fly in Giant Center tonight in the CommunityAid and abc27 Teddy Bear Toss Night. Last season, Riley Barber scored at 9:58 of the opening period to send a World Record 34,798 stuffed animals into orbit. In the last five seasons, 115,887 stuffed animals have been collected and donated to local charities across Central PA. The Bears have won four straight CommunityAid Teddy Bear Toss games dating back to Dec. 6, 2015. The last time Hershey hosted Hartford during the grand promotion was on Dec. 6, 2008. Maxime Lacroix scored the first of two career Teddy Bear Toss goals at 5:41 of the first period to help the Bears to a 4-2 victory. 

A GOAL TO BE REMEMBERED:
Maxime Lacroix is the only Bears player to ever score the CommunityAid Teddy Bear Toss goal more than once (2008 and 2010). Tonight, Erik Burgdoerfer (2015) and Liam O'Brien (2017) are the only active players on Hershey's current roster with one previous CommunityAid Teddy Bear Toss goal. Burgdoerfer is the most recent defenseman to score the memorable goal. The earliest into a game Teddy Bears were sent into orbit was :39 on Dec. 7, 2014 courtesy of Steve Oleksy. The latest the goal has been scored was O'Briens goal on Dec. 3, 2017 at 13:27 of the 2nd period.   

EDDIE'S GRAND DEBUT:
Eddie Wittchow skated in his Bears debut last night and made an immediate impact by scoring the game's only goal at 6:20 of the first period. Wittchow previously appeared in 15 games with the South Carolina Stingrays this season and tallied seven points (three goals, four assists) from the blue line. The former Florida Panthers' draft choice is two games away from 100 in his AHL career, and 26 games away from 200 professional. 

TURNING THE PAGE:
The Chocolate and White will turn to a new month after more losing than winning occurred in November. In 13 games last month, the Bears posted a 4-6-1-2 record, with all four wins coming at Giant Center. On the road, Hershey went 0-4-1-1 and currently hold a seven-game winless streak in games away from Hershey dating back to October. Seven of the Bears 13 games during the month were decided by a slim one-goal margin, including a streak of four straight from Nov. 8 to Nov. 13. The Bears went 2-2-1-2 in one-goal games during November, and 3-4-2-3 since the season's beginning.