Game Preview: Bears at Devils, 6 p.m.

April 28, 2021

The Hershey Bears continue the 2020-21 season, presented by Penn State Health, this evening on the road versus the Binghamton Devils. The puck drops at 6 p.m. at the RWJ Barnabas Health Hockey House in Newark, New Jersey. 

Hershey Bears (17-6-2-0) at Binghamton Devils (5-14-5-1)
April 28, 2021 | 6 PM | Game #26 | RWJ Barnabas Health Hockey House
Referees: Referee Jim Curtin (#90), Patrick Hanrahan (#52)
Linesmen:  Patrick Dapuzzo (#57),  Jud Ritter (#34)

DOWNLOAD: AHL MEDIA KIT (Rosters, stats, and standings)

Broadcast Information 
RADIO: WFVY-100.1 FM, Fox Sports 1460-AM, Caps Radio 24/7, SportsRadio 98.9-FM & WOYK 1350-AM
WATCH LIVE: AHLTV
LISTEN LIVE: Fox Sports AM-1460 Stream, Caps Radio 24/7 
Voice of the Bears, Zack Fisch on the call

LAST TIME OUT:
The Bears had a six-game win streak snapped in their last contest, a 6-3 loss at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on Sunday. Hershey opened the scoring with a power play tally from Philippe Maillet, but Wilkes-Barre/Scranton scored twice in each period to earn the win. Josh Currie had two goals and an assist for the Baby Pens while Hershey also got goals from Matt Moulson and Axel Jonsson-Fjallby in the losing effort. The loss was Hershey's first since Mar. 31. The Devils enter today's game having lost five straight contests and going just 2-7-1-0 over the past 10 games. Binghamton's last outing was a 6-5 loss on home ice to Lehigh Valley on Monday evening. Binghamton allowed a goal just 10 seconds into the game and was down to Lehigh Valley 5-1 after the first period. However, the Devils charged back to tie the score 5-5 at 6:49 of the third period, before ultimately surrendering the game-winning goal to Lehigh Valley's Linus Sandin at 10:45. Travis St. Denis had two goals for the Devils amid the comeback attempt.

SEASON SERIES FACTS:
Tonight is the 10th matchup between these two teams with Hershey dominating the season series with an 8-1-0-0 record versus Binghamton. Hershey has won the last four head-to-head matchups, and Hershey standouts in the season series include Brett Leason (5g, 3a), Connor McMichael (4g, 3a), and Matt Moulson (3g, 4a). Hershey goaltender Zach Fucale is also a perfect 3-0-0 versus the Devils with a 1.31 goals-against average and a .945 save percentage. The Devils are allowing 3.77 goals per game this season (26th) while Herhsey surrendenders only 2.44 goals per game (4th).  Binghamton has added reinforcements up front, including talented Swedish winger Alexander Holtz. He was the seventh overall selection in the 2020 NHL Draft and the 19-year-old helped Sweden to a bronze medal at the 2021 IIHF World Junior Championships. 

FANTASTIC FEHERVARY:
Hershey defender Martin Fehervary enters this evening's contest with points in four straight games for the Chocolate and White. Fehervary has notched five points (1g, 4a) in that stretch, while also being a plus player in every game, posting a +6 rating in that span. His 16 points (3g, 13a) this season rank him tied for fifth in the entire American Hockey League in scoring among defenders. He has twice scored the game-winning goal versus the Devils this season, including in the last matchup, a 6-3 decision for Hershey on Apr. 17 at GIANT Center. The Slovakian defender has seven points (2g, 5a) in 8 games versus Binghamton this season.

SWEET CHILD O'MINE:
Hershey forward Axel Jonsson-Fjallby has scored in three straight games, a mark tied for the longest goal scoring streak by any Bear this season. He tallied his second shorthanded goal of the year in Sunday’s loss at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, making him the first Bear to post multiple shorthanded goals this season. The native of Stockholm, Sweden played in his 100th career AHL game last Wednesday and has registered 12 points (7g, 5a) in 25 games this season. Versus the Devils this year, Jonsson-Fjallby has five points (1g, 4a) in nine games. 

ODDS AND ENDS:
Tonight's game is a rescheduled contest. The original game was supposed to be played Mar. 12, but it was postponed due to league COVID-19 protocols affecting the Binghamton Devils...Hershey defender Cameron Schilling is one point away from 200 in his professional career (198 AHL, 1 NHL)...Hershey goaltender Zach Fucale continues to lead the league in goals-against average at 1.66...Hershey has faced three different goaltenders for the Devils (Jeremy Brodeur, Evan Cormier, Gilles Senn) but tonight could be the first time they face Mareks Mittens. The 23-year-old netminder from Ventspils, Latvia  posted a 14-6-3 record, 1.96 goals-against average and a .930 save percentage with Lake Superior State this year. He's 1-3-0 with the Devils so far this year with a 2.81 goals-against average...Binghamton forward Danick Martel leads the season series with seven points (2g, 5a) in nine games versus the Bears.