Game Preview: Devils at Bears, 1 p.m.

May 15, 2021

he Hershey Bears continue the 2020-21 season, presented by Penn State Health, this afternoon versus the Binghamton Devils. The puck drops at 1 p.m. at GIANT Center. The game will be televised live on FOX43. Today is Hershey's second to last game this season. The Bears have won eight straight home games entering today's contest, and the club's Magic Number to clinch the North Division is just one. 

Binghamton Devils (6-19-5-2) at Hershey Bears (22-7-2-0) 
May 15, 2021 | 1 PM | Game #32 | GIANT Center
Referees: Jordan Deckard (#14), Rob Hennessey (#87)
Linesmen: Bob Goodman (#90), Colin Gates (#3)

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

Broadcast Information 
Voice of the Bears, Zack Fisch, and FOX43's Todd Sadowski on the call  
TELEVISION: FOX43   
RADIO: WFVY-100.1 FM, Fox Sports 1460-AM, Caps Radio 24/7
WATCH LIVE: FOX 43, AHLTV
LISTEN LIVE: Fox Sports AM-1460 Stream, Caps Radio 24/7 

LAST TIME OUT:
Hershey is in action this afternoon for the first time in a week. The Chocolate and White's last game was last Saturday as Hershey earned a 3-0 win at GIANT Center over the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. Goaltender Pheonix Copley earned his 100th AHL victory, stopping all 34 shots he faced to collect his second shutout of the season. Matt Moulson also collected a milestone marker in the win, posting his 700th professional point with an assist on a Joe Snively goal. The Devils last took the ice on Wednesday, falling to Lehigh Valley 2-1 at Prudential Center. Brett Seney had the Devils lone goal. 

CLINCHING SCENARIOS:
Hershey needs just one point in today's game to claim the North Division title. A Lehigh Valley loss versus Wilkes-Barre/Scranton today would also clinch the North for the Bears. Hershey's Magic Number is just one to win the Oke Trophy, which would give the Bears their first division title since the 2015-16 season when they won the Atlantic Division. Hershey also currently sits in first place in the entire AHL with a .742 points percentage after Laval's loss last night versus Toronto. Both Hershey and Laval have two games remaining. 

DIFFERENT DIRECTIONS:
Hershey enters today's game having won eight straight home games, a mark tied for the longest streak of any AHL team this season. The Bears have not lost at GIANT Center since Mar. 14. Overall, Hershey is 8-2-0-0 in its last 10 games and the Bears have won their last two outings. Binghamton is 1-8-0-1 in its past 10 games and enters today's contest having lost four straight contests. The Bears are 10-1-0-0 versus the Devils this season. This marks the first time the Bears have had 10 wins in a season series since the historic 2009-10 Bears went 10-2-0-0 versus Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. 

END OF AN ERA:
Today is the last matchup ever between the Bears and the Binghamton Devils. The New Jersey Devils are moving their AHL franchise to Utica next season, meaning following tomorrow's game at Lehigh Valley, Binghamton will be without an American Hockey League franchise for the first time since 2002. All-time versus the Binghamton Devils, the Bears are 13-3-1-0. The Bears have a long history of facing off versus Binghamton-based teams, including the Broome Dusters (1977-80), Binghamton Whalers (1980-90), Binghamton Rangers (1990-97), Binghamton Senators (2002-2017), and Binghamton Devils (2017-present). A Federal Prospects Hockey League team named the Black Bears are set to play in Binghamton in 2021-22. 

SGARBOSSA RETURNS:
With Hershey's NHL affiliate, the Washington Capitals, starting their chase for the Stanley Cup today, the Bears have lost Philippe Maillet, Martin Fehervary, and Pheonix Copley to the big club. However, the Capitals re-assigned a pair of players to the Bears for this weekend's games, including defender Paul LaDue and center Mike Sgarbossa. For Hershey, Sgarbossa has been one of the club's best players since joining the Chocolate and White in 2018. He has tallied 115 points (48g, 67a) in 127 games with the Bears in that stretch, leading the team in scoring (65 points) in 2018-19, and posting over a point per game (40 points in 39 games) in 2019-20. Sgarbossa, who has not played since Mar. 21, had 10 points (5g, 5a) in 13 games with the Bears this season.