Game Preview: Bears at Crunch, 7:05 PM

November 13, 2021

The Hershey Bears continue the 2021-22 season, presented by Penn State Health, against the Syracuse Crunch tonight at the Upstate Medical Arena at The Oncenter War Memorial. The Crunch are the American Hockey League affiliate for the two-time defending Stanley Cup Champion Tampa Bay Lightning. The Bears will conclude their weekend's set of games tomorrow against the Charlotte Checkers at GIANT Center. Hershey is 1-0-1-1 against North Division opponents thus far in the 2021-22 campaign.

Hershey Bears (5-3-2-1) at Syracuse Crunch (5-5-1-0)
November 13, 2021 | 7:05 PM | Game #12 | Upstate Medical Arena at The Oncenter War Memorial
Referees: Cody Beach (#45), Michael Zyla (#4)
Linespersons: Tory Carissimo (#54), Jason Brown (#44)

AHL STANDINGS

Broadcast Information
Voice of the Bears, Zack Fisch and Matt Trust on the call
RADIO: WFVY-100.1 FM, Fox Sports 1460-AM, SportsRadio 98.9-FM & WOYK 1350-AM, Caps Radio 24/7
WATCH LIVE: AHLTV
LISTEN LIVE: Fox Sports AM-1460 Stream, Caps Radio 24/7
Radio pre-game coverage starts at 6:35 p.m.

LAST TIME OUT:
The Hershey Bears will look to respond following a 4-1 loss on Wednesday night against the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. Hershey's Mike Sgarbossa scored first early in the first period, but Lehigh Valley tallied four unanswered goals in the second period backed by a power play tally and two shorthanded strikes. The Syracuse Crunch were also held to one goal in their last time out, dropping a 3-1 decision against the Utica Comets on Thursday. Gabriel Fortier struck first for the Crunch at 12:16 of the second period before the Comets answered with three unanswered.

STEADY SGARBS:
Mike Sgarbossa has scored a goal in consecutive games for the 10th time in his tenure as a Hershey Bears forward dating back to 2018-19. Since October 2018, Sgarbossa has seen three different three-game goal streaks, with the most recent running from Oct. 6-13, 2019 with tallies in consecutive games against Providence, Lehigh Valley and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. The Campbellville, Ontario native has totaled 124 points (53g, 71a) in 139 career games with the Chocolate and White. His first goal as a Bear came on Oct. 6, 2018 against the Syracuse Crunch in a 3-2 loss at GIANT Center.

IT'S BEEN A MINUTE SINCE...:
The Chocolate and White have not won a game in Syracuse since Mar. 9, 2018. That night, Hershey claimed a 2-1 road victory against the Crunch behind goals from Tyler Graovac and Aaron Ness. Bears goaltender Pheonix Copley turned aside 29 of 30 shots, including a penalty shot save at 6:21 of the first period against Kevin Lynch. Both teams did not play in the COVID-19 abbreviated 2020-21 season, and Hershey's lone trip to Syracuse in the 2019-20 campaign was cancelled due to COVID-19. The Bears have not taken the ice at Upstate Medical Arena since Nov. 11, 2018 when they dropped a 7-2 decision.

GAME DAY BULLETS:
Lucas Johansen's next point will be the 50th of his professional career...Wednesday night marked Kale Kessy's 50th game in a Bears uniform and 225th game in his AHL career...Hershey blueliner Dylan McIlrath will serve his second and final game of a two-game suspension for an elbowing incident on Nov. 6 versus Providence...Syracuse forwards Gabriel Dumont and Jimmy Huntington both lead their respective club with six goals. Dumont is also tied for ninth in the AHL in penalty minutes (26)...On Wednesday night, Hershey allowed two shorthanded goals against on the same power play for the first time since Dec. 28, 2016 at Syracuse. That night, Mathieu Brodeur and Yanni Gourde both scored while a man down only 26 seconds apart. Gourde later scored the game-winning goal at 3:01 of sudden-death overtime to down Hershey by a 3-2 final...Pheonix Copley's next win will mark his 73rd with the Chocolate and White, tying Braden Holtby for 7th most in club history. 

AROUND THE A:
The Utica Comets enter tonight as the lone undefeated team still remaining in the American Hockey League. The Comets improved to 8-0-0-0 following their 3-1 win over Syracuse on Thursday night. The 2021-22 campaign marks the first season of the new affiliation between Utica and the New Jersey Devils. The Springfield Thunderbirds continue to pace the Atlantic Division with an 8-2-2-0 record entering Saturday. Springfield saw their first regulation loss of the season against Hershey on Nov. 7 at GIANT Center. Thunderbirds blueliner Scott Perunovich shares the AHL lead in scoring with 18 points (2g, 16a) in only 11 games. Out west, the Ontario Reign and Stockton Heat are both off to commanding starts. Ontario's season opening 10-game point streak came to an end last night and hold a 9-1-0-1 record. The Heat are the lone team in the Western Conference still without a regulation loss. They improved to 9-0-1-0 following last night's shootout victory over Henderson. Ontario and Stockton will go toe-to-toe in a two-game set on Nov. 21-22. Reign forward Martin Frk leads the AHL in goal scoring with nine in his first 11 games of the season. Frk holds the AHL crown for hardest recorded shot at 109.2 miles per hour, set at the 2020 AHL All-Star Skills Competition in Ontario.