Game Preview: Islanders at Bears, 7 P.M.

January 29, 2022

The Hershey Bears continue the 2021-22 season, presented by Penn State Health, tonight against the Bridgeport Islanders at GIANT Center. The puck drops at 7 P.M. The Bridgeport Islanders are the American Hockey League affiliate of the NHL's New York Islanders. Tonight marks the third of six meetings this season between both clubs and the final in Hershey. In two head-to-head matchups earlier this month, both required overtime or shootout to decide a victor. 
 
Bridgeport Islanders (15-18-3-4) at Hershey Bears (20-12-3-2) 
January 29, 2022 | 7 P.M. | Game #38 | GIANT Center
Referees: Mason Riley (#79), Dre Barone (#55)  
Linespersons: Jud Ritter (#34), Tommy George (#61)

AHL STANDINGS

Broadcast Information 
Voice of the Bears Zack Fisch, and FOX43 Sports Director Todd Sadowski on the call 
TELEVISION: FOX43
RADIO: WFVY-100.1 FM, Fox Sports 1460-AM, Caps Radio 24/7, In-arena at 88.9 FM
WATCH LIVE: AHLTV
LISTEN LIVE: Fox Sports AM-1460 Stream, Caps Radio 24/7
Radio pre-game coverage starts at 6:30 p.m.

LAST TIME OUT:
The Hershey Bears erased a 2-0 deficit and stormed to a 6-2 victory over the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins last Tuesday night at GIANT Center. Garrett Pilon, Marcus Vela and Christopher Brown scored to turn the game around in the second period, followed by two goals from Joe Snively and strike by Kale Kessy in the final frame. Both goals by Snively were shorthanded and extended his current home-ice point streak to 14 consecutive games. Ten different members of the Chocolate and White recorded a point. Pheonix Copley earned his team-best 11th win of the season in net. The Bridgeport Islanders return to action after a 4-3 overtime victory over the Springfield Thunderbirds last Sunday. Chris Terry scored his 13th goal of the season only 1:15 into sudden-death for the game-winner. 

BROWN BEAR, BROWN BEAR:
Hershey forward Christopher Brown scored his first American Hockey League goal on Tuesday night which later stood as the game-winner. Late in the second period, Brown ripped a perfect shot from the right wing past Penguins goaltender Alex D'Orio to provide the Chocolate and White a lead prior to intermission. Brown's milestone came in his 26th career AHL game and seventh with Hershey. The Bloomfield Hills, Michigan native appeared in 19 AHL games with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton in parts of the 2018-19 and 2019-20 seasons. Current teammate Marcus Vela, who also scored Tuesday night, enjoyed his first AHL goal also being the game-winner on Dec. 29, 2021 against the Penguins. 

MULTI-POINT GAME CLUB:
Kale Kessy (1g, 1a), Marcus Vela (1g, 1a) and Dylan McIlrath (2a) all tallied multipoint games on Tuesday night. The trio became the 15th, 16th and 17th different skater to register a multipoint night in a game this season for the Chocolate and White. Among active Bears, Axel Jonsson-Fjallby leads the club with eight multipoint nights. Joe Snively, currently on recall with the Washington Capitals, holds a team-best 10 multipoint games including four three-point nights.  

THE RETURN OF SGARBOSSA:
On Thursday, the Washington Capitals re-assigned forward Joe Snively from the Hershey Bears to the taxi squad and re-assigned Michael Sgarbossa from the taxi squad to Hershey. Sgarbossa, 29, has recorded four points (2g, 2a) in eight games with the Capitals this season and 14 points (8g, 6a) in 15 games with the Bears. His last game with the Chocolate and White came on Nov. 21, 2021 at GIANT Center, when he added two goals and an assist en route to a 4-2 win over the Charlotte Checkers. 

BATTLING BRIDGEPORT: 
The Bears are 1-0-0-1 in two meetings against Bridgeport this season and in the month of January. In the last five campaigns, Hershey holds a 7-2-0-2 record at GIANT Center against the New York Islanders' top affiliate, in addition to a playoff series victory win in 2019. Currently, veteran forward Chris Terry is his club's leading point-getter with 30 points (13g, 17a) in 32 games. Terry also leads his club with 110 shots on goal, averaging 3.44 shots per game this season. 

FAST FACTS:
Since the calendar turned over to 2022, seven out of Hershey's 11 games have been decided by one goal...The Bears are 9-4-3-2 in games decided by one goal this season...Goaltender Pheonix Copley has allowed two goals or less in 11 of his 20 appearances...Hershey is 18-8-1-1 against Atlantic Division opponents this season...Last Tuesday, the Bears were held without a single power play for the second time this season. Previously, Hershey did not have a power play in their 6-1 win over the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on Dec. 29, 2021. In games the Chocolate and White were not afforded a chance on the man-advantage, they have outscored the opposition by a 12-3 margin.