Game Preview: Bears at Crunch, 5 p.m.

April 24, 2022

The Hershey Bears conclude the 2021-22 regular season, presented by Penn State Health, on home ice this evening versus the Syracuse Crunch. Puck drop is slated for 5 p.m. at GIANT Center. 

Syracuse Crunch (38-25-7-2) at Hershey Bears (34-31-6-4, 5th Atlantic)
April 24, 2022 | 5 P.M. | Game #76 | GIANT Center
Referees: Chris Waterstradt (#88), Casey Terreri (#75)
Linespersons: Richard Jondo (#55), Bob Goodman (#90)
AHL STANDINGS 

Tonight's Promotion:
-Fan Appreciation Night
-Player Awards Night
Player Awards will be a pre-game video ceremony this year. Fans are to be in their seats by 4:50 p.m. for the presentation
-Jerseys Off Our Backs
PURCHASE TICKETS

Broadcast Information 
Voice of the Bears, Zack Fisch, and FOX43's Todd Sadowski on the call
TELEVISION: Antenna TV, WPMT 43.2
Comcast 247, Verizon Fios 463, Blue Ridge Ephrata 91, Blue Ridge Newberry/Duncannon 88

RADIO: WFVY-100.1 FM, Fox Sports 1460-AM, SportsRadio 98.9-FM & WOYK 1350-AM, Caps Radio 24/7
WATCH LIVE:  Antenna TV, AHLTV
LISTEN LIVE: Fox Sports AM-1460 Stream, Caps Radio 24/7 
Radio pre-game coverage starts at 4:30 p.m.

LAST TIME OUT: 
The Hershey Bears were held off the scoreboard for the third time in the last four games with a 2-0 loss to Lehigh Valley last night at GIANT Center. Phantoms goaltender Pat Nagle stopped all 42 shots he faced, and Cooper Zech and Linus Sandin had the Phantoms goals in the third period to break a scoreless draw. The result was the 8th time Hershey has been shut out this season. The Crunch scored a 5-1 win on home ice last night over Laval. Riley Nash had a pair of goals for the Crunch, and Syracuse has won both games this weekend heading into today's matchup, outscoring opponents 11-1. The Crunch have won three straight games, and are 8-1-1-0 over their past 10 games. 

CRUNCHING THE NUMBERS:
The Syracuse Crunch return to the GIANT Center tonight for the first time since Oct. 27. That evening, the visitors skated away with a 3-2 overtime victory, thanks to the winning tally from Charles Hudon. Since mid-February, the Crunch have gone 21-7-3-1 to climb into 2nd place in the North Division. Their Magic Number to clinch a playoff berth is just one entering tonight's game. Forward Alex-Barre-Boulet is tied for the team lead with 60 points (16g, 44a). Tonight will mark Barre-Boulet's 200th AHL game, and the electric forward has 196 points (85g, 111a) in his AHL tenure with the Crunch. 

500 FOR BIG MAC:
Tonight is slated to be defenseman Dylan McIlrath's 500th game in the American Hockey League. The veteran rearguard has collected 100 points (27g, 73a) and 1,002 penalty minutes in his 499-game AHL career that began with the Connecticut Whale in 2011. The 2017 Calder Cup Champion has compiled 10 points (4g, 6a) this season. The Winnipeg native leads the Bears in games played (73) and penalty minutes (99) this season. 

BRING ON THE PENS:
Today's contest marks the regular season finale for the Bears, but the club's chase for the Calder Cup begins in the first week of May. Hershey has qualified for the postseason for the 69th time in franchise history, and the Bears opponent in the best-of-3 first round series will be the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. The playoff schedule and who has home ice advantage is not yet decided, but the Bears do know they'll battle their I-81 rivals in the opening round of the postseason. Hershey went 8-3-1-0 versus the Baby Pens this year, but Wilkes-Barre/Scranton took the final three meetings of the season series, including blanking the Bears earlier this week, 3-0, at the Mohegan Sun Arena. 

BEARS BITES:
Tonight will mark the 200th professional game for Hershey forward Beck Malenstyn. A total of 184 of those games have been played with the Chocolate and White...The Bears have been shutout in two straight home games entering tonight's contest...Defenseman Jake Massie dressed in last night's game. It was his first appearance since Mar. 19...Barring a big game from Mike Vecchione or Garrett Pilon, Hershey will finish the regular season (excluding the COVID-19 shortened, 33-game 2020-21 campaign) without a 20-goal scorer for the first time since 2012-13...Hershey will unveil the club's 2021-22 Team Awards in a video presentation prior to tonight's game.