Game Preview: Bears at Phantoms, 7:05 p.m.

November 30, 2022

The Hershey Bears continue the 2022-23 season, presented by Penn State Health, as they look to extend a four-game winning streak as they visit the Lehigh Valley Phantoms tonight at PPL Center. 

Hershey Bears (13-4-2-0) at Lehigh Valley Phantoms (8-6-1-1)
November 30, 2022 | 7:05 p.m. | Game 20 | PPL Center
Referees: Conor O'Donnell (#41), Laura White (#5)
Linespersons: Ryan Knapp (#73), J.P. Waleski (#14)

AHL STANDINGS

Broadcast Information 
Voice of the Bears, Zack Fisch, on the call
RADIO: WFVY-100.1 FM, Fox Sports 1460-AM, Capitals Radio Network
WATCH LIVE: AHLTV
LISTEN LIVE: Fox Sports AM-1460 Stream, Capitals Radio Network
Radio pre-game coverage starts at 6:35 p.m.

LAST TIME OUT: 
The Hershey Bears won the club's fourth straight game last night, beating the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins 4-3 in a shootout at GIANT Center. Hershey battled back from 2-0 and 3-2 deficits to earn the victory and move to 9-1-1-0 on home ice this season. Hershey got goals from Mason Morelli, Jake Massie, and Mike Vecchione, and the Bears outshot the Penguins 44-19. In the shootout, Sam Anas posted the lone tally for either club to give Hershey the extra point. The Phantoms were most recently in action last Saturday, dominating the Rochester Americans in a 5-1 victory at PPL Center. Artem Anisimov scored his first two goals with Lehigh Valley and Olle Lycksell posted four points (1g, 3a) in the victory. The Phantoms outshot Rochester 40-15 in the convincing win. 

MASS IS THE MAN:
Defender Jake Massie notched his first goal of the season last night, pulling Hershey even in the second period. The defender also collected an assist on Mason Morelli's first period tally, giving him his first multi-point game as a Bear. It was just the second multi-point performance in his AHL career, with the previous occurrence coming on Jan. 25, 2020, when as a member of the Springfield Thunderbirds Massie collected a goal and an assist versus Bridgeport. Massie has appeared in eight games with Hershey this season and the Bears are a perfect 8-0-0-0 when he's in the lineup. 

FUCALE AND THE PHANTOMS:
Hershey goaltender Zach Fucale is coming off a shutout performance last Saturday in Hartford, notching 16 saves, and two more in the shootout, for the seventh clean sheet of his AHL career. He's played both of Hershey's games versus the Phantoms this season, surrendering just two goals in the pair of wins. He holds a .947 save percentage versus Lehigh Valley this season, and overall, Fucale is 7-4-0 in 11 games, owning a 2.00 goals-against average, good for fourth in the AHL. 

WELCOME BACK TO ALLENTOWN:
Entering tonight's game, Lehigh Valley has won three straight home games, while the Bears have won the past three contests away from home. Tonight is Hershey's first road game versus the Phantoms this season, and the Bears have struggled in recent years at the PPL Center. In the 2021-22 campaign, the Phantoms won the first six head-to-head meetings versus the Bears in games that took place in Allentown. Hershey got the last laugh, claiming a 4-3 overtime win at Lehigh Valley on Apr. 22 in a game that clinched the Bears a playoff spot and eliminated the Phantoms from playoff contention. Dating back to the 2017-18 season, the Phantoms own a 20-7-2-0 record versus the Bears on home ice. 

BEARS BITES:
The Bears enter tonight's game just one point behind the Providence Bruins for first place in the entire AHL. The Bruins visit Bridgeport tonight...Mike Vecchione leads the Bears in goals with six this season, and in head-to-head play versus the Phantoms, he leads all skaters in the season series with four points (2g, 2a)...Lehigh Valley's Tyson Foerster has goals in two straight games and points in five straight contests (3g, 2a)...Fellow Phantom Elliot Desnoyers also has goals in two straight contests and four goals over his past six games...Hershey ranks second in the AHL on the penalty kill at 86.2% while the Phantoms are 31st in the AHL on the kill at 67.6%.