Eastern Conference Finals Game 6 Preview: Bears at Americans, 7:05 p.m.

June 2, 2023

The Hershey Bears continue the 2023 playoffs, presented by Penn State Health, as they make their final visit of the season to Blue Cross Arena, as they’ll face the Rochester Americans for Game 6 of the Eastern Conference Finals. A win tonight for the Bears would clinch a berth in the 2023 Calder Cup Finals.

#2 Hershey Bears (9-3) at #3 Rochester Americans (8-5)
June 2, 2023 | 7:05 p.m. | Eastern Conference Finals – Game 6 | Hershey leads series, 3-2 | Blue Cross Arena
Referees: Carter Sandlak (#47), Brandon Schrader (#46)
Linespersons: Mitchell Hunt (#62), Dan Kelly (#98)

AHL PLAYOFF BRACKET

Broadcast Information
Voice of the Bears, Zack Fisch, FOX43 Sports Director Todd Sadowski on the call
TV: Antenna TV (WPMT 43.2, Xfinity Ch. 247 and 1178, Verizon FiOS Ch. 463, Blue Ridge Ephrata Ch. 91, and Blue Ridge Newberry/Duncannon Ch. 88), NBC Sports Washington
RADIO: WFVY-100.1 FM, Fox Sports 1460-AM, Capitals Radio Network, SportsRadio 98.9-FM & WOYK 1350-AM (joined in progress)
WATCH LIVE: AHLTV
LISTEN LIVE: Fox Sports AM-1460 Stream, Caps Radio
Radio pre-game coverage starts at 6:35 p.m.

Watch Party Alert
Bears fans can view the game together as Hershey will host a Game 6 Watch Party at Arooga’s, located in Hummelstown at 637 E. Main Street. Festivities are set to start at 6 p.m., with puck drop to follow in Rochester at 7:05 p.m. During intermissions, longtime in-arena emcee and Bears Radio Network contributor Jim Jones will host games with a chance to win Hershey Bears prizes.

LAST TIME OUT: 
The Bears hosted the Americans in Game 5 on Wednesday, falling by a 4-1 final. Rochester’s Jiri Kulich scored at 4:43 of the first period, while the Bears outshot Rochester 24-17 by the close of the second period. Lukas Rousek scored at 1:22 of the third to put the visitors up 2-0, but Hershey finally broke through at 3:44 when Aliaksei Protas redirected Logan Day’s point shot for a power-play goal. The Americans countered with a goal from Michael Mersch at 13:11 and an empty-netter from Rousek at 18:38.

HAVE A DAY:
Thanks to his assist on Aliaksei Protas’ goal on Wednesday, Logan Day now possesses the team playoff scoring lead against the Americans, with six points (2g, 4a) through five games. The defenseman recently completed a strong month of May, as his nine points (3g, 6a) in nine games tied for the league lead among blueliners.

GAME 6 HISTORY:
Hershey’s is seeking its first Game 6 win since 2010, when the Bears topped the Texas Stars 4-0 in a Calder Cup-clinching home contest on June 14 of that year. That run also included a May 22 Game 6 home victory over the Manchester Monarchs in the Eastern Conference Finals, courtesy of an overtime game-winning goal from Boyd Kane. Hershey’s last road Game 6 win was June 12, 2009, when the Bears defeated the Manitoba Moose 4-1 to clinch the 2009 Calder Cup.

SHEPARD LOOKING FOR BOUNCE-BACK PERFORMANCE:
Wednesday’s loss to Rochester was only the third loss of the postseason for Hershey netminder Hunter Shepard, and only the second time that he had surrendered more than two goals in a game during the playoff run. Shepard last gave up four goals on 16 shots in Hershey’s Game 1 defeat to Rochester on May 23, but the netminder responded in Game 2 on May 25 by making 24 stops on the Americans in a 2-0 victory.

BEARS BITES:
Aliaksei Protas leads Hershey in playoff scoring with 12 points (5g, 7a) in 12 games, and his five goals are tied for eighth among all skaters…Joe Snively’s nine assists are tied for sixth among all skaters…Hershey is led in plus/minus by defender Lucas Johansen’s +7, which is tied for 10th among all skaters…The Bears carry a 5-0 playoff record on the road into tonight’s game…Hershey is 7-1 in the playoffs when scoring a power-play goal.