The Hershey Bears continue the 2025-26 season, presented by Penn State Health, as they conclude their regular season series with the Charlotte Checkers and seek a third straight victory.
Hershey Bears (30-29-6-3) at Charlotte Checkers (42-22-5-0)
April 12, 2026 | 1 p.m. | Bojangles Coliseum
Referees: Jake Kamrass (3), Mathieu Menniti (30)
Linespersons: Ken Radolinski (13), Sean D'Loughy (95)
Broadcast Information
Voice of the Bears, Zack Fisch, FOX43 sports director Todd Sadowski, and Bears media specialist Jesse Liebman on the call
TELEVISION: FOX43
RADIO: WFVY-100.1-FM, Fox Sports 1460-AM
WATCH LIVE: AHLTV on FloHockey
LISTEN LIVE: Froggy Valley 100.1-FM Stream, Fox Sports 1460-AM Stream
Radio pre-game coverage starts at 12:30 p.m.; Television coverage starts at 1 p.m.
LAST TIME OUT:
Clay Stevenson returned from a 10-game absence due to injury and turned aside 21 shots to lead the Bears to a 2-1 victory over the Charlotte Checkers on Saturday afternoon at the Bojangles Coliseum. Hershey got goals from Bogdan Trineyev and Louie Belpedio as they snapped Charlotte's five-game win streak. The Checkers outshot Hershey 22-19 in the losing effort.
CHANCE TO CLINCH:
While they'll need help elsewhere, the Bears have a chance to clinch a berth in the 2026 Calder Cup Playoffs today. Hershey punches its ticket to the postseason with either a win at Charlotte AND a Lehigh Valley loss (reg/OT/SO) vs. Cleveland, OR an OTL/SOL at Charlotte AND a Lehigh Valley regulation loss vs. Cleveland.
ATLANTIC PLAYOFF CHASE:
With a win last night, combined with a Springfield loss to Hartford, the Bears jumped back into fifth place in the Atlantic Division. Hershey's 69 points are just one behind fourth-place Bridgeport (70 points), while the Bears are one point better than sixth-place Springfield (68 points). All three teams have four games left in the regular season. Springfield plays at Providence today, while Bridgeport hosts Hartford.
CHARLOTTE SUCCESS:
The Bears moved to 4-2-0-1 in head-to-head action with the Checkers this season with last night's victory, and the Bears have recorded points in all three games (2-0-0-1) at Bojangles Coliseum in the 2025-26 campaign. Hershey's four wins versus the Checkers are tied for the most victories Hershey has versus any opponent, matching Hershey's win total versus Lehigh Valley and Rockford. Five of the seven games with the Checkers have been decided by just one goal, and three of the games have gone beyond regulation. If Hershey were to win today, it would mark just the second time Hershey has recorded five wins in a season series with the Checkers, joining the 2023-24 squad, which went 5-3-0-0. Dating back to last season, Hershey has points in six of its last seven regular season games at Bojangles Coliseum.
BELPEDIO IS BRINGING IT:
Defenseman Louie Belpedio enters today's game with goals in two of his past three contests. The veteran blueliner has scored a third of his goals this season versus the Checkers, striking three times in head-to-head action. His goal yesterday was his first game-winning goal as a Bear, and the 10th deciding tally of his AHL career. Belpedio is having a career-year, collecting 34 points (9g, 25a) in 65 games this season to lead Hershey's defenders in scoring. In his career, Belpedio has scored 15 points (6g, 9a) in 23 career games versus the Checkers.
BEARS BITES:
With a win last night, Hershey hit the 30-win milestone, marking the 71st time in franchise history the Bears posted a season with 30 or more victories...Andrew Cristall's next assist will make him the first Bears rookie to reach the 40-assist plateau since defenseman Mike Gaul had 47 helpers in 1997-98...Brett Leason's assist yesterday was his first in nine games since he potted a pair of helpers on March 13 at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton...With an assist yesterday, Matt Strome tied his career-high in points with 22, a mark he established last season. Strome enters today's game with helpers in two straight contests...The Bears are seeking their first Sunday road win of the season today as they enter with a record of 0-2-0-1...Forward Ilya Protas, called up from Hershey by the NHL's Washington Capitals earlier this week, scored his first NHL goal yesterday and added two assists in Washington's 6-3 win at Pittsburgh.
ON THIS DATE IN BEARS HISTORY:
April 12, 1959 - The Bears went the distance in their first-round series with Cleveland, defeating the Barons in a 4-3 Game 7 victory at Cleveland Arena. Hershey won the best-of-seven series with back-and-forth wins against the Barons, ultimately earning three of its wins on the road. Ellard "Obie" O'Brien netted the series-clinching goal midway through the second period, as Hershey held off a late Cleveland rally in the third period to send the Bears to the Calder Cup Finals for the second straight spring.
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