Game Preview: Bears at Islanders, 10:30 a.m.

April 1, 2026

The Hershey Bears continue the 2025-26 season, presented by Penn State Health, as they play their final road game ever against the Bridgeport Islanders in a morning clash that could hold major postseason implications for both teams toward securing a berth in the 2026 Calder Cup Playoffs.

Hershey Bears (28-27-6-3) at Bridgeport Islanders (28-28-3-5)
April 1, 2026 | 10:30 a.m. | Total Mortgage Arena
Referees: Johnny Daniels (25), Graedy Hamilton (41)
Linespersons: Jack McQuesten (45), Trevor Disbennett (54)

Broadcast Information
Voice of the Bears, Zack Fisch, former Bears captain Garrett Mitchell, and FOX43 sports director Todd Sadowski 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 10 a.m.; Television coverage starts at 10:30 a.m.

LAST TIME OUT:
The Bears dropped a 4-2 decision at Lehigh Valley on Saturday in their final meeting of the regular season, as Phantoms forward Boris Katchouk netted a hat trick and assisted on the game-winning goal for the home team. Ilya Protas and Brett Leason both scored tying goals for the Bears, but Hershey surrendered go-ahead scores to the Phantoms shortly thereafter. The Islanders saw a four-game win streak snapped the same evening at Providence, as Bridgeport blew a 2-0 lead established midway through the first period by allowing five straight goals to the Bruins on its way to a 6-4 defeat.

BRIDGEPORT BON VOYAGE:
Today's contest marks Hershey's final road regular-season game against the Bridgeport Islanders. The New York Islanders announced their intention earlier this month to relocate their American Hockey League franchise to the renovated TD Coliseum in Hamilton, Ontario for the 2026-27 season, receiving approval from the league's Board of Governors yesterday. In 66 lifetime regular-season contests at Total Mortgage Arena, the Bears are 33-23-2-3-5 against the Sound Tigers/Islanders franchise. The Bears are 1-0-0-1 this season at Bridgeport, while the Islanders carry a six-game home winning streak into today's match. Hershey will host the Islanders in the penultimate game of the 2025-26 campaign on April 18.

ATLANTIC PLAYOFF CHASE:
Hershey enters today's game in fourth place in the Atlantic Division, collecting 65 points through 64 games. Each of the three teams directly behind Hershey all have 64 games played as well, with Hershey one point ahead of fifth-place Bridgeport, two points ahead of sixth-place Springfield, and only three points in front of seventh-place Lehigh Valley, which sits below the playoff line. Hershey's Magic Number to clinch a berth in the 2026 Calder Cup Playoffs is down to 11.

GREAT GAFFNEY:
Forward Alex Gaffney warmed up for Hershey in each of the team's last two games, and if he gets a sweater this morning, it would mark his AHL and professional debut. The 23-year-old recently completed his fifth season of collegiate hockey as a graduate transfer at the University of St. Thomas (Minn.), where he led the Tommies program in scoring with 40 points (18g, 22a) in 38 games and made an appearance in the Central Collegiate Hockey Association (CCHA) title game. In 138 career NCAA games with the University of St. Thomas and Harvard University, the 5'9", 177-pound forward produced 81 points (40g, 41a). He helped Harvard to a ECAC championship in 2021-22, playing alongside current Hershey goaltender Mitch Gibson. 

NO FOOLIN':
April Fool's day has not been historically kind to the Bears over the years, with Hershey owning a 9-15-1-0-2 record in the regular season on the first day of April. The Bears won their last April 1 engagement, a 4-1 win in 2023 at Cleveland, in which current Bears captain Aaron Ness scored the game-winning tally. Hershey has had some better fortune in postseason play on April 1, posting a 3-2 record, including a 4-0 win over the Pittsburgh Hornets in Game 1 of the 1947 Calder Cup Finals.

BEARS BITES:
Hershey is 22-8-4-3 when scoring first...Ilya Protas' power-play goal at Lehigh Valley last Saturday snapped a four-game stretch for Hershey without a goal on the man advantage, while the Bears have been held off the scoreboard in the first period of each of their last three games; both such streaks tied season highs for the team...Hershey is 11th in road power play at 20.2% (17-for-84); Hershey's 84 chances with the man advantage on the road is the fewest in the league...Bridgeport is tied for the second-best first period goal differential in the Eastern Conference and third overall in the league at +15...Hershey won its lone previous morning game this season, a 3-2 comeback victory at Toronto on Feb. 18...Ilya Protas carries a seven-game point streak (5g, 5a) into the match today.

ON THIS DATE IN BEARS HISTORY:
April 1, 2011 - The Bears set a franchise record as they were forced to play down a man 13 times against the Norfolk Admirals, but fortunately Hershey's penalty killing unit held future Calder Cup and Stanley Cup-winning coach Jon Cooper's squad to only two power-play goals in a 6-3 win over the Norfolk Admirals at the Scope. Braden Holtby made 35 saves, including a penalty shot stop on Stefano Giliati midway through the second period, and Andrew Gordon and Keith Aucoin each contributed a goal and an assist in the win.