The Hershey Bears head up I-78 this evening for another clash with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. Hershey sits atop the Atlantic Division with 33 points in 23 games, 11 points ahead of sixth-place Lehigh Valley.
Hershey Bears (15-5-3-0) at Lehigh Valley Phantoms (9-7-3-1)
Dec. 7, 2024 | 7:05 p.m. | PPL Center
Referees: Alex Lepkowski (44), Andrew Bell (6)
Linespersons: Chandler Yakimowicz (60), J.P. Waleski (14)
Broadcast Information
Voice of the Bears, Zack Fisch on the call
RADIO: WFVY-100.1 FM, Fox Sports 1460-AM, SportsRadio 98.9-FM & WOYK 1350-AM
WATCH LIVE: AHLTV on FloHockey
LISTEN LIVE: Fox Sports AM-1460 Stream
Radio pre-game coverage starts at 6:35 p.m.
LAST TIME OUT:
Hershey matched its largest margin of victory this season with a 6-1 win at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, as the Bears scored three goals in both the first and second periods. Pierrick Dube's goal at 19:16 of the first stood up as the eventual game-winner, Henrik Rybinski posted a career-high three points, and Hunter Shepard made 29 saves for his 12th victory of the season. The Phantoms had their three-game win streak and four-game point streak snapped in a 7-3 home loss against the Rockford IceHogs on Wednesday, their first ever meeting with the Central Division club. Anthony Richard, Helge Grans, and Rhett Gardner scored for Lehigh Valley, which surrendered the most goals on home ice since a 7-3 loss to Hershey on Jan. 28, 2023.
KEEP THE STREAK ALIVE:
With Wednesday's win over the Penguins, the club managed to make some history by earning a point in 11 consecutive road games (9-0-2-0), establishing a new franchise record for best road point streak in a single season; the club also added to its mark for the best road point streak from the start of the season. Hershey is 1-0-1-0 in games at PPL Center this season.
RYBINSKI REVERBERATIONS:
Henrik Rybinski turned in one of the finest outings of his pro career on Wednesday, notching his first career three-point game with a goal and a pair of assists. Hershey has posted a 5-0-0-0 record this season when Rybinski has scored a goal. The Bears have accumulated 10 victories over the course of games when the third-year pro earns at least a point, a mark Rybinski is joined with by teammates Ethan Bear, Ethen Frank, and Mike Vecchione.
FRANK ON FIRE:
Ethen Frank's goal on Wednesday extended his goal-scoring streak to five games (5g), allowing him to step into first in the AHL goal-scoring race with 16 on the season. Hershey has posted a 9-2-1-0 record this season in games when Frank lights the lamp. The Bears have not had a player win the Willie Marshall Award - given to the league's top goal-scorer each season - since Alexandre Giroux claimed the goal-scoring crown with 50 goals in 2009-10. Frank's 23 points are also tied for fourth in the overall scoring race; Hershey hasn't had a player win the John B. Sollenberger Trophy since Chris Bourque won the scoring title with an 80-point campaign in 2015-16.
NESS APPROACHING 400:
Should Aaron Ness earn a sweater tonight, the Bears captain will dress in his 400th game with the Chocolate and White, tying former captain - and current FOX43 television color commentator - Garrett Mitchell for 26th in franchise history. Ness' 399 games with Hershey are the ninth-most by a defenseman in franchise history, and the most in club history by an American-born blueliner.
FREAKY PHANTOM FEATS:
In both games the Bears have lost to the Phantoms this season, Hershey has fallen by identical 2-1 scores with Lehigh Valley goaltender Cal Petersen earning the win with identical 29-for-30 statlines. Phantoms forward Samu Tuomaala is tied for 13th in league scoring with 20 points (8g, 12a), while Lehigh Valley forward Olle Lycksell leads the league with 81 shots. The Phantoms are tied for the league's fourth-best home power play, going 8-for-33 (24.2%). Tonight's game will feature the Phantoms' Teddy Bear Toss.
BEARS BITES:
The Bears have a league-leading 12-0-1-0 record when leading after two periods...Hershey has a league-leading six wins when trailing after the first period...Mike Sgarbossa enters tonight with a four-game assist streak (6a)...Hunter Shepard leads all Eastern Conference goaltenders in games (16), minutes played (964:53), and wins (12)...Hershey's 9.70 penalty minutes per game are the second fewest in the AHL...The Bears own the best road penalty kill in the Eastern Conference at 31-for-34 (91.2%).
ON THIS DATE:
Dec. 7, 1950 - The Bears overcame a 2-0 deficit by reeling off four straight goals on their way to an eventual 4-3 victory over the New Haven Eagles in front of a sparse crowd of less than 650 at New Haven Arena. The game was notable in that it marked the final time Hershey faced the Eagles franchise before it would disband later that week following a 6-5 New Haven loss to Indianapolis on Dec. 10. Over the course of 11 seasons against the New Haven Ramblers/Eagles franchise, the Bears went a combined 44-24-9 against the club. New Haven would not regain an AHL franchise until the formation of the New Haven Nighthawks in the 1972-73 season.
 |
 |
 |
|
 |
 |
vs
