Game Preview: Bears vs. Phantoms, 7 p.m.

February 21, 2026

The Hershey Bears continue the 2025-26 season, presented by Penn State Health, as they battle the Lehigh Valley Phantoms for the second straight night, and the final time at home in the season series. 

Hershey Bears (22-19-6-2) vs. Lehigh Valley Phantoms (22-22-2-2)
Feb. 21, 2026 | 7 p.m. | GIANT Center
Referees: Hayden Verbeek (61), Andrew Bell (6)
Linespersons: Davids Rozitis (62), Richard Jondo (55)

Tonight's Promotions:

Specialty Jersey Auction- Players will be wearing first responders themed jerseys that will be auctioned off post-game.

CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE TICKETS VIA TICKETMASTER

Broadcast Information
Voice of the Bears, Zack Fisch, AHL Hall-of-Famer Mitch Lamoureux, and in-arena host Jim Jones on the call
RADIO: WFVY-100.1-FM, Fox Sports 1460-AM, SportsRadio 98.9-FM & WOYK 1350-AM, In-arena on 88.9-FM
WATCH LIVE: AHLTV on FloHockey
LISTEN LIVE: Froggy Valley 100.1-FM Stream, Fox Sports 1460-AM Stream
Radio pre-game coverage starts at 6:30 p.m.

LAST TIME OUT:
The Bears surrendered two goals in 33 seconds in the first period to fall into a 2-0 hole in an eventual 4-1 loss to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms last night at GIANT Center. Alex Bump, Cooper Marody, Tucker Robertson, and Phil Tomasino scored for the Phantoms, while defender Corey Schueneman had the lone goal for Hershey. The Phantoms snapped a five-game losing streak with the win, and the club scored the first goal of the game for the first time since Jan. 4 at Toronto, ending a stretch of 14 straight games where they fell behind 1-0. Hershey saw an eight-game home point streak (3-0-4-1) snapped in the loss. Aleksei Kolosov made 32 saves in the win for Lehigh Valley. 

PHANTOM FACEOFF:
Tonight marks Lehigh Valley's final visit to GIANT Center this season, and this is the ninth of 10 overall meetings between the two Keystone State rivals. Hershey enters tonight's game with a 4-3-1-0 record against Lehigh Valley in the season series, with a 3-1-0-0 record on home ice, and the Bears sit four points ahead of the Phantoms in the Atlantic Division standings with one more game played. Ilya Protas leads the way for Hershey with eight points (3g, 5a) in eight games versus Lehigh Valley, while the Phantoms' Tucker Robertson has seven points (4g, 3a) in seven games against the Bears. 

WELCOME ABOARD BOHLSEN:
Yesterday, the Bears recalled forward Kaden Bohlsen from the club's ECHL affiliate, the South Carolina Stingrays, and the Willmar, Minnesota native could make his Hershey debut tonight. Bohlsen has scored 25 points (17g, 8a) in 42 games with the Stingrays this year in his first professional season. Last year, Bohlsen completed his NCAA career at Minnesota State University-Mankato, scoring 17 points (12g, 5a) in 28 games. He joined the AHL's Calgary Wranglers at the conclusion of his collegiate season, appearing in four games and registering one assist. 

BROOKS ON THE BENCH:
Hershey assistant coach Brent Thompson has been granted a temporary leave of absence to attend the Olympic Winter Games in Italy while his son Tage competes for Team USA. Tage had a goal and an assist in the Americans' win over Slovakia yesterday to help the USA advance to the gold medal game on Sunday versus Canada. With Thompson absent from the Hershey bench, Washington Capitals player development staff member Brooks Orpik will serve as an assistant coach for today's game. Orpik played 1,035 NHL games, winning the Stanley Cup in 2009 for Pittsburgh and in 2018 for Washington. 

TURNING THE TIDES AT HOME:
Hershey is seeking its first win at GIANT Center since they claimed a 3-2 decision on Jan. 10 versus Cleveland. The Bears enter tonight's game winless in six straight games on home ice, going 0-1-4-1 in that stretch. Last night was the club's first regulation loss in that span, and the six-game winless streak on home ice is the longest active streak in the American Hockey League. This is Hershey's first six-game winless streak on home ice since the 2001-02 season, when the Bears went 0-5-1-0 from Dec. 29, 2001 to Jan. 23, 2002.

BEARS BITES:
The Bears are 12-4-2-0 in Saturday games this season, including going 7-2-1-0 on home ice...Hershey announced yesterday that forward Spencer Smallman (shoulder, out 4-6 months) as well as defensemen Cam Allen (shoulder, out 4-6 months) and Aaron Ness (ankle, out 2-3 months) all recently underwent surgical procedures...Forward Zac Funk was re-assigned to the ECHL's South Carolina Stingrays yesterday....Graeme Clarke is two goals away from his 100th pro goal...Brett Leason has four assists over his past five games for Hershey...The Bears are 5-for-22 (22.7%) on the power play in the season series versus the Phantoms.

ON THIS DATE IN BEARS HISTORY:
Feb. 21, 2010 - The Bears set an AHL record with their 20th consecutive win on home ice by defeating the Albany River Rats, 5-3. After Hershey had built a 3-1 lead, Albany's Jerome Samson potted a pair of goals in the second period to knot the game up at 3-3, but Bears forward Francois Bouchard answered with a pair of his own in the third frame to secure the record-breaking victory in front of 9,166 at GIANT Center. Hershey would go on to extend the win streak to a record 24 games in an unforgettable season that saw the team raise the Calder Cup in June.