Game Preview: Bears vs. Senators, 5 p.m.

March 15, 2026

The Hershey Bears continue the 2025-26 season, presented by Penn State Health, as they host the Belleville Senators for the final time this year.

Hershey Bears (27-24-6-2) vs. Belleville Senators (23-28-8-0)
March 15, 2026 | 5 p.m. | GIANT Center
Referees: Liam Maaskant (45), Mason Riley (79) 
Linespersons: Bill Lyons (27), Ryan Knapp (73)

Tonight's Promotions:

Screaming Bear Jersey Auction - Players will be wearing Screaming Bear jerseys that will be auctioned off post-game.

Washington Capitals Night - An epic conclusion to our affiliation celebration.

Rally Towel Night - All fans in attendance will receive a rally towel, courtesy of Eagle Excavating, GIANT, Elizabethtown College, MI Windows, Members 1st, Hollywood Casino, and Tyson.

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 4:30 p.m.

LAST TIME OUT:
The Bears were doubled up by the Belleville Senators in a 6-3 loss last night at GIANT Center. In his Hershey home debut Wyatt Bongiovanni burned his former club and struck for his first goal as a Bear, and Ilya Protas and Bogdan Trineyev also scored for Hershey in the loss. Graeme Clarke had three points (1g, 2a) for Belleville in his return to Hershey after being traded for Bongiovanni last week, while Senators teammate Carter Yakemchuk collected four assists in the victory. Hershey was held to just 18 shots in the loss, and the Bears are now 1-2-0-0 versus Belleville this season.

BELPEDIO'S BEST:
With a pair of assists last night, Hershey defenseman Louie Belpedio established a new career-best season with 31 points (7g, 24a) in 56 games. The 29-year-old surpassed his previous personal record of 30 points (11g, 19a) established over 69 games with the Laval Rocket in 2021-22. His 24 assists this year are also a career best, surpassing the 23 helpers he had last season with Lehigh Valley. Last night was Belpedio's fourth multi-point game of the season, and he is one of just 19 defenders in the league to record at least 30 points. Belpedio's next goal will mark the 50th of his AHL career. 

TRINEYEV'S TIME:
Forward Bogdan Trineyev scored his 13th goal of the season last night, and he enters today's game on a three-game point streak (3g, 4a). Trineyev has logged three consecutive multi-point games, and his power-play goal last night was his first since Nov. 15. Trineyev's next goal will tie his career-best of 14 markers set last season over 62 games. He has scored in two of the three games versus Belleville this season. 

PROS AND CONS:
Ilya Protas scored the game's opening goal last night, giving him his 25th tally of the season, and his 50th point of the campaign. He is tied with Bakersfield's Quinn Hutson for the league's rookie scoring lead, and became the first Hershey rookie to reach the 50-point plateau since Riley Barber scored 55 points and Travis Boyd posted 53 points in the 2015-16 campaign. However, Protas left the game in the third period with an injury and did not return. If he were to miss today's game, it would be his first absence of the season and leave Andrew Cristall as the only player to skate in every game thus far. 

TRYING TO FIND SOME SWEETNESS:
Hershey is hoping to find success in The Sweetest Place on Earth in the club's final four home games of the season. Entering today's game, the Bears own a 13-13-5-1 record at GIANT Center this season (.500). The last time the Bears finished with a .500 points percentage on home ice was the 1992-93 campaign, and the only time Hershey finished with a points percentage below .500 on home ice was the 1955-56 season (.484). Hershey has two wins over its last 10 games on home ice, but has collected at least a point in six of those contests. 

BEARS BITES:
With the club wearing specialty jerseys, two players will temporarily change numbers for today's game. Forward Wyatt Bongiovanni will wear No. 22 this evening while defenseman D.J. King will wear No. 51...Sam Bitten's assist last night marked his first point since Nov. 30, a span of 19 games. The forward has six points (3g, 3a) to match his previous career high set last season with Springfield...Hershey is 9-8-2-0 versus the North Division this season...The Bears are 4-5-2-1 in Sunday games this season...Following tonight's game, nine of the Bears next 10 games are on the road...A total of 47 players have skated for Hershey this season, a mark that is the most since the 2007-08 club used an identical number of players...Two-time Calder Cup Champion and current Washington forward Ethen Frank is slated to participate in a ceremonial puck drop for Hershey's final Washington Capitals Night of the season.

ON THIS DATE IN BEARS HISTORY:
March 15, 1947 - The Hershey Bears closed out the home portion of their 1946-47 regular season schedule at Hershey Sports Arena in the penultimate game of the campaign with a 13-1 walloping of the Indianapolis Capitals. After a scoreless first period, Hershey exploded for seven goals in the second period - highlighted by Gordon Bruce recording a natural hat trick in a club-record span of 2:54 - and added another six in the third period for a franchise-record 13 consecutive goals in one game.