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

(Hershey, PA – Oct. 24, 2026) – The Hershey Bears host the Belleville Senators as Hershey continues the 2026-27 season, presented by Penn State Health. Tonight’s match marks the conclusion of a seven-game homestand to open the 2026-27 campaign.

Hershey Bears (4-2-0-0) vs. Belleville Senators (4-2-2-0)
Oct. 24, 2026 | 7 p.m. | GIANT Center
Referees: Mason Riley (79), Luke Stork (54)
Linespersons: Bill Lyons (27), John Rey (16)

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Promotions:

Christmas Candylane Pass Night – All fans in attendance will receive a 2026 Hersheypark Christmas Candylane ticket, valid for one-day admission through Jan. 3, 2027.

Broadcast Information:
Voice of the Bears Zack Fisch, AHL Hall-of-Famer Mitch Lamoureux, and radio ice-side reporter 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: Fox Sports 1460-AM Stream
Radio pre-game coverage begins at 6:30 p.m.

LAST TIME OUT:
The Bears earned a split of last weekend’s series with the Providence Bruins as a result of Sunday’s 6-1 defeat in which Hershey’s lone goal came from Joey Anderson. The Senators enjoyed a 7-3 romp at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton last night, erupting for a 3-0 lead in the first period. The Penguins fought back in the second to make it a 4-3 game in favor of the visitors, but Belleville tacked on three additional goals in the third period to ultimately skate away with the victory, as former Penguin Phil Tomasino led the way with four points (1g, 3a) against his former club.

HOME SWEET HOME:
Tonight’s contest marks the conclusion of a seven-game homestand – the longest homestand to open a season in franchise history. With a 4-2-0-0 record through its first six home games, a win tonight will give Hershey five victories in its first seven home matches; the Bears have managed at least five wins in their first seven home games of a season 37 times in 88 previous seasons, with the most recent instance occurring in 2023-24, when Hershey began its home slate with a 5-2-0-0 record. The best start through the first seven games in franchise history took place in 1961-62, when the Bears posted a 7-0-0 record on their way to an eventual club record 10-game home winning streak from the outset of the campaign.

RING THE BEL:
Hershey and Belleville will face each other twice this season, with tonight’s meeting marking the Senators’ lone visit to GIANT Center during the 2026-27 campaign. Hershey posted a 1-3-0-0 record against the Senators last season, winning a 6-3 decision at Belleville on Feb. 14. Bogdan Trineyev led the Bears against Belleville with four points (2g, 2a) in four games, while the Senators were paced by Carter Yakemchuk (now with the parent Ottawa Senators), who generated seven assists in four contests against Hershey.

POWER’S ON:
Joey Anderson’s goal in Sunday’s defeat to Providence extended Hershey’s streak of games with a power-play goal to three. Last season the Bears only managed that feat three times, topping out at four consecutive games from Oct. 24-31, going 5-for-14 (35.7%) during that particular stretch. During their current run, the Bears have gone 3-for-10 (30%) with the man advantage. The Senators enter tonight’s game with a penalty kill ranked 30th in the AHL, having surrendered a league-leading 11 power-play goals on 35 shorthanded chances (68.6% penalty kill rate).

BEARS BITES:
Following tonight’s game, the Bears will play at least two games every weekend (Friday, Saturday, Sunday) until the weekend of Dec. 25, when Hershey visits Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on the afternoon of Sunday, Dec. 27…Josh Dunne’s next point will be his 100th in the AHL…The Bears announced the recall of goaltender Garin Bjorklund from the ECHL’s South Carolina Stingrays following the recall of goaltender Mitch Gibson from Hershey by the Washington Capitals.

ON THIS DATE IN BEARS HISTORY:
Oct. 24, 2015 – The Bears hosted their home opener for the 2015-16 season with a thrilling contest against the Hartford Wolf Pack. Chris Bourque, who had returned to the organization by signing a two-year NHL contract with Washington in the offseason and had helped eliminate Hershey as a member of the Wolf Pack in the 2015 Calder Cup Playoffs, netted the game-winner for Hershey in overtime.