October 4, 2023
The
Hershey Bears are set to open the 2023 Preseason this morning against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins at Mohegan Sun Arena. This morning’s match marks the first of two exhibition games between the Bears and Penguins, as the reigning Calder Cup Champions host Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on Friday evening at
GIANT Center. Hershey closes out its preseason campaign when the Bears visit the Lehigh Valley Phantoms on Sunday.
Hershey Bears (0-0-0-0) at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (1-0-0-0)
October 4, 2023 | 10:30 a.m. | Preseason Game 1 | Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza
Referees: Adam Tobias (16), Casey Terreri (75)
Linespersons: Patrick Dapuzzo (57), J.P. Waleski (14)
Broadcast Information
Voice of the Bears, Zack Fisch on the call
LISTEN LIVE: Mixlr,
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Preseason games are NOT broadcast via the Bears Radio Network, the Bears Mobile App, or on AHLTV. Preseason games will be available via the audio-only streams listed above.
Audio pre-game coverage starts at 10:30 a.m.
THE CHAMPS ARE BACK:
This morning marks the first time Hershey takes the ice since the club claimed its 12th Calder Cup Championship. On June 21, Hershey skated away with a 3-2 overtime win and the Calder Cup, defeating the Coachella Valley Firebirds at Acrisure Arena. Mike Vecchione beat Joey Daccord at 16:19 of the first overtime for the first Game 7 sudden-death overtime goal in Finals history. Today’s contest is the first of three preseason games for the Chocolate and White before they raise the Calder Cup banner on Opening Night on Oct. 14 versus the Belleville Senators. Hershey went 0-2-1-0 in the preseason last year; the Bears and Penguins each earned six wins to split the 2022-23 regular season series, with Hershey going 6-3-3-0. The Penguins have already skated in a preseason contest, after battling the Lehigh Valley Phantoms at PPL Center last night and coming away with a 4-0 shutout win. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton only allowed 11 shots on goal, all of which were stopped by Joel Blomqvist. Austin Rueschhoff opened the scoring for the Penguins with a power-play goal at 11:51 of the first period, and Lukas Svejkovsky tallied less than a minute later at 12:31. Matt Filipe and Justin Addamo each scored in the third period to close out the game for the Penguins.
PRESEASON ROSTER BREAKDOWN:
The Bears opened training camp on Monday at
GIANT Center with 16 forwards, 10 defensemen, and two goaltenders, and added to that number on Tuesday with forward Riley Sutter and defenseman Chase Priskie clearing NHL waivers. Hershey’s preseason roster currently includes nine players who made last season’s Opening Night Roster in forwards Ethen Frank, Julian Napravnik, Henrik Rybinski, Matt Strome, Riley Sutter and Mike Vecchione, along with defensemen Logan Day, Jake Massie, and Aaron Ness. Several other players from last season’s squad who could join the Bears in the coming days are currently in Washington Capitals training camp.
CROSSING THE I-81 RIVALRY:
Defenseman Colin Swoyer signed an American Hockey League deal with the Bears during the offseason, after previously skating in 41 games with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton over the last two seasons. The Michigan Tech alumnus has 11 points (1g, 10a) in his AHL career. Fellow Hershey defender Michael Kim is also a former Penguin, skating in 23 games from 2018-20 with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.
SUZ STARTS HERE:
Among those expected to dress for today’s game is forward Alex Suzdalev, who is slated to pull on a Hershey jersey for the first time. The 19-year-old is coming off a season where he registered 86 points (38g, 48a) in 66 games for the Western Hockey League’s Regina Pats. He was selected in the third round of the 2022 NHL Draft by the Washington Capitals after striking for 51 points (15g, 36a) in 45 games in Sweden for HV71’s junior team.
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