Weekly Release: Bears Return for Busy Home Weekend

February 22, 2024

The Hershey Bears (39-9-0-3) return home this weekend for a pair of games at GIANT Center as they get set to close out their February schedule against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and Rochester Americans.

TEAM LEADERS:
Goals: Ethen Frank (21)
Assists: Joe Snively (31)
Points: Joe Snively (41)
Power-Play Goals: Ethen Frank (10)
Shorthanded Goals: Hendrix Lapierre (2)
Plus/Minus: Jimmy Huntington, Vincent Iorio (+17)
Wins: Hunter Shepard (20)
GAA: Clay Stevenson (1.93)
SV%: Clay Stevenson (.929)
Only includes qualified players on active roster

RECENT RESULTS:

-        Saturday, Feb. 17 - Hershey 3 at Toronto 2 (OT)
-        Monday, Feb. 19 - Hershey 4 at Belleville 2
-        Wednesday, Feb. 21 - Hershey 2 at Laval 3 (SO)

LOCAL PRACTICE SCHEDULE FOR WEEK OF FEB. 19:

Monday, Feb. 19 - Thursday, Feb. 22
Team on road

Friday, Feb. 23
Morning skate, 10:15 a.m. at GIANT Center

Saturday, Feb. 24
Morning skate, 10:15 a.m. at GIANT Center

All practices are open to the public. Practice dates and times are subject to change.

UPCOMING GAME SCHEDULE:

Friday, Feb. 23 - Hershey vs. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, 7 p.m. - BUY TICKETS (limited seating available)

• Michelob Ultra Can Holder Night - The first 3,000 fans 21-and-over in attendance will receive a can holder, courtesy of Michelob Ultra
• Pre-game Happy Hour - Enjoy 16 oz. Michelob Ultra cans for just $5, available from doors to puck drop

Saturday, Feb. 24 - Hershey vs. Rochester Americans, 7 p.m. - BUY TICKETS (limited seating available)

• FeBREWary - The Bears host their first-ever FeBREWary Beerfest event, featuring the chance to taste a selection of some of the best beers and wines from premier local vendors, a sampling pass for six delicious food stops, an exclusive FeBREWary alpine hat, sponsored by Ever Grain Brewing Co., an exclusive FeBREWary tote bag, an exclusive keepsake FeBREWary tasting glass, sponsored by Rusty Rail, live entertainment and games, and one ticket to the Bears vs. Americans game. CLICK HERE for more information.
• Jersey Auction - Bears players will be wearing FeBREWary-themed jerseys that will be auctioned off post-game. The Hershey Bears Hockey Club donates a portion of the sale of all jersey auctions to several area nonprofit organizations as part of its community-focused Hershey Bears Cares initiative.
• Food Drive - Hershey Food Bank will collect canned and non-perishable food items on the plaza outside the front entrance of GIANT Center. All items must be collected outside the GIANT Center prior to entry to the game. Fans are asked to bring items that are within their best by or sell by dates for those in need, with emphasis on: canned spinach, asparagus, and mushrooms, boxed or bagged potato, rice, and pasta sides, heat-and-eat soups, cereal, creamy peanut butter and jelly, and canned fruit. Additionally, personal items like toothpaste, deodorant, bar soap, toilet paper, and tissues are also in need.

TV Coverage: FOX43 (Friday only), Video Coverage: AHLTV; Radio Coverage: Bears Radio Network

All times Eastern

TEAM NEWS AND NOTES:

DUBE GETS THE CALL:
The Washington Capitals announced on Wednesday morning the recall of forward Pierrick Dube from Hershey. The second-year pro is in his first year of a two-year entry-level contract signed with the Capitals this past summer, and his 24 goals are the most by any Bears player and rank tied for the second most in the American Hockey League. Dube will reportedly not dress for Washington's game tonight at Tampa Bay; he could still earn his first NHL sweater on Saturday, when the Capitals visit the Florida Panthers.

THE BIG PICTURE:
With a shootout loss on Wednesday night in Laval, the Bears fell short of matching the franchise mark  (set in 51 games by the 2009-10 Bears squad) for the fastest 40 wins from the start of the season. Earlier this season, the current Bears team matched the franchise record for the fastest 20 wins (26 games) and shattered the previous club mark for fastest 30 wins, reaching the plateau in 39 games. This season's team is playing a 72-game schedule, and currently owns a points percentage of .794; the 2009-10 Bears own the club record for largest points percentage (.769), set in an 80-game schedule. The AHL record for most wins in a 72-game schedule was established last season, when the Calgary Wranglers earned 51 victories; Hershey must win 12 or more of its final 21 games to equal or surpass that figure.

LAPPING IT UP:
Forward Hendrix Lapierre is tied for the team lead in scoring for the month of February with eight points (3g, 5a) in seven games. The second-year pro enjoyed a breakout performance on Monday at Belleville, displaying versatility in the form of a natural hat trick comprised of goals scored at even-strength, shorthanded, and on the power play; his final goal stood up as the eventual game-winning tally, his first of the season. Hershey has posted a record of 10-2-0-0 this season when Lapierre records at least a point.

DEPTH TESTED:
Wednesday's shootout loss at Laval was a game in which Hershey was not able to dress its roster at full strength; several critical players were unavailable due to injury or suspension, while the team has also had to make adjustments with the absence of leading scorer Mike Sgarbossa and Pierrick Dube, both of whom are on NHL recalls to Washington.

I-81 SERIES RESUMES FRIDAY:
The Bears and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins will renew hostilities tomorrow as Hershey faces its I-81 foe for the first time in nearly a month. The two clubs last locked horns on Jan. 27, a 3-2 road win at Mohegan Sun Arena in which Ethen Frank scored twice, including the game-winning goal. Hershey leads the regular-season series with a record of 7-2-0-0; the Bears are 4-0-0-0 against the Penguins at home. Joe Snively leads the series in scoring with 13 points (7g, 6a) in nine games.

CLASSIC MATCHUP WITH AMERKS AWAITS:
The two oldest active clubs in the AHL will spar on Saturday, as Hershey hosts Rochester for the lone time in the 2023-24 regular season. In Hershey's only visit of the season to Blue Cross Arena on Dec. 29, Hershey walked away with a 4-2 victory in a rematch of the 2023 Eastern Conference Finals. Bears captain Dylan McIlrath will be eligible to return to the lineup for this game after serving a two-game suspension assessed to the defenseman as a result of Monday's match in Belleville.

BEARS BITES:
The recall of Pierrick Dube means that the Bears will not have a single player this season who will have appeared in all 72 games this season. During the 2022-23 campaign, forward Mason Morelli was the only Bear to dress in every regular-season contest...Ethen Frank's 10 power-play goals remain tied for second in the league...The Bears lead the AHL with 33 first goals, and 30 wins when scoring first...The Chocolate and White enter the weekend's slate of games with a five-game winning streak on home ice...Hershey's home power play ranks fifth in the AHL at 19-for-84 (22.6%), and the club's home penalty kill ranks first at 77-for-85 (90.6%)...Hershey is a league-best 15-0-0-0 at home when leading after two periods...Joe Snively needs two more games to reach 200 career AHL/Bears contests.