The Hershey Bears hit the road for the first time this season as they open up a four-game road trip (and their first of four three-in-threes) this season when they take on the Providence Bruins tonight at the Amica Mutual Pavilion. Hershey is at Providence again tomorrow before closing out the weekend at Bridgeport on Sunday.
Hershey Bears (1-1-0-0) at Providence Bruins (1-1-0-1)
October 20, 2023 | 7:05 p.m. | Game 3 | Amica Mutual Pavilion
Referees: Jared Cummins (2), Jake Kamrass (3)
Linespersons: Stephen Drain (2), Matthew Heinen (38)
Broadcast Information
Voice of the Bears, Zack Fisch on the call
RADIO: WFVY-100.1 FM, Fox Sports 1460-AM, Capitals Radio
WATCH LIVE: AHLTV
LISTEN LIVE: Fox Sports AM-1460 Stream, Caps Radio 24/7
Radio pre-game coverage starts at 6:35 p.m.
LAST TIME OUT:
The Bears got their first victory of the season on Sunday as they faced the Cleveland Monsters and came away with a 5-2 win, thanks in part to a three-goal outburst in the opening frame. Ethen Frank led the way with a goal and two assists, while Pierrick Dube, Mike Vecchione, and Mike Sgarbossa each registered a goal and an assist. The Bears went 2-for-4 with the man advantage, and 4-for-4 on the penalty kill. Likewise, Providence is coming off its first victory of the season, a 4-2 triumph at home on Wednesday against Bridgeport. Despite initially falling behind 1-0 less than six and a half minutes into the first period, Justin Brazeau and Trevor Kuntar scored 38 seconds apart to make it 2-1. In the third period, Georgii Merkulov and Oskar Steen scored as well.
GOALIE-JUGGLING:
An injury to Washington Capitals goaltender Charlie Lindgren resulted in the Caps recalling Clay Stevenson from Hershey earlier this week after Stevenson got the Bears their first win of the season on Sunday afternoon. Stevenson backed up Darcy Kuemper on Wednesday in Washington's 6-1 loss at Ottawa. Meanwhile, Bears goaltender Garin Bjorklund has been re-assigned to the ECHL's South Carolina Stingrays; coming up to Hershey in his place is fellow rookie Mitch Gibson. Hunter Shepard, who was day-to-day with an illness last weekend, is healthy and expected to make his season debut at some point this weekend for the Bears.
BEARS SEEK TO SNAP SKID IN PROVIDENCE:
The Bears are looking to get their first win at Providence since before the COVID-19 pandemic, as Hershey's last road victory against the Bruins came on Jan. 25, 2020, a 3-2 shootout win. Riley Sutter, who assisted on a second-period goal by Liam O'Brien, is the only Bears player from that game still on Hershey's roster. Hershey has gone 0-6-0-1 at the Amica Mutual Pavilion (formerly known as the Dunkin' Donuts Center) since that victory.
BEARS-BRUINS TIES:
Providence head coach Ryan Mougenel previously was an assistant coach with the Bears in 2013-14. Bruins forward Jayson Megna suited up for Hershey in 2018-19. Bears defender Aaron Ness spent one season with Providence in 2021-22 before returning to Hershey last season.
KUNTAR CONNECTION:
Providence forward Trevor Kuntar's dad is former Hershey goaltender Les Kuntar. The elder Kuntar played parts of two seasons with the Bears appearing in 52 total games between 1994-96. Les Kuntar and current Hershey head coach Todd Nelson were teammates with the Bears during the 1995-96 season.
NELLY CLOSING IN ON FTOREK:
Bears bench boss Todd Nelson needs only one more win to pass Robbie Ftorek (354) for 12th on the AHL's wins list for coaches. Nelson, 54, began his AHL head coaching tenure in 2010-11 at the helm of the Edmonton Oilers affiliate, the Oklahoma City Barons, after previously winning the Calder Cup in 2008 as an assistant with the Chicago Wolves. His first captain in Oklahoma City was coincidentally former Bears captain (and current Bears vice president of hockey operations) Bryan Helmer. Over parts of 10 seasons as an AHL head coach, Nelson has compiled a record of 354-209-72 (.614) and won championships with Hershey in 2023 and Grand Rapids in 2017. A 36-win season for Nelson in the 2023-24 campaign could move him as high as eighth on the AHL's coaching wins list, passing Ftorek, Terry Reardon (362), Mark Morris (374), Randy Cunneyworth (384), and Ken Gernander (388).
BEARS BITES:
Defender Jake Massie's next game will be his 100th AHL contest...Defenseman Aaron Ness is one point away from 300 AHL points, and is five points away from passing Patrick McNeill for eighth all-time in Bears scoring among blueliners...Defender Logan Day needs three points for the 100th of in his pro/AHL tenure.
ON THIS DATE:
Oct. 20, 1998 - Bears team president Jay Feaster left the club to become the assistant general manager of the NHL's Tampa Bay Lightning, where he would eventually capture the Stanley Cup as general manager in 2004. Doug Yingst, Hershey's general manager, added the title of president to his duties; the Bears captured three Calder Cups (2006, 2009, 2010) during Yingst's tenure as president.
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