The Hershey Bears continue their 10-game road trip as they battle with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins for the 10th time this season. Following tonight's game, the Bears will return to Central PA for two days before departing to finish the road trip with games at Bridgeport and Utica next week.
Hershey Bears (38-16-5-1) at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (33-18-7-1)
March 22, 2025 | 6:05 p.m. | Mohegan Arena at Casey Plaza
Referees: Casey Terreri (75), Mike Dietrich (15)
Linespersons: John Rey (16), Richard Jondo (55)
Broadcast Information
Voice of the Bears, Zack Fisch, and Bears media specialist Jesse Liebman on the call
RADIO: WFVY 100.1 FM, Fox Sports 1460-AM
WATCH LIVE: AHLTV on FloHockey
LISTEN LIVE: Fox Sports AM-1460 Stream
Radio pre-game coverage starts at 5:35 p.m.
LAST TIME OUT:
The Bears saw a six-game point streak (5-0-0-1) snapped, and they lost their first game in regulation during the club's 10-game road trip, when they fell to the Hartford Wolf Pack by a score of 4-3 at XL Center last night. Hershey had a 3-1 lead only 3:33 into the second period on goals by Hendrix Lapierre, Brad Hunt and Riley Sutter, but the Wolf Pack scored three unanswered goals, with two markers coming from Dylan Roobroeck, including the winning tally at 14:34 of the third period. The Penguins were handed a lopsided 10-2 loss on home ice last night by the Providence Bruins. The Penguins were jumped by the Bruins in the Atlantic Division standings, and Sam Poulin had a goal and an assist for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, who fired 44 shots in the loss.
STROMER STREAKING:
Hershey forward Matt Strome has once again enjoyed a string of success in the month of March. The forward recorded an assist last night to extend his point streak to five games (2g, 3a). That ties Strome's previous career-best point streak, set last March 15-23 (2g, 4a). The third-year Bear has 17 points (6g, 11a) in 49 games this season, one off his career-best in goals (7) and three off his personal-best in points (20).
DYNAMITE D-MEN:
Hershey's defensemen continue to be an offensive force this season, as the club's rearguards have combined to score 42 goals in the 2024-25 campaign, compared to 31 last year. With Chase Priskie (11) and Ethan Bear (10) leading the way, Hershey has two defensemen with double-digit goals for the first time since the 2011-12 season when Tomas Kundratek scored 12 and Patrick McNeill notched 10. With Brad Hunt's tally last night, Hershey's defenders have scored a goal in eight straight road games.
PENGUIN PARTICULARS:
The Bears face the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins tonight for the 10th time in the 12-game regular-season series. Hershey is 5-3-0-1 against the Penguins this year. Ethan Bear leads Hershey with 10 points (2g, 8a) in eight contests, while Ville Koivunen leads Wilkes-Barre/Scranton against the Bears with 11 points (7g, 4a). Hershey will look to keep Wilkes-Barre/Scranton's power play off the board tonight as the Penguins have gone 7-for-24 (29.2%) on the man-advantage versus the Bears this season.
STOPPED BY SHEP:
Hershey goaltender Hunter Shepard will likely get the start between the pipes tonight for the Bears. He enters this evening's game having won his past three starts, and four of his last five outings. He has allowed two or less goals in four of his previous six games. Against the Penguins this season, Shepard has gone 3-2-0 with a 3.29 goals-against average and a .876 save percentage. His 22 wins this season are tied for first in the AHL with Providence's Michael DiPietro.
BEARS BITES:
Hendrix Lapierre's goal last night was his 100th career professional point...Riley Sutter's goal last night was his first goal since Dec. 21, a span of 15 games...Brad Hunt's goal last night was also his first tally since Dec. 21, a span of 12 games...Last night's loss was Hershey's first regulation defeat when scoring first on the road this season...The game was also Hershey's first road regulation loss that was decided by a one goal, and Hershey's first road regulation loss when scoring in the first period...The last four head-to-head matchups with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton have been decided by one goal, with three games going beyond regulation...Hershey and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton play two more times before the season ends, including once at Mohegan Arena on April 11. Hershey is 2-1-0-1 on the road versus the Penguins this season.
ON THIS DATE:
March 22, 1964 - The Bears clinched a berth in the Calder Cup Playoffs with a 3-2 overtime win at Baltimore. Hershey Bears Hockey Club Hall of Fame member Bruce Cline netted the goal in sudden-death to send the Bears into the postseason, beating Gilles Villemure for his 26th of the season at 9:26 of the extra session.