The Hershey Bears open a four-game road trip tonight as they visit the rival Lehigh Valley Phantoms for the first time this season.
Hershey Bears (10-4-1-0) at Lehigh Valley Phantoms (6-4-2-1)
Nov. 16, 2024 | 7:05 p.m. | PPL Center
Referees: Samuel Heidemann (60), Mason Riley (79)
Linespersons: Robert Peterkin (51), Jud Ritter (34)
Broadcast Information
Voice of the Bears, Zack Fisch, on the call
RADIO: WFVY-100.1 FM, Fox Sports 1460-AM, SportsRadio 98.9-FM & WOYK 1350-AM, Caps Radio
WATCH LIVE: AHLTV on FloHockey
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 fell behind 2-0 after the first period and surrendered four goals in the third period in a 6-1 loss to the Bridgeport Islanders last night at GIANT Center. Ethen Frank scored the lone goal for Hershey, while Bridgeport's Fredrik Karlstrom tallied a pair of goals as Hershey fell to 5-4-1-0 on home ice this season. Lehigh Valley had a seven-game point streak snapped last night with a 4-3 loss at Springfield despite goals from Elliott Desnoyers, Samu Tuomaala, and Olle Lycksell.
WE MEET AGAIN:
Tonight marks the second meeting between Lehigh Valley and Hershey this season. The two teams squared off at GIANT Center on Oct. 30 with the Phantoms coming away with a 2-1 win. Jake Massie scored Hershey's lone goal and Jacob Gaucher tallied the game-winning marker for Lehigh Valley at 8:56 of the third period. Last year, Hershey went 8-2-0-2 versus the Phantoms, including posting a 3-1-0-2 record at PPL Center.
SHEPARD'S SHARP:
Goaltender Hunter Shepard enters tonight's game tied for the league lead in victories with eight. He's played the third most minutes in the AHL (600:21), and the Minnesota native has won his last three starts. Shepard took the loss in the previous meeting with Lehigh Valley on Oct. 30 despite making 21 saves. Shepard is 4-1-1 in his AHL career in games at PPL Center. A win tonight would push Shepard past John Henderson for sole possession of 13th place in franchise history with 64 victories.
ROARING ON THE ROAD:
The Bears own a perfect 5-0-0-0 record on the road this season, making them one of just three unbeaten teams away from home, joining the Calgary Wranglers (4-0-0-0) and Belleville Senators (2-0-0-0). Hershey's road penalty kill is the best in the league at 18-for-19 (94.7%), and defender Ethan Bear has assists in four straight road games.
FIRST PERIOD WOES:
The Bears have scored the first goal of the game just five times over the club's first 15 games of the season. Hershey has been held scoreless in the game's initial stanza for the past five games, and overall has been outscored 6-14 in the first period this season, while they have outscored opponents 23-11 in the second period and 18-15 in the third frame.
BEARS BITES:
With his 11th marker of the season last night, Ethen Frank leads the AHL in goals. He ranks third in the league in scoring with 15 points...Forward Mike Sgarbossa skated in his first game with the Bears since Oct. 26 last night after appearing three games with the NHL's Washington Capitals during two recalls...Pierrick Dube is second in the league in shots (48) only trailing Lehigh Valley's Olle Lycksell (60)...Hershey allowed six goals on home ice for the second time this season with the previous occurrence coming on Oct. 13 vs. Cleveland in a 6-3 loss...Through 10 home games, Hershey has given up 31 goals against, over half of the 60 goals they allowed in the full slate of 36 home games during the 2023-24 campaign.
ON THIS DATE:
Nov. 16, 2014 - Hershey topped Wilkes-Barre/Scranton 3-2 in front of a sold-out crowd of 10,907 at GIANT Center thanks to a second-period penalty shot goal from forward Chandler Stephenson. This was the most recent game in Hershey's history that featured a penalty shot for each team, as in addition to Stephenson's goal, Hershey goaltender Philipp Grubauer turned aside an attempt from Wilkes-Barre/Scranton forward Josh Archibald in the second period.
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