The Hershey Bears open a three-in-three weekend set with a road matchup against the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.
Hershey Bears (39-18-6-1) at Lehigh Valley Phantoms (33-26-5-2)
April 4, 2025 | 7:05 p.m. | PPL Center
Referees: Jack Young (24), Mason Riley (79)
Linespersons: Dylan Blujus (70), J.P. Waleski (14)
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
WATCH LIVE: AHLTV on FloHockey
LISTEN LIVE: Fox Sports 1460-AM Stream
Radio pre-game coverage starts at 6:35 p.m.
LAST TIME OUT:
The Bears played their first home game in several weeks last Sunday against the Utica Comets, but the homecoming was spoiled as Utica scored on its first two shots in a 14-second span in the first period and ultimately dealt Hershey a 7-4 loss. The Phantoms are coming off a Wednesday morning tilt at Bridgeport, picking up a 4-1 win over the Islanders, as Lehigh Valley built a comfortable 4-0 lead by the midway point of the second period. Adam Ginning led the way with a pair of assists, including on Anthony Richard's opening goal 2:43 into the first that proved to be the game-winner.
PLAYOFF PICTURE:
Hershey sits atop the Atlantic Division with a three-point lead on Charlotte and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton for first place; the club's Magic Number to lock up a second consecutive division title sits at 14 points. The Phantoms used Wednesday's result to leapfrog ahead of the Springfield Thunderbirds by one point into fifth place in the Atlantic and reduce their Magic Number to secure a playoff berth to four points.
BACK ON THE ROAD:
This season the Bears have been the best road team in the league, owning a .758 road points percentage on the strength of a 22-5-5-1 record away from GIANT Center. With three road contests remaining on the schedule, Hershey needs to earn at least three out of six available points in order to match the club's single-season record for road points percentage (.736, 2023-24) at the conclusion of the campaign.
NESS AVAILABLE:
Bears captain Aaron Ness is finally available to dress for the Bears after shedding the non-contact jersey in practices this week. The defenseman has missed the last 13 games for Hershey after sustaining an upper-body injury on March 1 against Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. The Bears have gone 30-13-5-0 this season with Ness in the lineup. Ness' 182 career points with the Chocolate and White rank sixth among defensemen in club history, and his 424 career games ranks 24th in Hershey history among all players.
FANNING THE PHANTOMS:
Hershey leads the head-to-head series against the Lehigh Valley Phantoms with a 4-2-1-0 record through seven meetings. Tonight's road game against the Phantoms marks Hershey's first visit to the PPL Center since Dec. 8, a 5-4 Bears win. The Bears have posted a 23-6-1-3 record against Lehigh Valley in the Todd Nelson era. Ethan Bear leads Hershey in scoring against the Phantoms with eight points (2g, 6a) in six contests, while Jon-Randall Avon and Olle Lycksell (recalled to NHL) have each recorded five points to lead Lehigh Valley against Hershey. The Chocolate and White have gone 3-for-27 (11.1%) on the power play against the Phantoms and 19-for-20 (95%) on the penalty kill.
BEARS BITES:
Ethan Bear is sixth in defensive scoring with 44 points and is tied for second among all skaters in plus/minus at +32. Bear enters Saturday's game against Hartford riding a five-game home assist streak (7a)...Mike Vecchione is two points away from his 300th pro point...Bears head coach Todd Nelson's next win will allow him to pass Don Penniston (136 wins) for sole possession of seventh on the franchise list for wins by a head coach...The Bears are averaging the fewest penalty minutes per game in the Eastern Conference (10.53)...Hershey is tied with Hartford for the league lead with eight victories in the overtime period...Hershey's .806 points percentage when scoring first (23-4-4-0) is seventh in the AHL...The Bears' 3.33 goals scored per game is seventh in the league...Hershey is 15-1-2-1 on the road when outshooting its opponent.
ON THIS DATE:
April 4, 1982 - Errol Rause found the net three times and the Bears closed out the regular season with a 9-2 win against the New Brunswick Hawks in front of 3,169 at Hersheypark Arena. Wes Jarvis scored at 13:13 of the second period to extend his point streak to 20 games, breaking the previous team record he shared with Tim Tookey and Tony McKegney. Jarvis piled up 43 points (19g, 24a) during his prolific scoring binge, a mark that would not be surpassed in the Hershey record book until Alexandre Giroux's 2008-09 campaign.
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