Game Preview: Bears at Thunderbirds, 7:05 p.m.

The Hershey Bears continue the 2026-27 season, presented by Penn State Health, as they visit the Springfield Thunderbirds for the first of two games this weekend.

Hershey Bears (7-4-0-0) at Springfield Thunderbirds (3-4-2-1)
Nov. 6, 2026 | 7:05 p.m. | MassMutual Center
Referees: Damian Figueira (32), Mathieu Menniti (30)
Linespersons: Brent Colby (7), Kevin Briganti (39)

Broadcast Information:
Voice of the Bears Zack Fisch, on the call
RADIO: WFVY 100.1-FM, Fox Sports 1460-AM
WATCH LIVE: AHLTV on FloHockey
LISTEN LIVE: Fox Sports 1460-AM Stream

Radio pre-game coverage begins at 6:35 p.m.

LAST TIME OUT:
The Bears hosted the Hartford Wolf Pack on Wednesday and came away with a 4-1 win on the strength of a strong night on special teams, as Hershey went 2-for-2 on the power play and 4-for-4 on the penalty kill. Josh Dunne, Louie Belpedio, Alex Suzdalev, and Petr Sikora scored for the Bears. Springfield has been idle since hosting Hartford last Sunday, a 4-2 Wolf Pack win; former Bear Nathan Walker scored for the Thunderbirds.

TANGLING WITH THE T-BIRDS:
Hershey went 2-2-0-0 against the Thunderbirds last season, with each team earning a win at home and on the road. The Bears were paced in scoring against Springfield by Bogdan Trineyev and Henrik Rybinski, who each had generated four points in four games. Hershey’s roster features several former Thunderbirds including defenseman Jacob MacDonald. The veteran rearguard is set to play his first game against his old team since departing the franchise following the 2018-19 season, a year in which he led all Springfield defensemen in scoring with 43 points (14g, 29a) in 72 games. Hershey forward Sam Bitten and defenseman Dylan McIlrath are also former T-Birds, while MacDonald and Dalton Smith also played for the city’s previous franchise, the Springfield Falcons. 

SUPPRESSING SHOTS:
Hershey enters tonight’s game allowing just 24.45 shots per game, a mark that ranks third in the league. Hershey has permitted just 31 shots against over the past two contests, allowing just 16 to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton last Sunday and only 15 shots against in Wednesday’s win vs. Hartford. The Bears have allowed single-digit shots on goal in 10 straight periods, dating back to the road victory at Rochester on Oct. 30. Springfield on the other hand is allowing the most shots on goal per game at 32.80 this season.

TAKING THE SHOW ON THE ROAD:
The Bears come into tonight’s game with just two games played on the road this season, the lowest total in the AHL, while they’ve played the most home games in the league at nine. Hershey has a lifetime record of 33-9-3-1 against the Thunderbirds at MassMutual Center and went 1-1-0-0 last year in Springfield. The T-Birds are 0-3-2-1 at home to start the season, and along with the Bakersfield Condors (0-2-0-0), they are the only teams in the league yet to record a victory on home ice in the 2026-27 campaign. Entering tonight’s game, Springfield is allowing 4.50 goals per game on home ice, a mark that ranks 28th in the league. 

THE TERRIFIC TYNAN:
Springfield managed a major coup this offseason by signing T.J. Tynan on July 2 to a one-year AHL contract. Tynan ranks seventh in league history in assists with 587, behind only Willie Marshall (852), Fred Glover (814), Mike Nykoluk (686), Tim Tookey (621), Keith Aucoin (613) and Cal O’Reilly (606). He is also one of just two players (Art Stratton) ever to lead the league in assists in a season four times in his career. Tynan won the Les Cunningham Award as the AHL’s most valuable player in 2020-21 and 2021-22, the fifth player ever to win the honor in back-to-back seasons. He also won a Calder Cup with Lake Erie in 2016. Through 10 games, Tynan is pacing the T-Birds with 10 points (2g, 8a). Tynan previously was teammates with several players on the Bears roster: Dalton Smith (Springfield Falcons, 2013-14); Jacob MacDonald (2019-20, 2024-26); Cal Petersen (Ontario Reign, 2022-23). Because of a career largely spent in the Western Conference, Tynan has only appeared in two regular-season games against the Bears – both of which occurred in 2014-15 – registering one goal and one assist.

BEARS BITES:
Louie Belpedio is tied for the league lead for game-winning goals by a defenseman (2)...Lynden Lakovic is tied for ninth in rookie scoring with eight points…Springfield forward Jack Finley is the son of former Bears defenseman Jeff Finley, who played with the club during the 1994-95 season, and was previously a teammate of current Bears head coach Derek King with the New York Islanders and Springfield Indians…Thunderbirds forward Chris Wagner’s next game will be the 500th of his AHL career…Bears assistant coach Brent Thompson played for the Springfield Falcons in the mid-1990s, and vice president of hockey operations Bryan Helmer played for the Falcons during two stints in 2003-04 and 2012-13…Springfield’s Nathan Walker, Kale Kessy, and Calle Rosén all previously played for the Bears, while Thunderbirds assistant coach Chad Wiseman played for Hershey during the 2006-07 season.

ON THIS DATE IN BEARS HISTORY:
Nov. 6, 1966 – The Bears set a club record for most goals scored in a single game, beating the Buffalo Bisons 15-6 at Buffalo. The game also featured 43 individual player points, another club record. Right wing Wayne Rivers led the way with seven points in the contest on the strength of three goals and four assists.