Game Preview: Bears vs. Crunch, 7 p.m.

April 16, 2025

The Hershey Bears face the Syracuse Crunch tonight as the Chocolate and White begin a three-game homestand to close out the 2024-25 regular season.

Hershey Bears (43-19-6-1) vs. Syracuse Crunch (35-22-8-4)
April 16, 2025 | 7 p.m. | GIANT Center
Referees: Graedy Hamilton (41), Casey Terreri (75)
Linespersons: Jeremy Faucher (85), John Rey (16)

Tonight's Promotions:

• Fairview Golf Course Back-to-Back Calder Cup champions Golf Chip Giveaway - The first 4,000 fans in attendance will receive a back-to-back Calder Cup championship logo golf chip, courtesy of Fairview Golf Course.
• Berks Dollar Dog Night - Berks hot dogs can be purchased for $1 on the concourse at select locations.

BUY TICKETS NOW VIA TICKETMASTER

Broadcast Information 
Voice of the Bears, Zack Fisch, AHL Hall-of-Famer Mitch Lamoureux, and Jim Jones on the call
RADIO: WFVY 100.1 FM, Fox Sports 1460-AM, SportsRadio 98.9 FM & WOYK 1350-AM, Capitals Radio, In-Arena on 88.9 FM
WATCH LIVE: AHLTV on FloHockey
LISTEN LIVE: Fox Sports 1460-AM Stream, Caps Radio 24/7
Radio pre-game coverage starts at 6:30 p.m.

LAST TIME OUT:
Hershey wrapped up the road portion of its schedule last Saturday at Lehigh Valley, as the Phantoms built a 3-0 lead by the fourth minute of the third period before Matt Strome scored Hershey's lone goal at 6:43. Lehigh Valley added two more goals as Cal Petersen finished with 19 saves. Syracuse is coming off a 2-1 home loss to Laval on Saturday that saw the Crunch give up a pair of goals in the first period, while Tristan Allard scored Syracuse's lone goal in the second period. The Crunch attempted to tie the score with 11 shots in the third period, but Jacob Fowler shut the door to secure the win for Laval.

MAGIC NUMBER MATH:
The race for the Frank S. Mathers Trophy for the Atlantic Division crown is down to just Hershey (93 points) and Charlotte (88 points). Hershey's Magic Number to clinch a second consecutive regular-season division championship is down to two points; any combination of two points earned by the Bears or lost by the Checkers tonight will secure the Atlantic Division for Hershey. The Bears remain alive in the hunt for the Macgregor Kilpatrick Trophy for first overall in the AHL with a Magic Number of 11, but the Laval Rocket have a Magic Number of two points and host Belleville tonight. Meanwhile, the Crunch can lock up a playoff berth by picking up at least one point against the Bears or any form of a loss by Belleville.

STROME SURGE:
Forward Matt Strome has generated nine points (4g, 5a) in his last 13 games. The forward's goal at Lehigh Valley on Saturday established new single-season highs for Strome in both goals (8) and points (21). His 13 assists are currently tied for his previous best, set last season. Hershey is 12-4-1-1 this season when Strome has recorded at least a point.

WAKIN' JAKE:
Jake Massie is listed as available for the first time since sustaining a lower-body injury in Hershey's game at Laval on Jan. 22. The defenseman has missed the last 29 games, in which Hershey has gone 18-8-2-1; the club is 14-4-2-0 with Massie in the lineup this season.

CLOSING OUT THE CRUNCH:
Tonight's contest against Syracuse marks the fourth and final meeting of the season between the two clubs, with the road team winning each of the previous three contests. A win tonight would mark Hershey's first three-win season against Syracuse since the 2016-17 campaign, when the Bears went 3-0-1-0 against the Crunch.

BEARS BITES:
Ethan Bear is seventh in defensive scoring with 46 points and is second among all skaters in plus/minus at +33...Spencer Smallman is one assist away from his 100th pro helper...Brad Hunt is three points away from his 300th AHL point...Vincent Iorio is three games away from his 200th pro game...Ivan Miroshnichenko is three games away from his 100th game as a Bear...Hershey's 3.26 goals scored per game is eighth in the AHL...The Bears have managed 14 wins this season when trailing after the first period, which leads the AHL...Hershey is 10-0-0-0 at home when leading after two periods...The Bears are 10-6-3-0 against North Division clubs this season...Crunch forward Jack Finley is the son of former Bears defenseman Jeff Finley.

ON THIS DATE:
April 16, 2010 - Goaltender Michal Neuvirth made 23 saves for the Bears in a 3-2 win against the Bridgeport Sound Tigers in front of 10,112 at GIANT Center to give Hershey a 2-0 series lead in the East Division Semifinals. The victory marked the start of a club playoff record home win streak by a goaltender, as Neuvirth went on a 7-0 run at GIANT Center to propel Hershey to the Calder Cup Finals. The Czech goaltender, who maintained his rookie status for his second North American season, also began a club playoff record overall rookie win streak of eight consecutive games with the victory.