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

April 18, 2025

The Hershey Bears host the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins tonight as they close out their 12-game regular-season series.

Hershey Bears (43-19-7-1) vs. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (39-23-7-1)
April 18, 2025 | 7 p.m. | GIANT Center
Referees: Graedy Hamilton (41), Chad Ingalls (39)
Linespersons: Jeremy Faucher (85), Tommy George (61)

Tonight's Promotions:

Pre-game Happy Hour - Fans 21-and-over can enjoy a $5 16 oz. select beer special, available from doors to puck drop.

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 hosted the Syracuse Crunch on Wednesday and earned a critical overtime point in a 3-2 loss. After building a 1-0 lead on a goal by Hendrix Lapierre in the first, the Bears surrendered two goals in the second period to the Crunch. Alex Limoges tied the game at 3:08 of the third period, but Conor Sheary netted the game-clincher just 23 seconds into the extra session. The Penguins fell to the Providence Bruins 3-2 on Wednesday at home as Riley Tufte scored with under 27 seconds remaining in regulation, despite a 43-save outing from Joel Blomqvist.

MAGIC NUMBER MATH:
The race for the Frank S. Mathers Trophy for the Atlantic Division crown is down to just Hershey (94 points) and Charlotte (90 points). Hershey's Magic Number to clinch a second consecutive regular-season division championship is now one point; any combination of a point earned by the Bears or lost by the Checkers (at Springfield) 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 eight points, but the Laval Rocket have a Magic Number of one point and host Belleville tonight. The Penguins can also jump the Providence Bruins (idle) into third place in the Atlantic with a regulation win.

BEAR MARKET:
Defenseman Ethan Bear was named to the American Hockey League's Second All-Star Team yesterday, marking the 16th overall time that a Bears defenseman earned Second All-Star Team honors and the first time since Aaron Ness received the distinction in the 2018-19 season. Bear has enjoyed a career year, leading Hershey in scoring with 46 points (seventh among AHL defenders) and is tied for first in the AHL with a +33 rating over 62 games for a club that has allowed the second-fewest shots on goal in the league (26.1 per game). Hershey has posted a record of 28-4-3-0 when Bear records at least a point. Bear also represented Hershey earlier this season at the 2025 AHL All-Star Classic in Palm Desert, California.

PESTERING THE PENGUINS:
The Bears lead the season series against Wilkes-Barre/Scranton with a 6-3-1-1 record following last Friday's 4-2 win at Mohegan Arena at Casey Plaza. Hershey has a 3-2-0-0 home record against the Penguins this season; the most recent encounter at GIANT Center resulted in a 5-4 Bears overtime win on March 1. Thanks to Luke Philp's four-point game last week, the forward has surged into a tie with Hendrix Lapierre with nine points against Hershey's I-81 rivals, trailing only Ethan Bear's 10 points.

BEARS BITES:
Goaltender Clay Stevenson made his NHL debut last night for the Washington Capitals in a 5-2 loss at Pittsburgh, making 33 saves...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 two games away from his 200th pro game...Ivan Miroshnichenko is two games away from his 100th game as a Bear...Hershey's 3.24 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...Hershey is averaging the fewest penalty minutes of any Eastern Conference team (10.47).

ON THIS DATE:
April 18, 1997 - Blair Atcheynum scored on Wade Flaherty just 51 seconds into the second overtime to give the Bears a 4-3 win over the Kentucky Thoroughblades in Games 1 of the Mid-Atlantic Division Semifinals in front of 4,701 at Hersheypark Arena.