The Hershey Bears (39-18-6-1) continue the 2024-25 season, presented by Penn State Health, as Hershey begins the final month of the regular season with a three-in-three weekend, visiting the Lehigh Valley Phantoms on Friday before returning home for a pair of games at GIANT Center against the Hartford Wolf Pack on Saturday and Sunday.
2024-25 TEAM LEADERS:
Goals: Pierrick Dube, Ivan Miroshnichenko (19)
Assists: Ethan Bear (34)
Points: Ethan Bear (44)
Power-Play Goals: Chase Priskie (9)
Shorthanded Goals: Grant Cruikshank, Bogdan Trineyev (1)
Plus/Minus: Ethan Bear (+32)
Wins: Hunter Shepard (22)
GAA: Hunter Shepard (2.81)
SV%: Hunter Shepard (.891)
Only includes qualified players on active roster
LOCAL PRACTICE SCHEDULE:
Monday, March 31
Day Off
Tuesday, April 1
Day Off
Wednesday, April 2
Practice, 10:30 a.m. at GIANT Center
Thursday, April 3
Practice, 10:30 a.m. at GIANT Center
Friday, April 4
Morning Skate, 10:15 a.m. at GIANT Center
Tuesday, April 5
Morning Skate, 10:15 a.m. at GIANT Center
Practice schedule is subject to change. Please check HersheyBears.com daily for updates.
LAST WEEK'S RESULTS:
- Wednesday, March 26 - Hershey 4 at Bridgeport 1
- Saturday, March 29 - Hershey 2 at Utica 4
- Sunday, March 30 - Hershey 4 vs. Utica 7
UPCOMING GAME SCHEDULE & PROMOTIONS:
Friday, April 4 - at Lehigh Valley Phantoms, 7:05 p.m.
Saturday, April 5 - vs. Hartford Wolf Pack, 7 p.m. - CLICK TO PURCHASE TICKETS
Sunday, April 6 - vs. Hartford Wolf Pack, 5 p.m. - CLICK TO PURCHASE TICKETS
Television Coverage: FOX 43.2 Antenna TV (Saturday); Video Coverage: AHLTV on FloHockey; Radio Coverage: Bears Radio Network, Capitals Radio Network
All times Eastern
TEAM NEWS AND NOTES:
MARCHING INTO APRIL:
Hershey went 8-4-1-1 in the month of March, matching its season high for wins, a feat equaled in November (8-3-2-0) and January (8-2-2-0). Hershey was led by Hendrix Lapierre in March with 15 points (2g, 13a). The Bears play eight games in the final month of the regular season, with five at home and three on the road. Lehigh Valley comprises its most frequent opponent, with the Bears facing their I-78 rivals three times (1 home, 2 road). Last season, the Bears finished their record-setting campaign with a torrid April, going 6-2-0-0 while outscoring their opponents 25-17 to claim the Macgregor Kilpatrick Trophy for the regular-season championship.
DUBE LIGHTING IT UP:
After managing just 10 goals from the start of the season through the end of February, Pierrick Dube nearly doubled his goal output in the month of March, finding the net nine times in 14 contests, the largest goal output by any Bear in an individual month this season. The third-year pro's 19 total goals ties him with Ivan Miroshnichenko for the team goal-scoring lead on the active roster, with Ethen Frank's (recalled to Washington) 20 still pacing the club. Hershey has recorded 13 wins when Dube lights the lamp, the most of any player on the team this season, and the Bears have posted a 22-4-2-0 record when he records at least a point.
MAGIC NUMBER MATH:
With 85 points, the Bears have a three-point edge on both the Charlotte Checkers and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in the Atlantic Division standings with an equal number of games remaining. Hershey has the best chance to lock up the division title with a Magic Number of 14 points. The Bears are also tied with Rochester for the second-best chance in the race for the Macgregor Kilpatrick Trophy with a Magic Number of 22, behind only Laval's Magic Number of 14. Hershey will not face either team in its remaining games, but Laval visits Rochester on April 11.
REINFORCEMENTS EXPECTED TO ARRIVE:
The Washington Capitals announced on Monday that defenseman Ryan Chesley will sign an amateur tryout agreement (ATO) with the Bears later this week and is expected to sign a three-year entry-level NHL contract with Washington at a later date. Chesley was Washington's second-round pick (37th overall) in the 2022 NHL Draft, and recently completed his junior season at the University of Minnesota, logging 20 points (8g, 12a) in 40 games. The Capitals also announced the signing of fellow 2022 draft choice David Gucciardi to a two-year entry-level NHL contract, with the expectation that the 22-year-old defenseman will sign an ATO later this week. Gucciardi recorded career highs this season in goals (6), assists (10), and points (16) in 37 games this season at Michigan State University.
SMALLMAN RE-UPS WITH CAPS:
The Washington Capitals announced earlier today the re-signing of forward Spencer Smallman to a two-year, two-way contract. Smallman has spent the entirety of the current season - his first in the Capitals organization - with the Bears, where he has recorded 33 points (9g, 24a) in 55 games. His 24 assists and 33 points are both career highs. Smallman's next game with Hershey will mark his 300th career AHL game and he is one assist away from his 100th professional assist.
END OF 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.
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. Friday'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.
HOWLING AT THE PACK:
The Bears host the Hartford Wolf Pack this weekend in a pair of games at GIANT Center. Hershey dropped both of its road contests at Hartford earlier this season, including a 4-3 defeat at XL Center on March 21. Hershey owns a lifetime home record of 22-19-1-2 against the Wolf Pack/Connecticut Whale franchise; the Bears are 7-5-0-0 against the Wolf Pack in the Todd Nelson era. Brad Hunt leads the Bears with two points (1g, 1a) against Hartford this season, while Matthew Robertson's four points (0g, 4a) paces the Wolf Pack against Hershey.
DOWN ON THE FARM:
The South Carolina Stingrays swept their pair of games at Kalamazoo last week - outscoring the Wings 11-2 - to extend their winning streak to 13 games and secure home ice advantage for the first round of the 2025 Kelly Cup Playoffs. Saturday's 7-1 victory over Kalamazoo marked South Carolina's 48th win of the season to tie a franchise mark for most wins in a single campaign. The Stingrays can break the record on Saturday, when they host Orlando in their home finale before finishing the 2024-25 season with four straight road contests. South Carolina currently leads the ECHL with 101 points; if the club can maintain its hold on first place it will lock up the Brabham Cup for the second time in franchise history and the first time since 1996-97.
BEARS BITES:
Hunter Shepard's 22 wins are tied for fourth among goaltenders...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 tied with Abbotsford sixth in the league...Hershey has earned 11 wins at home decided by one goal.
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