Photo: AHL
The Hershey Bears (15-16-1-3) host the Charlotte Checkers (21-12-0-1) for a two-game home stand Saturday and Sunday at Giant Center. Hershey takes the ice for the first time in the new year as they look to start the year in the win column.
Face-to-Face
The last time we saw these clubs face-off was on December 21, 2017. Hershey fell to the Checkers 6-0 for their largest margin of deficit for the season, after dropping Charlotte the night before 5-4. During the first of the back-to-back contests , Hershey scored all five goals in the first period. The Checkers battled back to within one, but Hershey held on to take the victory. After Hershey scored the first five goals, the Checkers scored 10 unanswered goals in the two-game set.
Charlotte Highlights
Charlotte is currently looking to string a second win to their 5-2 victory over the Lehigh Valley Phantoms December 30, 2017. They currently sit in fourth of the competitive Atlantic Division and hold bragging rights as the divisional power play leader at 22.2% success.
Andre Miller leads the Checkers with 33 points (9g, 24a) in 34 games, while Valentin Zykov scored a majority of the team goals at 19.
Rookie Warren Foegele is making a name for himself, tallying 27 points (17g, 10a) in 32 games so far this season. In his first two games with the Checkers Warren scored four goals with two goals a night.
Bears Highlights
Chris Bourque is coming off an exciting week after receiving news he will participate in the 2018 Winter Olympics. Hershey sits in sixth of the Atlantic Division with Hartford Wolf Pack biting at their heels. Hershey has prided themselves on the penalty kill so far this season, stopping 134 of 159 man advantages.
Nathan Walker returned to Hershey’s roster this past Thursday after spending the first half of the season in the NHL with the Washington Capitals and appearing on the Edmonton Oilers roster for a brief time.
Upcoming Events
The Hershey Bears 2018 Outdoor Classic is fast approaching. The puck drops on the Alumni game Friday January 19, 2018 and on the division rival game against Lehigh Valley Saturday January 20, 2018. Don’t miss this historic event!
Bears’ game preview is here.
By Allison Shuey
