Game Preview: Hershey Bears @ Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins

Hershey visits Wilkes-Barre/Scranton tonight in the seventh game of the 12-game series this season.  The Bears enter tonight's game winners in five of six games between the East Division foes.  Hershey has won 17 of its past 18 tilts and five straight since a loss to the Norfolk Admirals on Jan. 13.  The Chocolate and White have outscored opponents 37-14 in those five games.

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton opens a five-game homestand tonight and has posted regulation losses in five of its previous six games.  Chris Conner has registered five goals and eight points in his last three games for the Baby Pens, and Luca Caputi has notched four points (1-3-4) in two appearances since his reassignment from Pittsburgh.   

TEAM RECORDS

 Hershey:  34-9-0-2, 70 points
(1st place in East Division, 1st place in Eastern Conference)

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton:  21-21-1-1, 44 points
(4th place in East Division, 11th place in Eastern Conference )

HOW THE BEARS AND PENS MATCH UP

2009-2010 HEAD-TO-HEAD RECORDS
Hershey:  5-1-0-0
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton:  1-5-0-0


2008-2009 HEAD-TO-HEAD RECORDS
Hershey:  3-5-0-2
Wilkes-Bare/Scranton:  7-2-0-1


THE LAST FIVE YEARS
Hershey:  23-16-2-5
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton:  23-18-2-3


THE 2009-2010 SEASON SERIES

Oct. 9:  Hershey @ Wilkes-Barre/Scranton-- BEARS 3, Pens 0
Oct. 23:  Hershey @ Wilkes-Barre/Scranton-- Bears 4, PENS 6
Nov. 14:  Wilkes-Barre/Scranton @ Hershey-- BEARS 3, Pens 1
Nov. 29:  Wilkes-Barre/Scranton @ Hershey-- BEARS 5, Pens 0
Jan. 1:  Hershey @ Wilkes-Barre/Scranton-- BEARS 3, Pens 2
Jan. 16:  Wilkes-Barre/Scranton @ Hershey-- BEARS 7, Pens 2

Backstop Michal Neuvirth recorded the most saves by a Bears goaltender this season in Hershey's Nov. 29 win over the Baby Pens with 42.  The 5-0 decision was the last shutout win by the Bears this season. 

BEARS BY THE NUMBERS

ON THE OFFENSIVE
Keith Aucoin and Alexandre Giroux both carry AHL-leading 13-game scoring streaks into tonight's match-up and have combined for a total of 51 points over that span. Chris Bourque shows points in his last six games, with goals in four straight (5-8-13).  Steve Pinizzotto and Boyd Kane rank fourth and fifth in the league at +23 and +22, respectively.  Andrew Gordon, who tied his career-best goal total with his 21st in Hershey's last game, sits second in the league in power play goals this season with 11.  Aucoin's seven game-winning goals this season rank him second in the AHL.  As a team, the Bears possess the most goals for in the league--189--and the fewest goals against--102.  Hershey averages 4.2 goals per game.  

GOALTENDING
Braden Holtby resumes his spot as the top goaltender in the league, with a record of 15-2-0-1 in 18 games and a GAA of 1.82.  Holtby boasts a 93.5% save percentage and shows just 33 goals against.  Expected to draw the start in net tonight, Holtby is 3-0 against the Penguins this season and has allowed just four goals.   

A STRONG CASE FOR THE DEFENSE
Rookie blueliners John Carlson and Zach Miskovic rank in the top five for rookie plus/minus ratings--Carlson in second with +20 and Miskovic at fourth with +15.  Carlson also ranks fifth in plus/minus among all defensemen in the league and is 12th in blueline scoring (2-25-27), while Patrick McNeill is 15th (4-21-25).  Captain Bryan Helmer ranks fourth in plus/minus with +21.

SPECIAL TEAMS
The Chocolate and White boast a 21.3% conversion rate on the man advantage this season, the third best power play in the AHL.  The penalty kill has had a league-leading 91.0% success rate, with 11 shorthanded goals.     

HERSHEY'S RECORD
In January:  10-1-0-0
On Fridays:  10-5-0-0
On the road:  15-6-0-0



The Bears and Penguins will face off at 7:05 p.m. at the newly named Mohegan Sun Arena, with the broadcast live at 6:45 p.m.  John Walton's call of the game is available on WQIC 100.1 FM or at sportsjuice.com.