Game Preview: Hershey @ Adirondack

The Bears face off against the Phantoms in Glens Falls tonight for the fifth game of the season's eight-game series.  Hershey and Adirondack have split the series at two games apiece.  The Bears have won 24 of their past 26 tilts, with just two losses in 2010--to Norfolk on Jan. 13 and to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on Feb. 13.  Hershey's last loss on home ice came at the hands of the Phantoms in a 5-4 decision Nov. 28. 

The Phantoms are 4-5-0-1 in their last 10 games.  David Laliberte, Jon Matsumoto and Jason Ward each show a goal and two assists against the Bears in four games this season.  The Phantoms show just 130 goals for on the season, 99 goals behind Hershey's 229.  Matsumoto is Adirondack's leading scorer with 43 points (20-23-43). 
 

TEAM RECORDS

 Hershey:  40-9-0-2, 82 points
(1st place in East Division, 1st place in Eastern Conference)









Adirondack:  25-25-2-2, 54 points
(5th place in East Division, 12th place in Eastern Conference)

  




HOW THE BEARS AND PHANTOMS MATCH UP

2009-2010 HEAD-TO-HEAD RECORDS
Hershey:  2-1-0-1
Adirondack:  2-2-0-0

2008-2009 HEAD-TO-HEAD RECORDS
Hershey:  8-2-0-2
Adirondack:  4-7-1-0

THE LAST FIVE YEARS
Hershey:  34-10-2-6
Adirondack:  18-32-1-1

THE 2009-2010 SEASON SERIES
Oct. 16:  Hershey @ Adirondack-- PHANTOMS 2, Bears 1
Nov. 27:  Hershey @ Adirondack-- BEARS 5, Phantoms 1
Nov. 28:  Adirondack @ Hershey-- PHANTOMS 5, Bears 4 (shootout)
Jan. 3:  Adirondack @ Hershey-- BEARS 4, Phantoms 1

Keith Aucoin has posted five points in three games against the Phantoms this season (2-3-5).  Bryan Helmer (1-3-4) and John Carlson (0-4-4) have each recorded four points in three games.  

BEARS BY THE NUMBERS

ON THE OFFENSIVE
Keith Aucoin and Alexandre Giroux remain the top two scorers in the league with 72 and 68 points respectively.  Andrew Gordon ranks second in the league in power play goals with 12 and ninth in overall scoring (24-29-53).  The Chocolate and White own 10 of the league's top 20 spots in plus/minus.  The Bears  have far and away the most goals for in the AHL with 229; Hershey averages 4.3 goals per game overall this season. 

GOALTENDING
Braden Holtby shows a 17-3-1 record in 21 starts in net this season.  He owns a 2.18 GAA and 92.2% save percentage this season, ranking him fifth overall among AHL goaltenders.  Holtby has not played against Adirondack this season.  Michal Neuvirth holds a 1-1 record against the Phantoms this season, with a GAA of 1.51 and a save percentage of 91.7%.  Jason Bacashihua suffered a shootout loss in his only start against Adirondack. 

A STRONG CASE FOR THE DEFENSE
Patrick McNeill shows points in nine of his last 11 games and now ranks 11th in scoring among defensemen (7-24-31).  Bryan Helmer ranks 14th in the league in plus/minus ratings at +19.  Rookie John Carlson is ninth in scoring among rookies and eighth among defensemen (4-29-33).  He owns the AHL's second best plus/minus rating at +32, while Karl Alzner sits in fifth with +24.  The Bears have allowed the second fewest goals in the league (127 in 53 games), trailing only the Hamilton Bulldogs (127 goals in 56 games).

SPECIAL TEAMS
The Chocolate and White have had a 22.8% conversion rate on the man advantage this season, the best power play in the AHL.  Blanking the Lowell Devils last Sunday, the penalty kill now boasts a league-leading 90.2% success rate and shows 12 shorthanded goals.  Boyd Kane is second in the league with 4 shorthanded markers this season, while Steve Pinizzotto sits in sixth place with three.  

HERSHEY'S RECORD
In February:  4-1-0-0
On the road:  18-7-0-0
On Fridays:  12-5-0-0 

Opening faceoff between the Bears and Phantoms is slated for 7:30 p.m.  John Walton's call of the game is available on WQIC 100.1 FM or sportsjuice.com beginning at 7:10 p.m.