Game Preview: Hershey @ Worcester

In what has been deemed the final measuring stick of the season, the Bears take on the pride of the Atlantic Division, the Worcester Sharks, this afternoon.  Hershey has won 21 of its past 25 tilts and have not lost in regulation since a Feb. 25 loss in Toronto.  The Chocolate and White again look to claim the East Division crown tonight and will do so with one point in Worcester or an Albany loss to Syracuse. 

Worcester sits atop the Atlantic with 85 points and have won three straight games.  Steven Zalewski leads the Sharks in scoring with 57 points (21-36-57).  Danny Groulx (10-44-54) and Logan Couture (20-34-54) each show 54 points this season.

TEAM RECORDS

Hershey:  50-12-0-3, 103 points
(1st place in East Division, 1st place in Eastern Conference)

Worcester:  40-20-2-3, 85 points
(1st place in Atlantic Division, 2nd place in Eastern Conference) 

  










HOW THE BEARS AND SHARKS MATCH UP

2009-2010 HEAD-TO-HEAD RECORDS
Hershey:  0-0-0-0
Worcester:  0-0-0-0


2008-2009 HEAD-TO-HEAD RECORDS
Hershey:  2-0-0-0
Worcester:  0-1-0-1


THE LAST FIVE YEARS
Hershey:  3-1-1-1
Worcester:  3-2-0-1


THE 2009-2010 SEASON SERIES
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BEARS BY THE NUMBERS

ON THE OFFENSIVE
Keith Aucoin and Alexandre Giroux remain the top two scorers in the league with 86 and 85 points respectively.  Giroux shows points in five consecutive games.  Aucoin has found the score sheet in four straight tilts and leads the league in game-winning goals with nine.  Andrew Gordon ranks second in the league in power play goals with 15 and eighth in overall scoring (31-31-62).  The Chocolate and White own six of the league's top 10 spots in plus/minus.  The Bears  have far and away the most goals for in the AHL with 280; Hershey averages 4.3 goals per game overall this season.

GOALTENDING
Michal Neuvirth takes on the Sharks in net this afternoon.  He boasts a 14-5-0 record with one shutout this season.  Neuvirth shows a GAA of 2.09 and a 92.6% save percentage in 19 starts.  

A STRONG CASE FOR THE DEFENSE
Karl Alzner returns today after being out sick for last night's game.  He boasts points in three of his last four games and is fifth in plus/minus among defensemen and eighth overall with +28.  The Bears have allowed the second fewest goals against (158 in 65 games), trailing only the Hamilton Bulldogs in that category (148 in 67 games). 

SPECIAL TEAMS
The Chocolate and White have had a 22.2% conversion rate on the man advantage this season, the best power play in the AHL.  Hershey owns a league-leading 88% success rate and shows 15 shorthanded goals.  Scoring shorthanded goals in back-to-back contests, Steve Pinizzotto now ranks second in the league in that category with five on the season.  Boyd Kane sits in fifth with four shorties. 

HERSHEY'S RECORD
In March:  4-0-0-1
On the road:  22-9-0-1
On Sundays:  14-1-0-0


The Bears and Sharks are already underway after a 4:05 p.m. start in Worcester.  John Walton's call of the game is available on WQIC 100.1 FM or sportsjuice.com.