HARTFORD, Conn. — The Hershey Bears can break out the brooms tonight if they beat the Hartford Wolf Pack for the 3-0 sweep in the Atlantic Division Finals.
The Bears took a 2-0 series lead Saturday in Hershey with a 4-2 win over the Wolf Pack. Hershey got two goals from Ivan Miroshnichenko and goals from Ethen Frank and Hendrix Lapierre. Jake Leschyshyn and Anton Blidh scored late in the third period for Hartford.
Hershey will get a familiar face back on the blue line tonight. Vincent Iorio was officially loaned to the Bears by the Washington Capitals. Iorio was hurt in a playoff game with the Capitals last month. He played 60 games with Hershey this season, scoring 14 points (4g, 10a).
It will be Iorio's first game with the Bears since March 26. Head Coach Todd Nelson said this morning that Iorio will replace Jake Massie in the lineup and skate on a pairing with Lucas Johansen. Massie has played in both games this series, getting an assist Saturday.
Projected Lineups
For Hershey, Iorio for Massie is the only change.
Forwards
Snively - Lapierre - Frank
Limoges - Huntington - Dubé
Miroshinchinko - Roe - Vecchione
Strome - Rybinski - Trineyev
Defense
Ness - McIlrath
Johansen - Iorio
Häman Aktell - Priskie
Goaltenders
Shepard
Stevenson
PHOTOS | Hershey Bears Morning Skate | May 22, 2024
For Hartford, the same lineup as Saturday is expected. There could be a game-time decision at forward.
Forwards
Petan - Belzile - Pitlick
Sýkora - Leschyshyn - Blidh
Berard - Korczak - Othmann
Jenkins - McConnell-Barker - Chmelař
Defense
Scanlin - Mancini
Robertson - Brouillard
Hillman - Hollowell
Goaltenders
Garand
Lindbom
Quick Notes
- Bears defenseman Aaron Ness is Hershey’s active leader for career playoff games with 58. He is two games away from tying Larry Zeidel (60 GP) for 10th in franchise history.
- With the game 2 victory, Nelson passed legendary Bears coach and executive Frank Mathers for fourth in all time AHL playoff wins.
- Miroshnichenko and Frank are tied for most goals on the team this postseason with 5.
- Hendrix Lapierre is the 5th leading scorer in the AHL with 8 points.
Special Teams
HER PP - 20.0% (12th in AHL playoffs) | 3/9 in series
HER PK - 88.2% (4th in AHL playoffs)
HFD PP - 13.9% (18th in AHL playoffs) | 0/9 in series
HFD PK - 73.3% (19th in AHL playoffs)
Tonight's Officials
Referees: Beau Halkidis (48) & Jordan Samuels-Thomas (42)
Linespersons: Brandon Grillo (79) & Luke Pye (42)
Broadcast Information
You can watch Game 3 broadcast on FOX43.2 Antenna TV. The full Atlantic Division Finals schedule is listed below.
Atlantic Division Finals Schedule | Hartford vs. Hershey
- Game 1 | Thursday, May 16 | Hershey wins 6-1
- Game 2 | Saturday, May 18 | Hershey wins 4-2
- Game 3 | Wednesday, May 22 | 7pm | Hartford, CT | FOX43.2 & Monumental Sports Net.
- Game 4* | Friday, May 24 | 7pm | Hartford, CT | FOX43.2 & MNMT
- Game 5* | Sunday, May 26 | 5pm | Hershey, PA | FOX43.2 & MNMT
*if necessary
The Voice of the Bears, Zack Fisch, will call the action along with analysis from AHL Hall of Famer Mitch Lamoureux, Jim Jones and FOX43 Sports Director Todd Sadowski.
FOX43.2 Antenna TV is found on channel 43.2 over-the-air, Xfinity Ch. 247 and 1178, Verizon FiOS Ch. 463, Blue Ridge Ephrata Ch. 91, and Blue Ridge Newberry/Duncannon Ch. 88.
Games on Monumental Sports Network will be available to DC area hockey fans both on linear tv (on MNMT or overflow station MNMT2) and via Monumental's digital streaming platform within the network's footprint. Fans can watch the games through their Pay TV subscription on linear tv, on monumentalsportsnetwork.com, or by downloading the Monumental streaming app on iOS, Android, Apple TV, Roku, and Amazon Fire TV and using an eligible TV Everywhere log-in.
All Hershey Bears playoff broadcasts will be produced by FOX43's Ed Albert. Home broadcasts will be co-produced with Great Save Productions.