A Mid-Season Check-In with the Hershey Bears Hockey Club

The 2020-21 American Hockey League season is anything but normal, but for the Hershey Bears, the club's rich, winning tradition has continued with a strong first half of the campaign. The Chocolate and White, the oldest and most decorated team in AHL history, are pushing towards a strong finish to the shortened 36-game season, set to run through mid-May.

Led by excellent goaltending from a duo of returner Pheonix Copley and newcomer Zach Fucale, the leadership and scoring prowess of captain Matt Moulson, and talented 20-year-old Connor McMichael, a blue-chip prospect who has turned heads in his rookie campaign, the Bears are once again one of the AHL's top teams.

Limited Seats Available for You to Catch the Action 

As the safety of the players, the coaches, our staff, and our fans is of the utmost concern, capacity is limited at GIANT Center this season, and extra saftey precautions are being taken. While the games cannot feature the normal loud, passionate crowd of over 10,000 fans, the club does have a limited number of tickets available to all Hershey Bears home games in April on sale NOW via Ticketmaster. Tickets to May home games will go on sale in the near future.

Seats will go quickly, so fans are encouraged to purchase right away. All seats are socially distanced and face coverings must be worn at all times while at GIANT Center. Full information on COVID-19 safety precautions at Bears games may be found here:

Attendance allowed at Bears games right now is around 1,200-1,300 fans, and while that is a largely reduced amount, the players and coaches have remarked how much of a difference Bears fans make compared to other arenas where no fans are allowed. We hope to see you at GIANT Center soon!

Playoffs Still Undecided

The Hershey Bears have won more Calder Cups than any franchise in AHL history, so a championship is always the goal and expectation in Chocolatetown. However, due to the nature of this season, the Calder Cup will likely not be awarded in 2021. At this time, a decision regarding if there will be playoffs has not yet been made, but there is a potential for postseason action in late May in a non-traditional format. Nothing has been finalized yet, but the Bears and many other AHL teams are hoping to have some sort of postseason. Stay tuned to HersheyBears.com for more information as a decision is made on a potential playoff format.

Kudos to Those Keeping Us Safe

Frontline workers, doctors, and healthcare officials are the real stars this season. The Bears tap their sticks to all who are working to keep us healthy and safe, including the club's training staff and team doctors. The Bears follow specific AHL guidelines and policies in order to stay safe, including testing three times per week, the usage of multiple locker rooms and virtual team meetings for social distancing purposes, as well as a designated area of GIANT Center where only members of the team are permitted to prevent additional exposure. At the forefront of making sure the Bears stay safe are head athletic trainer Brian Riedel, assistant athletic trainer Shawn Fliszar, and manager of wellness and team affairs, Dan "Beaker" Stuck. The trio works with the AHL; the Bears' NHL affiliate, the Washington Capitals; and the doctors at Penn State Health to ensure the club stays safe and on the ice.

Catch the Games on TV

Since capacity is limited for Hershey Bears home games due to COVID-19 protocols and restrictions currently in place, the Bears and FOX43 are excited to bring the action to those unable to secure seats. The club and WPMT FOX43 recently announced a television partnership for the remainder of the 2021 season, bringing Hershey Bears hockey to more fans than ever across Central Pennsylvania. Games air on FOX43's main channel, and after debuting on April 3, five additional upcoming games are set to be televised for fans who can't see the game in person.

The following games will be televised on FOX43:

• Sunday, April 11 vs. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, 3 p.m.
• Saturday, April 17 vs. Binghamton, 1 p.m.
• Sunday, May 2 vs. Lehigh Valley, 3 p.m.
• Saturday, May 8 vs. Lehigh Valley, 4 p.m.
• Saturday, May 15 vs. Binghamton, 1 p.m.

The Voice of the Bears, Zack Fisch, will call the action for all televised games, working alongside FOX43 Sports Director Todd Sadowski. Sadowski has covered the Bears for over 20 years, reporting on the team's 2006, 2009, and 2010 Calder Cup Championships. Televised Bears games will continue to be heard on the Bears Radio Network and via the Bears Mobile app as all games will be simulcast. Games will also be available on the AHL's streaming video platform, AHLTV.