Photo: Eric Lord
Coming off a bit of a rough month in December, the Hershey Bears rebounded in January by losing only twice in regulation and earning points in 10 of their 12 games during the month. The Chocolate and White posted a record of 8-2-2-0.
Six of those wins came in the first seven games of January. This was followed by a stretch where the Bears lost three of four games, but were able to get two of those losses to overtime to capture points.
Through January, Hershey’s record stands at 27-12-5-0. The Bears have amassed 59 points and that has them in first place in the American Hockey League’s (AHL) Atlantic Division.
The dormant power play that tallied once in December showed some improvement in 2025’s first month. The unit converted nine of 50 attempts for a conversion rate of 18%. While that is not as good as it could be, it is a marked improvement from the 3% conversion rate from December. The penalty kill started the month well. The unit killed off 23 of the 25 power plays it faced in the first eight games of January. The last four contests of the month were a different story, as the opponents scored five times in 17 attempts.
Hershey rediscovered their home form in January. The Bears won four of their five contests at the Giant Center to move above .500 at home for the season.
Offensively, Hershey was paced by Alex Limoges, Ethan Bear, Mike Vecchione and Mike Sgarbossa. Limoges led the way with 12 points. Bear followed with 10 points, all assists. Vecchione posted nine points and scored a team-high six goals in January. Sgarbossa added eight points in nine games.
The Bears have things to clean up on the defensive end of the ice. The team gives up far too many odd-man rushes that put their goalies in tough spots. Also, there zone exits and clearances need to improve. There are too many passes that go to nobody imparticular and that leads to unnecessary turnovers. Another issue is soft clearance passes where the Hershey player tries to finesse the puck out instead of making sure that it exits the zone.
Forwards
Pierrick Dube (RW) – 24 – Undrafted
Dube posted points in five of the seven games he played in January. Unfortunately for the Frenchman, he missed five games due to a suspension after bumping a referee on his way to the penalty box in Charlotte on January 11. Prior to the suspension, the speedy winger began the month on a four-game point streak. He opened the scoring against Providence on January 4 when he redirected an Aaron Ness shot pass by the glove of Michael DiPietro. A day later, Dube had the primary helper on Mike Sgarbossa’s first period tally. He added another primary assist versus Lehigh Valley on January 7. Dube brought the Bears within one during the second period in Charlotte on January 10 when he deflected a Hardy Haman Aktell shot over Chris Dreidger. The scoring run ended on the night he was ejected in Charlotte. After serving his suspension, Dube failed to record a point in his first game back. However, he recorded his fourth multi-point game of the season on January 31 against the Bridgeport Islanders. The native of Lyon, France put Hershey up 2-0 just 50 seconds into the first period when he elevated a shot over the glove of Henrik Tikkanen from the right circle. The winger then set up Alex Limoges’ game winner in the third period with a pass from behind the net.
Monthly Score: 4.0
Ethen Frank (RW) – 26 – Undrafted
The speedy winger recorded an assist in three games before earning his first National Hockey League (NHL) recall with the Washington Capitals. Frank was named to his third straight AHL All-Star Classic prior to his recall, but has since been replaced on the roster. He has posted three goals and one assist in 10 games with the Capitals. The 10 game mark is an important one because it means that Frank would have to clear waivers to return to Hershey. That seems unlikely and that means the Papillion, Nebraska native’s time with the Bears is likely over. Frank still holds the team lead in goals with 20.
Monthly Score: Incomplete
Zac Funk (RW/LW) – 21 – Undrafted
The rookie has spent most of the season with South Carolina in the ECHL. Funk amassed five points in five games with the Stingrays. He was recalled and accompanied the Bears on their trip to Canada. With injuries mounting and Dube suspended, the winger played both games in Belleville on January 24 and 25. He was held off the scoresheet on the 24th, but came up big on the 25th. In the third period, Funk took a feed from Spencer Smallman and drove to the net up the right wing. He snuck a shot under the arm of Michael Simpson. The marker gave the Bears a 4-2 lead and would prove to be the game winner in a 5-3 Hershey win. It was the first game winning goal of his AHL career.
Monthly Score: Incomplete
Hendrix Lapierre (C) – 22 – Drafted 2020 (First Round, 22nd overall)
Last season’s Calder Cup playoffs MVP was sent back to Hershey after struggling with the Washington Capitals. Lapierre failed to score a goal in the NHL this season and that drought continued with Hershey in January. The pivot did contribute six assists in nine games. In his first game back with the Bears on January 4, the Gatineau, Quebec native dished out a pair of primary helpers in the first period and was named the game’s number two star. After going scoreless in his next three contests, Lapierre registered another two-assist game in Charlotte on January 11. Both of those apples were of the primary variety. The center missed three games with an injury, but returned to action on January 31 and had an assist. Lapierre sees time on both the power play and penalty kill.
Monthly Score: 3.1
Alex Limoges (LW) – 27 – Undrafted
Limoges was the best offensive player for the Bears in the first month of 2025, compiling a team-best 12 points. The Penn State product started the month with a six-game point streak. The Northern Virginian posted a secondary assist in his first three games of January and then tallied a goal in his next three contests. The first of these was the overtime winner in Charlotte against the Checkers on January 10. Limoges gathered a pass from Clay Stevenson and weaved his way up the ice. He then wristed a shot over Chris Driedger’s glove to give Hershey a 4-3 win. He tied the game versus those same Checkers the next day with a second period power play marker. The final game of the six-game scoring stretch saw Limoges score a first period power play against Belleville on January 17 and added an assist in the second. Following a three-game scoreless streak, Limoges recorded his first three-point game since opening night. He was credited with a power play goal in the second period when Ethan Bear’s shot hit him on its way to the net and also had two assists. In the month’s final game, Limoges picked up the secondary assist on Pierrick Dube’s first minute goal and then tallied the game-winner in the third period. On the winning goal, the forward kicked Dube’s pass to his stick and sent a shot through the five-hole of Henrik Tikkanen from the slot. Through January, Limoges totaled 10 goals and 19 assists. He sits second on the team scoring list with 29 points. Limoges will play in his first AHL All-Star Classic as he was selected to replace teammate Ethen Frank.
Monthly Score: 4.5
Luke Philp (C) – 29 – Undrafted
The Canmore, Alberta native started the month well. Philp played with pace and jump. He had five points in his first seven games, including a three-game point streak. The Albertan commenced the stretch with a primary assist on Mike Vecchione’s first period power play goal in Charlotte on January 11. His lone goal of the month came in his next outing against the Belleville Senators. With 13 seconds left in the second period, Philp pounced on a loose puck and slid a backhand into the net to restore Hershey’s two-goal lead. The forward posted his third two-assist game of the season against Rochester on January 19. Then, the offense dried up. Philp failed to record a point in his final five games of the month and was a minus eight in those five contests.
Monthly Score: 2.8
Henrik Rybinski (C) – 23 – Drafted 2019 (Fifth Round, 136th overall – Florida Panthers)
After a strong December, Rybinski was quieter, offensively, in January. The pivot registered three secondary helpers in seven games during the month. He saw even more time on the penalty kill with Riley Sutter out injured. Unfortunately for Rybinski, he was injured in Belleville on January 24 and missed the last three games of January. Head coach Todd Nelson said in his pregame interview with Zack Fisch on January 28 that Rybinski’s injury was long term.
Monthly Score: 2.5
Mike Sgarbossa (C) – 32 – Undrafted
The veteran is averaging a point per game this season. Sgarbossa has compiled 31 points in 31 contests. Those 31 points are the most on the team. He also leads the team in assists with 24. The Campbellville, Ontario native kicked January off with a three-game point streak. The run began with a power play goal and an assist in a shootout win over the Providence Bruins on January 4. One night later, Sgarbossa tallied Hershey’s first goal in a 5-1 triumph over the Bruins. The goal sent a cascade of stuffed animals onto the ice on the organization’s Teddy Bear Toss night. Then, he delivered his first two-goal game on the season against Lehigh Valley on January 7. The pivot added another assist in his five games before sustaining in injury in Laval on January 22 that forced him to miss three games. Sgarbossa returned for the month’s final game and dished out a pair of assists, both coming on Ivan Miroshnichenko goals. It was the Ontarian’s eighth two-assist game of the season.
Monthly Score: 3.8
Spencer Smallman (C/RW) – 28 – Drafted 2018 (Fifth Round, 138th overall – Carolina)
Smallman recoded a point in five of the eight games he played in January. He started strongly with three goals in his first two games of the month in a weekend sweep of the Providence Bruins. Smallman’s first tally came in the first period on January 4. The Summerside, Prince Edward Island native one-timed a feed from Hendrix Lapierre off the stick of a Providence defenseman and past Michael DiPietro to give the Bears a 2-0 lead. He then scored twice on Sunday versus the Bruins. He pushed a rebound of a Luke Philp shot into the net in the second period for the fourth Hershey goal and then closed the scoring in the third period by lifting a shot over Brandon Bussi’s blocker. Smallman had two assists in his next four games, including setting up Zac Funk’s game-winning tally in Belleville on October 25. He had a rough night and was minus four in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on October 29, but that was the case for the entire team in a nightmare of a gam that saw the Bears get crushed 9-0. Overall, Smallman has been one of the team’s more dependable forwards, who plays in all situations.
Monthly Score: 3.5
Riley Sutter (C) – 25 – Drafted 2018 (Third Round, 93rd overall)
Sutter finally returned from a lower body injury that he suffered on December 22 in the month’s final game. Hershey missed his physical play and his face-off prowess. His absence was also felt on the penalty kill.
Monthly Score: Incomplete
Bogdan Trineyev (LW) – 22 – Drafted 2020 (Fourth Round, 117th overall)
January was a quiet month for Trineyev. The Russian winger’s only offensive contribution was a goal in the second period of a 5-4 home loss to Lehigh Valley on January 7. He was credited with the goal in the week after the game when it was determined that an Ethan Bear shot hit him on its way to goal. To his credit, Trineyev did not let his offensive struggles affect the rest of his game. He was responsible in his own zone and was strong on the penalty kill. He somehow managed to have an even rating in Hershey’s 9-0 loss at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on January 29. With 12 points through January, the second-year forward is on pace to eclipse his point total of 16 from last season.
Monthly Score: 2.8
Defense
Ethan Bear (RD) – 27 – Drafted 2015 (Fifth Round, 124th overall – Edmonton)
The veteran blue liner compiled the second most points for Hershey in the month. Bear totaled 10 points, all assists, in 12 games. He had two goals that were originally given to him changed at a later date because his shots hit teammates on their way to goal. The Ochapowace, Saskatchewan native dished out an assist in five consecutive games from January 5 to January 17. His most productive game during the streak came versus Lehigh Valley on January 7 when he recorded three primary helpers. The first came when he blocked a shot and the puck ricocheted to Grant Cruikshank, who sped in to score a shorthanded goal. The second helper for Bear was originally credited as a goal. He ripped a shot from the left point that went over the shoulder of Cal Petersen. Upon further review, it was determined that the shot hit Alex Limoges and the went in. The defenseman added another apple when Mike Sgarbossa redirected his shot. After seeing the stretch come to an end on January 19, Bear rattled off a three-game assist streak. Defensively, he has been a steadier presence and has cut down on his turnovers and leads the team with a plus 19 rating. Bear was selected for the AHL All-Star Classic.
Monthly Score: 4.5
Vincent Iorio (LD) – 22 – Drafted 2021 (Second Round, 55th overall)
The end of the month was difficult for Iorio. He was a minus seven in his last five games of January. The blue liner had an especially rough game against the Penguins in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on January 29. His failure to get the puck out of the zone led to the first Penguins goal. He was on the ice for three more Wilkes-Barre/Scranton even strength tallies and also was in the penalty box when the Penguins scored on the power play early in the second period. The poor run of play is the worst span of what has been Iorio’s best season as a pro. He reverted back to some of the poor decisions with the puck he made in previous campaigns. The key for Iorio is to rebound from these struggles and return to his form earlier in the season. Offensively, the Coquitlam, British Columbia native recorded an assist in both games in Charlotte on January 10 and 11. He is one point away from equaling his point total of 14 from last season.
Monthly Score: 2.7
Chase Priskie (RD) – 28 – Drafted 2016 (Sixth Round, 177th overall)
Injuries to the forward corps forced Priskie to skate as a winger on January 25 and 29. He netted a power play goal on the 25th. The power play is where the blue liner has made his biggest impact. All three of Priskie’s goals for the month came on the power play, as did one of his two assists. His only even strength point was a secondary helper on Jake Massie’s first period goal in Laval on January 22. The Pembroke Pines, Florida native has tallied a team best eight power play goals and 10 of his 21 points have come on the man-advantage. On the other end of the ice, Priskie continues to have issues at times. He sometimes passes the puck aimlessly and turns the puck over because of these errant passes. Priskie also gets caught up ice and that leads to odd-man rushes against the Bears. His minus 10 rating is the worst rating among Hershey defensemen and the second worst on the team.
Monthly Score: 2.7
Goalies
Hunter Shepard – 29 – Undrafted
Shepard struggled in January. He surrendered three or more goals in all five of his appearances and had a save percentage above .900 only once. To be fair to Shepard, he cannot be blamed for all of the goals he gave up. The Bears defensive structure was not where it needed to be and the team gave up too many odd-man rushes. The Minnesota-Duluth alum did make some big stops on breakaways and won three of his four starts. Still, the netminder can be better in certain aspects. He got beat on long shots too often, especially to the glove side. His save percentage needs to improve. Shepard does still rank third in the AHL with 17 wins. He spent nearly two weeks serving as Logan Thompson’s backup in Washington during the month.
Monthly Score: 2.7
Clay Stevenson – 25 – Undrafted
It was a tale of two halves in January for the Dartmouth College product. Stevenson was strong to start the month. He stopped 18 of the 19 shots sent his way in a 5-1 over Providence on January 5. The Drayton Valley, Alberta won back-to-back starts in Charlotte on January 10 and 11. The Bears did not play well for two periods on the 10th, but Stevenson kept his team in the game with some big saves. Hershey rallied to force in overtime and then the netminder made a big play in the extra session. He came out to prevent Matt Kierstad from getting to the puck and banked a pass off the boards to Alex Limoges. When Limoges beat Chris Driedger, Stevenson earned the primary assist. The next night, he was back between the pipes with Hunter Shepard recalled to the Capitals. He faced 23 shots in the second and third periods, but turned 22 of them away and the Bears won 4-2. Stevenson played well again on October 17, making 14 saves in a 4-1 victory over Belleville. Then, things went south for the Albertan. He surrendered four goals in each of his final three starts of the month and his best save percentage during that stretch was .879 on January 19. In his final few appearances, teams started to attack Stevenson high on the glove side. All four goals Belleville scored on him on January 24 were in that spot. He went 5-1-1 in eight appearance during the month.
Monthly Score: 3.0
By Eric Lord