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Washington Capitals: Hershey Bears announce home opener

By Michael Marzzacco

HERSHEY, PA - NOVEMBER 28: Hershey Bears defenseman Tyler Lewington (2) skates the puck from behind the net while Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins left wing Sam Miletic (37) forechecks during the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins at Hershey Bears on November 28, 2018 at the Giant Center in Hershey, PA. (Photo by Randy Litzinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
HERSHEY, PA - NOVEMBER 28: Hershey Bears defenseman Tyler Lewington (2) skates the puck from behind the net while Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins left wing Sam Miletic (37) forechecks during the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins at Hershey Bears on November 28, 2018 at the Giant Center in Hershey, PA. (Photo by Randy Litzinger/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) /
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The Hershey Bears announced their home opener on Tuesday and it’s got the rivalry feel of a Washington Capitals vs. Pittsburgh Penguins game of the future.

That’s right. The Hershey Bears are opening their season and home slate at the Giant Center against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. It’s a rivalry that stretches up I-81. 96.1 miles separate the two cities, about an hour and 40-minute drive.

The Bears are family to the Washington Capitals but of course with calling home in Pennsylvania comes Penguins fans. The Capitals AHL affiliate will look to defend their den and get their season off to a roaring start, no pun intended. With Ilya Samsonov and Vitek Vanecek splitting the pipes and a cast of returning characters, Hershey looks to build on their successful 2018-19 season.

The home opener, which also opens the Bears’ 2019-20 AHL slate will take place on Saturday Oct. 5. Here’s more from the press release sent out by the Bears:

"Puck drop for the Hershey Bears 2019-20 season is just 88 days away. The Bears, in conjunction with the American Hockey League, released further details for the club’s home opener today. Hershey will open the home portion of its 82nd season in the AHL on Saturday, Oct. 5 at the Giant Center. The Bears battle the rival Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins that evening at 7 p.m.The club’s home opener will be the first game in the I-81 rivalry series versus the Baby Pens. Hershey went an impressive 9-2-0-1 versus Wilkes-Barre/Scranton last season.Head coach Spencer Carbery returns for a second year behind the Hershey bench after guiding one of the most impressive turnarounds in franchise history last season. The Bears, who were in last place in the entire AHL on Dec. 21, qualified for the Calder Cup Playoffs, thanks to a franchise record 17-game point streak (16-0-0-1), and a 27-5-4-1 record in the second half of the season, good for a .789 points percentage in the final 38 games.Hershey’s complete 2019-20 regular season schedule is expected to be released tomorrow."

The Bears and Baby Penguins have played thrilling matchups in the past, including in the 2016 Eastern Conference semifinals. The Bears won in a thrilling seven-game series thanks to Travis Boyd‘s overtime heroics.

Next. 2019 expectations for Vitek Vanecek. dark

The rest of the Bears schedule will be out on Wednesday.

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