Catching up with the Hershey Bears

Bears vs Bruins:
After finishing work on Thanksgiving Eve, we headed to the Giant Center to see the Bears take on the Providence Bruins. With fond memories of eliminating the Bruins from the playoffs last spring, the tough match we anticipated did not materialize, and the Bears would be given a lesson by the boys in yellow. Providence would win the game 4-1, as Hershey failed to find chemistry and failed to stay out of the penalty box with their eight infractions. Boyd Kane would score the only goal for the Bears, and it was one of those lucky-turned-fluky efforts that saw the puck flip up of Kanes' stick over Dany Sabourin and into the net. Alexandre Giroux did all of the work, Kane got the glory, and the Bears shut down from that moment on. It was just a shame that the Bears had to be the turkeys on the eve of Thanksgiving.

Bears vs Phantoms:
Hershey found their form on the road in Adirondack the night after Thanksgiving, upsetting the Phantoms in front of their own fans. With Alexandre Giroux on recall to the Capitals, Hershey called up Michael Dubuc from South Carolina, and from all accounts, he shone for the Bears - and scored his first AHL goal in the process. A great road win, and 24 hours later, both teams would face off again in Hershey, PA. Less than 60 seconds after the puck dropped, Dubuc would strike, taking a nifty pass from Zach Miskovic and sending the vulcanized rubber into the back of the net. Ten minutes later, Dubuc made the score sheet once again, earning the primary assist on a Darren Reid goal. Many in attendance started to believe that this 21 year old was for real.

I wish the same could be said for defenseman Sean Collins, who was fairly impressive last season and had playing time in Washington to show for it. Fast forward to the present, however, and Collins has failed to repeat such a performance. On numerous shifts, he was out of position, out-played by the Phantoms forechecking, sloppy with the puck and gave up too many odd-man rushes. I had to laugh when I heard somebody compare Collins with a turnstile - creaking as he spins in circles. Right now Collins needs to be benched, or even spend some time back down in the ECHL in order to help him find his game. Come on Sean, last season I believed in you......don't let the Bears down.

As stated in an earlier post, I am having a hard time warming to Boyd Kane. During this game, however, he started to break down some barriers...mixing it up with his former Phantom team mates, and being a general agitating pest. At one point, I almost cracked a smile. However, in a game that would be tied at the end of regulation, Kane would destroy all of his temporary credit by taking the DUMBEST double roughing minor in overtime. Fortunately the Bears made it through the five minute OT period, and would ultimately lose in the shootout.....but for me, the damage had been done when Kane mixed it up with the Phantoms one time too many. Thanks Boyd.....

Bears v Baby Pens:
Having had time to cool down, we ventured back to the Giant Center the following evening for a showdown with the boys from up I-81. The previous encounter between these two teams at Giant Center had been lopsided, especially as the majority of the Penguins stars had been recalled to an ailing Pittsburgh club at the time. This time around, many familiar faces were back - Ben Lovejoy, Mark Letestu, Deryk Engelland - the Bears would have to bring their A-game tonight and not underestimate the pesky Pens. Hershey would call on Michal Neuvirth to tend between the pipes, and a few fans would cheer when Sean Collins was announced as a scratch, leaving captain Bryan Helmer to fill the final defensive roster spot.

After 60 minutes of play, Michal Neuvirth earned the first star honors as he shut out Wilkes Barre in the Bears 5-0 victory. 'Neuvy' faced a total of 42 shots, while Pens netminder John Curry faced only 21 in comparison, statistically giving up 1 goal for every four shots faced. The Bears outhustled the Penguins all night, and earned the victory in a great team effort. After his poor performance on Saturday, Boyd Kane would redeem himself to the Hershey faithful - scoring on two of his three shots, and staying out of the penalty box all evening. Michael Dubuc would assist on Darren Reids' power play goal to finish the game, collecting points in three straight games and making it difficult for Mark French to reassign him back to the ECHL. The Bears took 5 of 6 points in three consecutive nights, and maintain a comfortable position at the top of their division.

Seven Days of Hockey Summary

So much can happen in the world of professional hockey over the course of seven days. Given that this is the first opportunity I've had to blog in a while, I shall focus on all three of the games that I have had the pleasure of attending over the last week.


Capitals vs Bruins:
Last Saturday we headed to DC for the much anticipated clash of the Eastern Conference Titans. The Boston Bruins were in town, and looking to continue a streak of road victories that commenced after their last visit to Washington. The Verizon Center was rocking on Saturday night. Both teams knew the importance of this game, and the whole 60 minutes was filled with a level of intensity more appropriate for a playoff game. Given how both teams have performed during the first half of the season, it remains probable that these two giants may clash in the postseason - so the crowd was ready for a preview of things to come.


With some early penalty troubles, the Caps would give up the opening goal when Marc Savard beat Jose Theodore early in the second period. Washington would respond just over one minute later with a power play score of their own from Mike Green. The game remained 1-1 after two periods of hockey. The sold-out crowd was very loud during the last 20 minutes of play, and the decibel meter must have exploded when Alexander Semin broke away with some fancy puck handling, raced down the ice and beat Tim Thomas to give the home team the go ahead score. I had the (dis)pleasure of being seated amongst Bruins fans, so it was nice to jump out of my seat and cheer like a man possessed (much to their dismay). The Caps would hold on to the lead, and kill a penalty in the dying seconds of the game to seal the win. Both teams had played a strong game, and I am sure that the two remaining games between these two teams up in Boston will be as equally intense.


Hershey Bears vs Worcester Sharks:
Sunday evening was spent at the Giant Center where a regular season hockey game was completely overshadowed by the potential for Alexandre Giroux to break a 20-year record for goals scored in consecutive games. AHL and NHL legend Brett Hull had established a record of 14 consecutive goal-scoring games, and Giroux had equalled that impressive tally during a shoot-out loss to the Philadelphia Phantoms on the previous night. Trailing 0-2 after some quick scoring opportunities from the Sharks, Hershey seemed lackluster until defenseman Sami Lepisto fired a rocket from the point into the back of the net. The Lepisto goal sparked a stagnant Hershey team, who dominated offensively down the stretch only to be denied by a strong performance from Worcester goaltender Thomas Greiss.


With a tripping penalty assessed against Worcester midway through the third period, the crowd at the Giant Center would erupt when Giroux beat Greiss and tied the game at 2-2. With 13:33 left in the game on 18th January, Alexandre Giroux removed Brett Hull from the AHL record books and set a new benchmark of 15 consecutive games with a goal. Congratulations to you Alex - what an accomplishment!!!


The scoresheet would remain the same through the remainder of regulation and the overtime period. Michal Neuvirth, the rookie Bears goaltender, would stand tall during the shootout and deny all five of the Sharks attempts. Griess was almost as impressive, preventing 4 of the 5 shots he faced - Kyle Wilson would connect and give the Bears not only the victory, but the icing on the cake for a night Alexandre Giroux will never forget.


Hershey Bears vs Wilkes-Barre Penguins:
With a convincing road victory over Norfolk on Wednesday, the Bears returned home on Friday night to face the baby Pens. The thought of having to watch the Penguins is always enough to make me frown, but I would be the recipient of "bad vibes" once I learned that our good friend Terry Koharski would be officiating the game. Now granted, Koharski is a much better option than Nygel Pelletier or the grinch David Banfield, but even so, to put it bluntly, Koharski sucks too!


This game was everything we knew it would be. These two divisional rivals have no liking for each other - the usual physical altercations, cheap shots, trash talking and the like were to be expected. But for Koharski to penalize Chris Bourque five minutes for a simple tripping penalty was simply ludicrous. Again, five minutes for a trip - what next, a game misconduct for too many men on the ice????? The Pens would rebound from a two-goal deficit with power play goals that resulted from the often dubious calls from Koharski.


Hershey would go on to lose in a shootout, with goaltender Michal Neuvirth giving up two goals as opposed to John Curry who would be beaten only once. The Bears played the better game, but the Penguins got the breaks from Koharski that kept them in it, and they won the old-fashioned way after the overtime period expired.


Kudos to Keith Aucoin for dropping the gloves with Janne Pesonen during the second period. Given his size, I was always concerned that Aucoin was an easy target for opposing teams, but he has proven time and time again that he is not only a great hockey player, but that he has the mental and physical attributes to stand his ground. Well done Keith!


The Bears can put this game behind them, and concentrate on the task at hand this evening as the Manchester Monarchs make an appearance at the Giant Center. We can't wait for that one.


Notes:
* Congratulations to Bears goaltender Michal Neuvirth for being awarded the third star in the ECHL All-Star game. Neuvirth represented the South Carolina Stingrays.

* Good luck to former Bears defenseman Josef Boumedienne, who has returned to Europe. We still miss you Boomer.

* Nice to see Capitals head coach Bruce Boudreau in attendance at the Giant Center last night.

* Good luck to Alexander Ovechkin during the All-Star weekend in Montreal - and props to Nicklas Backstrom for snubbing his invitation to the young stars game. Good luck also to the Bears players and coaches that will be part of the AHL All-Star game in Worcester.

6000 Bears Invade the Ice at the Giant Center

Hershey hosted the Hartford Wolfpack last night, and the guys wearing the chocolate and white were not the only Bears that would take to the ice during this game. In support of a local charity, the fans were asked to toss teddy bears onto the ice when the Bears scored their first goal. Looking to extend their current winning streak, Hershey would initiate the teddy bear toss just after six minutes of play with a goal from Maxime Lacroix. The 8000 plus in attendance would propel an invasion of stuffed bears into an airshow and onto the ice, and would give both teams an additional ten minute period of rest whilst being removed from the playing surface.

The Bears would liven the crowd five minutes into the second period when Mathieu Perreault broke away with the puck and passed it off at the last moment to leave a wide-open net for Francois Bouchard. The line of Perreault, Bouchard, and Oskar Osala are currently riding a plus 17 rating for the season. No wonder many refer to these guys as the 'energy line'! The Bears would take a 2-1 lead into the second intermission.

The Bears controlled most of the first period. The Wolfpack pretty much took claim to owning the second. The third, however, was a solid 20 minutes of pure hockey from the Bears. Defenseman Patrick McNeill would score his first goal of the season in a short-handed effort after a feed from Kyle Wilson. Hartford would win one back just 80 seconds later when Simeon Varlamov was caught out of position and with little defensive help. Yet in true Bears fashion, Alexandre Giroux found a way to steal the puck as the Wolfpack exited their zone, and would revel in the delight of putting the puck in the back of the net against a team whose jersey he once wore. With this unassisted score, the Wolfpack were deflated and the Bears would go on to secure their tenth straight victory.

Other notes from the game:
1. It was great to have the wonderfully talented and competent Terry Koharski officiate the game last night. He is much loved and respected at the Giant Center - oh, who am I trying to fool here... Terry could not preside over a one-legged man in a butt-kicking contest. Koharski has no consistency, exhibits terrible judgment, and clearly needs to brush up on the rules and regulations of the game.

2. Defenseman Sean Collins was missing in action, having been recalled to the Capitals due to an ankle injury to Tyler Sloan. Sean made his NHL debut last night against the Maple Leafs, and from all accounts, put in a solid effort. Well done Sean, you deserve the opportunity.

3. Steve Pinizzotto stepped up his game last night, and demonstrated that he has enough talent to remain at Hershey this season. Not only does he play the enforcer role well, but his sprawling effort to get a shot off on goal whilst being laid out horizontally on the ice shows a lot of determination and grit. Kudos to you Steve - here's hoping that you continue to shine.

4. Karl Alzner. Need I say more? Congratulations on your first NHL goal. Extra props for the assist on the goal from Milan Jurcina. And furthermore, to achieve both milestones with your father in attendance at the Air Canada Center just adds icing to the cake. I am most likely not alone in thinking that Alzner may not don the chocolate and white jersey again this season.

Hershey Sinks the Admirals 3-2 and Keeps Streak Alive

We were back at the Giant Center yesterday evening to see the visiting Norfolk Admirals take on our Hershey Bears. Chris Bourque was back in the lineup, having being reassigned by the Capitals to Hershey. Simeon Varlamov would be responsible for tending the pipes, with Machesney having the much deserved night off after his dazzling performance against the Phantoms. Although both teams were tired, we knew that this game was not going to be another lopsided battle; the Admirals were a better team than their win-loss record indicated, and it was evident that this game would be won defensively.


The first period did not have too many highlights. Oskar Osala opened up the scoring just three minutes into the game and gave Hershey a 1-0 advantage after the first twenty minutes of play. We found it amusing that just as John Walton was pondering over how Osala failed to score on the previous evening in the radio coverage, wham - the big 'O' found the net and beat McKenna to put Hershey on the board. Here's hoping that Walton displays more telepathic insights as the season progresses, with many references to the words 'Calder Cup.'



The second period saw former Bear Grant Potulny even the score after just four minutes, and much to the disapproval of the 6000 in attendance. While I always find it difficult to root against former Bears, I am happy to see that Potulny has escaped from the basement-dwelling Rampage and can at least make a potential run to the postseason with his new club.


The crowd would be silenced just 40 seconds into the third period when Norfolk managed to sneak a puck into Hershey's net. Varlamov did react well to the shot, but failed to scoop the puck from underneath him before it crossed the line. However, with a man advantage halfway through the period, Keith Aucoin sent the puck to the net and Alexandre Giroux sent it home. As the fans cheered for a team that was running low on gas, the Bears somehow tapped into their energy reserves, and were rewarded once again when Chris Bourque sent a beautiful backhand pass to Andrew Joudrey, who found the back of the Admirals' net. Two minutes later, the horn would sound, and the Bears would congratulate Simeon Varlamov for his strong performance down the stretch that kept them in the game. With a 10-3-1 record during November, the Bears look to continue their success and hopefully keep their winning streak alive when Hartford comes to town on Saturday night.

Plenty of left over turkey last night.....

and it was all donated by our wonderful divisional rivals from the city of brotherly love. Riding along on a seven game winning streak, the Bears hosted the Phantoms once again last night at the Giant Center. With a 7-3 victory for Hershey over Philly just two weeks ago, the Bears were looking to continue their winning ways, but would have to do it minus several key players that were recalled to the Capitals earlier this week. While Bourque, Alzner, Lepisto, Sloan and Helmer were skating in Columbus, the Bears knew that they would have to step up against a Phantoms team that likes to play physical.

The first period was one of the most impressive periods of Bears hockey I have had the pleasure of watching this season. Reminiscent of the previous encounter between these clubs, Hershey once again exploited the weaknesses of the normally talented Scott Munroe with four quick scores through the first 20 minutes of play. Graham Mink would strike first, just a little over 4 minutes into the contest. Alexandre Giroux would add two in succession, and defenceman Greg Amadio would send one home from the blue line before the first intermission. The offensive firepower was fully complemented by a red hot defense that allowed only three shots on goal, the first of which did not arrive until 16 minutes had been taken off the clock. Machesney could have taken a nap during this period and none of the 10300 in attendance would have known.

Hershey did not ease off the gas in the second period, playing strong once again in the defensive zone while adding three more scores at the opposite end of the ice. Darren Reid and Andrew Joudrey contributed two of those goals, but the highlight reel moment has to be reserved for Greg Amadio. Not only did he score his second of the night (and the season), but it was done short-handed after a perfect pass from Quintin Laing. After seven successful strikes, John Paddock had no choice but to pull Munroe from the contest.

The intensity remained high during the third period. Quintin Laing would put his own rebound into the net, and Kyle Wilson would round out the score and give the Bears a 9-0 victory. With a strong feeling of frustration, the Phantoms would embarrass themselves with a pathetic fighting penalty from Garrett Klotz. When Darren Reid politely declined to go toe to toe with Klotz, he was sucker-punched after the puck dropped and ejected from the game. The seven minute powerplay that followed allowed the Bears to score the two goals during this period. The Phantoms were simply turkeys in this contest, and the Bears provided more than enough stuffing to send them on their way back down the turnpike to Philadelphia.

And I thought Ottawa were bad this year...

Hershey hosted the Binghamton Senators on Sunday evening, and what an evening it turned out to be. After a quick offensive effort by the baby Senators in the first, it was the Bears who took a 1-0 lead into the first intermission after a goal from Alexandre Giroux. Given that this was the third consecutive game in as many nights for both teams, nobody could have envisioned the utter thrashing that Hershey were about to dish out in the second period.

The Bears came out on fire in the second, with a six goal tally from Andrew Gordon, Francois Bouchard, Keith Aucoin, Kyle Wilson, and Graham Mink (2). The Wilson goal in particular was a result of the powerhouse shooting skill of Josh Godfrey. I get very excited when the Bears are in the offensive zone, and Godfrey is set up at the point - his 100mph slapshot has to be seen to be believed. The shot from Godfrey was deflected at the goal by Wilson, but Josh proved that he is more than an ECHL caliber player with his overall effort last night. I was also impressed with the overall ability of Andrew Joudrey during the game. What he lacks in points, he makes up for in effort on the ice. Several times last night I saw him break up plays on defense, set up playmaking opportunities on offense, and play consistently all evening with his great positioning and ability to know where the puck would be.

With Giroux and Perrault adding bonus goals in the third period, Daren Machesney earned the shut-out with a 9-0 drubbing of the boys from Binghamton. Jeff Smith was a welcome relief as a competent referee, letting the guys just play the game (please ban Nygel from the Giant Center). A great game overall, and the Bears claimed all 6 of the available points from the 3 consecutive games this weekend.

Congratulations also to the Reading Royals, who eeked out a much needed victory over the Cyclones on Sunday. I am sorry to see Jeff Corey leave town, but given that he has been traded to the Stingrays, there remains the chance that he could be a call-up at Hershey if his play continues to improve.

Pretty in pink....

Hockey fights Cancer as the Bears fought the Rochester Americans at the Giant Center last night. Looking impressive in pink was Chris Bourque, who looked better still when he flipped a penalty shot past Tyler Plante within the first two minutes of the contest to take a 1-0 lead. Rochester kept things close in the first period, and went into the first intermission tied at 1 goal a piece. And that was a close as they came to keeping pace with Hershey. The remaining periods were pure Bears hockey, with Bourque adding 3 assists to take 4 points and be awarded the first star for his stellar performance. Goals came thick and fast in this 8-3 victory, with Quintin Laing and Oskar Osala both finding the back of the net twice. Andrew Gordon, Karl Alzner and Alex Giroux rounded out the scoring in front of a lively 10000+ crowd.

Greg Amadio and Michael Duco entertained the crowd in the first period with an all-out brawl, but the biggest surprise of the evening had to be witnessing Kyle Wilson drop the gloves and duke it out with Duco in the third. Wilson and fisticuffs are seldom categorized together, so it was nice to see that our talented center can look after himself when pushed into a corner. And talking of courage and grit, kudos to Keith Aucoin for stepping up and taking on Keaton Ellerby. When it comes to watching out for his team-mates, what Aucoin lacks in size, he more than makes up for in heart. Well done Keith - four mintues for roughing are a compliment rather than a penalty for your actions. All in all, a great night of hockey once again from the Giant Center.

On a brief note, congratulations are in order for Tyler Sloan, who made the headlines twice this week in his NHL debut. First, THE hit against the Flames was the biggest crunch of the week. I still cannot fathom why Rene Bourque decided he had to pummel Tyler for a legal hit, but Sloan sure looked competent in his Capitals jersey. And then, on Saturday night against the Stars, Tyler scored his first NHL goal. I wonder which highlight he cherishes more - the big hit in Calgary, or lighting the lamp in Dallas? Good luck Tyler - hopefully Bruce keeps you in DC a little longer while Poti recovers from his injury.

Not quite sure what to think about the contract extension for John Erskine. I am kind of on the fence about this guy, whose performance is often simply mediocre. Why take Erskine over the likes of Shaone Morrisson or Milan Jurcina, who are likely candidates to be salary cap casualties next season? Are the Caps ready to have the likes of Sloan, Lepisto and Alzner playing defence at the phone booth next season? Erskine brings experience, and can play the enforcer role when needed, but I'm not sure the extension was necessary at this moment in time in a league where there is no shortage of good defencemen.

Over in the ECHL, the Reading Royals came up short in back to back games this weekend against Johnstown and Augusta. We shall be in Reading this coming Saturday to see them face off against the Idaho Steelheads. Can't wait to see that.

Hershey Bears Home Opener.

After taking 4 straight road victories to start their 2008-09 campaign, the Bears were given a huge ovation when taking the ice at the Giant Center last night. With a mixture of familiar faces, former players returning to Chocolatetown, and a handful of Capitals prospects, the 8000+ fans in attendance were ready to see this highly touted team strut their stuff. Entering this contest, both Hershey and their opponents from Syracuse had not dropped a game yet this season. This was the first time I'd seen the Crunch in action, but had learned through many blogs and forums that they played a smash-mouth hockey game and liked to get physical. A fitting name - the Crunch - I thought to myself.



Sure enough, within the opening five minutes, the first on-ice altercation occurred. Many had predicted this would take place, as some trash talking had been going on prior to the puck drop. Before the final roster was announced prior to the season, I had some concerns over who would step up as enforcers for the Bears, especially as Robitaille and Flinn has moved on to pastures new. Keeping Grant McNeil in Hershey was a good move, but I'm happy to see that new guys Darren Reid and Greg Amadio are not afraid to back down when needed. Dean Arsene is another who will always throw himself to the wolves in order to protect his team mates. Three of these four guys all rumbled with the Crunch last night, and all three came out pretty strong with their offerings. We were not intimidated - we did not crumble. Syracuse Crunch = more like "The Brady Bunch", I thought to myself.


The Bears looked awesome last night. I've not seen them play at this intensity for quite a while. Sure, they were plagued with injuries last season and had different line-ups every game going into the last month of the regular season. However, with the depth the organization has now, every line is strong. The Mink-Aucoin-Giroux line in particular is positively sick - I'm sure that there are several NHL teams that would kill for this line-up, let alone others at the AHL level. Goals came thick and fast in this one, and the 7-1 victory for the Bears must have echoed throughout the AHL. A 5-0 start, with 29 goals scored is a phenomenal way to start the season. I certainly cannot wait to head back to Giant Center this evening for the next match-up against the Baby Pens. Once again, the Bears can roar.........they can live up to their name. As for the Crunch last night, they resembled more of a Nestle Bar, than collective bone-breakers. Let's see if we get some Penguins with attitude tonight, or just some baby flightless fowl that may be wishing they stayed home instead.

Flat Devils, and Bears Updates

Hubs and I traveled to Newark last night to see the Devils/Penguins. First, before I say anything else, the new Prudential Center is a beautiful facility and the Devils have every reason to be proud of their new home. That being said, however, they played with so little verve last night that it almost seemed at times as though they were sleepwalking.

You would think that a game like this, with important playoff implications and standing in the division at stake, would fire up a team. Not so the Devils - flat, flat, flat. The Penguins weren't actually much better as they had some sloppy play of their own, but at least they came out with some gumption. I was disappointed that Crosby chose not to play (since that was 95% of the reason I wanted to go to the game), but his decision makes perfect sense for him and for the Pens.

The one player on the ice with whom I was impressed was Marc-Andre Fleury, who made some super saves to preserve the shutout. I've been a stout Ty Conklin admirer since the Winter Classic, and I remain so, but Fleury's play makes a really strong case for his claim to the #1 goalie spot.

Now, for some notes closer to home:

* Kudos to the Caps for giving Jay Beagle a contract. His play this year has warranted the attention, and we have the feeling he won't be around Hershey long. Our loss, but Washington's gain, for sure.
* Sami Lepisto's return to the Bears is good news for us going into this last set of games prior to the playoffs. Now if we can just get Boumedienne healthy again, the dynamic defensive duo can help get us into the postseason.
* The losses of Barney and Clymer for the rest of the season are disappointing, to say the least. I can only hope that Giroux, Gordon, Bourque, and others step up offensively.

Bears Show Some Winning Spirit

On Sunday the Bears held off a 3rd-period comeback attempt by the Lowell Devils and earned another much-needed 2 points. In the course of earning a hat trick, Alexandre Giroux delivered an absolutely sick (in the most positive sense of the word) goal, working around several Lowell players to tip the puck into the net at 4:58 in the third period; I hope someone posts the video to YouTube, it was truly a thing of beauty. Chris Bourque had a beautiful goal 55 seconds before that, as well.

What struck me about this game was that, while Hershey weakened somewhat in the third, allowing Lowell to score two relatively easy goals, they kept working at it and preserved the win. This isn't a quality that I've seen consistently throughout the season, but it's certainly showing up at a good time. I continue to think that the presence of Andrew Gordon is making a difference; we'll see how he impacts the two road games this week (Norfolk and Bridgeport). I also hope Boumedienne returns soon; his is a strong defensive presence that we desperately need if we have any hope of getting to the playoffs and making a strong run.