Triple Treat of Hershey Bears Action

Following on from the previous entry, we took in 3 games at the Giant Center over the following couple of weekends. Hershey would concede a game to the Binghamton Senators, in a 5-2 loss that resulted from not necessarily a lack of effort, but a lack of chemistry. With a tied game after one period, a combination of missed opportunities, poor puck distribution and penalty woes pushed the Bears into a hole from which they would not recover.

The next evening at Hershey saw the Bears host the Portland Pirates. Just like the Manchester game from the week prior, the game would be a tight, defensive affair. Goaltender Jason Bacashihua would make his home debut for Hershey, and looked pretty calm and collected between the pipes. Down by 2-1 after two periods, Andrew Gordon would level the score just six minutes into the third period. Six minutes later, gritty winger Steve Pinizzotto would not only score the game winning goal, but would do so short-handed whilst killing a high sticking penalty assessed against the Bears. Pinizzotto would earn number one star honors for his efforts, and hopefully the victory would steer the Bears back to their winning ways.

One week later, and back at the Giant Center once more to host the Albany River Rats. With a combination of confidence and momentum, the Bears made short work of their opponents, downing the River Rats by a score of 4-1. Jason Bacashihua was once again solid in goal for Hershey - a great off-season signing who can not only perform, but will be a great mentor for both Michael Neuvirth and Braden Holtby. Andrew Gordon would score the game winner during a Bears power play, and Francois Bouchard would take the first star honors after recording one goal and two assists.

Salutaions From the Sin Bin Returns for 2009-10

After a lenghy hiatus from the world of blogging, hockey observations from 'Salutations from the Sin Bin' are back at the cyber-rink. Sure, the season may be well and truly underway, but after serving time in the penalty box, it is time to 'unleash the fury' once again. There will be no real changes to the format that was started last season - once again, the focus will be on the Washington Capitals, the Hershey Bears and a few reports from the Reading Royals too. This particular blogger does not intend to provide a play-by-play summary of each game played, but to merely provide commentary and observations from games attended throughout this season.

The Season so Far: A Recap:

The 2009-10 season started where last year ended - back at the Giant Center in Hershey, PA. After bringing the Calder Cup back to Hershey last June, it was only fitting to commence a new season at home with the raising of the tenth Calder Cup victory banner to the Giant Center rafters. Being in the fortunate position to retain a large percentage of the championship team roster, the Bears would open their 72nd season against the Norfolk Admirals. With plenty of talent provided by the Capitals organization, and a few free-agent signings, the Bears roster once again has plenty of depth. And once again, it would be a mediocre Norfolk team that would feel the wrath of an opponent looking to start the season in similar style to the way in which it took all of the honors last year. The Bears took a 3-1 victory, in a game that was nowhere near as close as the score would indicate. Capitals prospect Braden Holtby would make his Hershey debut between the pipes, and played a solid 60 minutes for the host team. With the departure of Graham Mink, Andrew Gordon was promoted to the first line with Alexandre Giroux and Keith Aucoin, and while Gordon does not bring the grinding skills of Mink, he does bring an acute awareness of where to be when the puck is brought into the zone. It was only fitting that Gordon would nail the game winning goal, and be awarded the number one star for his efforts. The performance also left a taste for more winning hockey at Hershey - this should be another great season.

One week later, we were back at Hershey to welcome a visit from the Manchester Monarchs. The Bears and Monarchs do not play each other too often, but when they do, the games tend to be tight, and this encounter would be no different. However, on this occassion, the Monarchs would bring an ace up their sleeve - goaltender, Jonathan Bernier. Braden Holtby was once again given the start for Hershey, and held his own against his NHL experienced counterpart. However, with a red hot performance from Bernier, who stopped 34 of 35 shots, the Monarchs would steal this one in a low scoring 2-1 affair. The Bears did not play a 60 minute game, and ultimately left it too late in the 3rd period to mount the necessary comeback.

We made our first visit to Washington DC just 24 hours after the Bears game, and took in the Columbus Day battle between the Capitals and the New Jersey Devils. After taking a quick 2-0 lead in the first period, the Capitals looked to be a team that finally had all the pieces in place to be a contender this season. Newcomers Mike Knuble and Brendan Morrison were quick to adapt to the Boudreau system, and the team seemed to have this game under control. And that led to their downfall - too much confidence, and some sloppy hockey in the remainder of the game saw a 2-0 lead evaporate, and a shootout victory for the boys from Joisee. The Caps did not go for the kill, and the Devils refused to quit - Martin Broudeur would seal the deal in the shootout, and the visitors were handed 2 points from a Caps team that showed a severe lack of discipline and intensity down the stretch.

Bears edge Monsters 3-2 in a shootout.

We returned to the Giant Center last night to see the Lake Erie Monsters take on the Bears. With Daren Machesney heading out to Switzerland, Simeon Varlamov was given the responsibility of tending between the pipes for Hershey. After their great chemistry on Saturday night, the line of Quintin Laing, Andrew Gordon and Kyle Wilson were named as the starters on offense.

Both teams seemed tired, and the game was a drawn out affair which ultimately saw Hershey drop a goal, only to recover, on two occassions. Laing and Wilson would score the only two goals in regulation for Hershey. Lake Erie came within a whisker of stealing a victory when Bryan Marshall found the puck on his stick in the Bears crease; Varlamov came up trumps, however, and denied the shot to ensure that the game would continue after three periods were over.



Both teams stood their grounds during the five minute overtime period, and as the horn sounded, the shootout loomed for both goaltenders. Up until this point, Monsters goaltender Jason Bacashihua had brushed away 42 of the 44 shots faced. Chris Bourque took to the ice first in the shootout and found the back of the net to give Hershey some renewed confidence and momentum. Bacashihua stood tall once again though, denying the following attempts from Wilson, Keith Aucoin and Matthieu Perreault. At the other end of the ice, Varlamov almost mirrored the opposing goalie, giving up one of four attempts. Stepping onto the ice to take the Bears final regular shot, Andrew Gordon could not have envisioned the good fortune he would have. Putting the puck between the pads with such velocity, Bacashihua made the save, only to fall prey to his own backwards reeling momentum that laid him, puck and all, on his back in the goal. The official awarded the goal, Varlamov denied the final Monsters shot, and Hershey came out with another victory at home. The game wasn't pretty! The game wasn't particularly exciting! Referee Jeff Smith called only four minor penalties. But the Bears took the critical two points to help keep the surging Bridgeport Sound Tigers at bay in the divisional standings.

No Christmas Candy for the Little Devils: Hershey Bears Win 4-2

With a disappointing Texas road trip behind them, the Hershey Bears returned to the Giant Center last night to host the Lowell Devils. Prior to the puck drop, Oskar Osala was applauded for his AHL rookie of the month honors. Osala is developing quickly in his first professional season, and with one NHL game already on his resume this season, he could be on pace to make the transition to the Capitals roster a lot sooner than originally expected. Good luck to you Oskar!

While a handful of Bears remain on the Capitals roster, those that dressed in the chocolate and white last night put in a solid effort against a team that played a lot harder than their win-loss record indicated. Hershey fans would celebrate early after Graham Mink received a nifty pass from Keith Aucoin and slipped the puck into a wide open net just eleven seconds into the game. Kyle Wilson would extend the lead to 2-0 with just under four minutes left in the first period, with assists credited to Darren Reid and Bryan Helmer. Bears fans, in all their "ugly holiday sweater" glory, were in great spirits as the first period ended.

The second period seemed a little less energetic, although things did not start out that way with Andrew Gordon adding another Hershey goal just 1:34 into the period. Daren Machesney would be denied the shutout opportunity midway through the period as Lowell finally found the back of the net, and the score remained 3-1 as both teams went into the locker rooms.

The third period saw referee Nygel Pelletier become very trigger happy with his whistle. Ten penalties would be issued over the course of the twenty minute period, six of which were assessed after an all-out brawl in the dying seconds of the game. The Devils narrowed the deficit to one goal with four minutes remaining, but an outstanding pickpocket play behind the crease from Kyle Wilson led to his second goal of the night and the Bears victory. With a great offensive effort from the Laing-Wilson-Gordon line, Kyle was the recipient of the first star.

Thursday Night Recap:
We traveled to the Verizon Center last Thursday to watch the Capitals take on the St Louis Blues in a battle of the injury-ridden rosters. It was great to see rookie netminder Simeon Varlamov in action for the Capitals, and he looked sharp as the Caps registered a 4-2 victory after goals from Viktor Kozlov (2), Tomas Fleischmann and Alexander Ovechkin. A price was paid for the victory, however, as both Mike Green and Alexander Semin sustained injuries and were once again listed a day-to-day in terms of when they would likely play again. The missed cross-checking call on Semin was a terrible lack of judgment from the officials, with the feisty retaliation from the Great Eight being more than justified. The following bench minor assessed against Bruce Boudreau served only to make the officiating crew look dumber than they were - which was not really difficult on their parts. Coming away with the two points kept the Capitals in a healthy position, but these injuries to key players serve only to challenge that pace and consistency.

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.

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.

Finally, a win!

It was pure pleasure to see the Bears actually win a game last night, defeating the Philadelphia Phantoms in a solid effort. In particular, it was delightful to see the Bears put together three periods of consistent, well-played hockey in one game, and it showed in the result. The passing was better, the effort was better, everything was much improved over a week ago.

Even though I wasn't that impressed with the Reading Royals when we saw them in early March, I have to say that I thought Shawn Collymore played quite well, including his assist on a goal for his first point with Hershey. I hope Hershey continues to take a close look at him. The return of Andrew Gordon also provided some much-needed offensive punch.

After last night, Hershey finds itself tied for fourth in the division but with two games in hand on Binghamton. We need to maintain last night's intensity for the remainder of the season if we hope to have a decent shot at the playoffs.