Game Preview: Binghamton @ Hershey

The Bears welcome the Binghamton Senators to Giant Center tonight for the sixth installment in the season's best-of-eight series.  Hershey has emerged the victor in four of five contests against Binghamton this season.  The Bears have won 19 of their last 20 and seven straight since a loss to the Norfolk Admirals on Jan. 13.  The Chocolate and White have amassed 53 goals in that stretch, outscoring opponents by a 30-goal margin.  Hershey has now reached eight goals in four consecutive games, establishing a new franchise record.
 
The cellar dwellers of the East Division, Binghamton has lost three straight games.  The Senators fell to dead last in the division in a 5-1 loss to the Syracuse Crunch last night.  Ryan Keller paces Binghamton with 21 goals and 39 points in 37 games this season.  The Senators possess the league's fifth best penalty kill with an 86.3% success rate.  Bingo has only won on Giant Center ice twice in 18 games over the past five years and is 7-12-2-0 on the road this season.        

TEAM RECORDS

 Hershey:  36-9-0-2, 74 points
(1st place in East Division, 1st place in Eastern Conference)

Binghamton:  19-21-3-1, 42 points
(7th place in East Division, 14th place in Eastern Conference) 

HOW THE BEARS AND SENS MATCH UP

2009-2010 HEAD-TO-HEAD RECORDS
Hershey:   4-1-0-0
Binghamton:  1-3-1-0

2008-2009 HEAD-TO-HEAD RECORDS
Hershey:  4-2-1-1
Binghamton:  4-4-0-0

THE LAST FIVE YEARS
Hershey:  26-7-1-3
Binghamton:  11-19-4-3

THE 2009-2010 SEASON SERIES
Oct. 10:  Hershey @ Binghamton-- BEARS 8, Sens 1
Oct. 17:  Hershey @ Binghamton-- BEARS 3, Sens 2 (overtime)
Oct. 24:  Binghamton @ Hershey-- Bears 2, SENS 5
Nov. 20:  Hershey @ Binghamton-- BEARS 5, Sens 2
Jan. 2:  Binghamton @ Hershey-- BEARS 5, Sens 3

Alexandre Giroux shows six goals and three assists in four games against the Sens this season.  The Bears posted a franchise-best 27 shots on goal in the second period and the team's most shots in a game this season (44) against Binghamton on Oct. 17. 

BEARS BY THE NUMBERS

ON THE OFFENSIVE
Keith Aucoin and Alexandre Giroux both bring their AHL-leading 15-game scoring streaks into tonight and have combined for a total of 65 points over that span.  Chris Bourque became the second Bear this season to register a five-point game (the other was Alexandre Giroux) and shows points in his last eight games (6-14-20).  Boyd Kane is riding a seven-game points streak (4-6-10).  Hershey has been averaging 7.6 goals per game during its current seven-game winning streak and averages 4.4 goals per game overall on the season.  

A STRONG CASE FOR THE DEFENSE
Patrick McNeill shows points in six consecutive games (2-8-10).  Freshman defenseman John Carlson continues his campaign for rookie of the year, ranking third in assists among rookies and second among all defensemen with 26.  He is also first among rookies and second among all defensemen in plus/minus with +26.

GOALTENDING
Backstop Braden Holtby now sits fifth in the AHL with 16 wins in 19 outings.  The ECHL all-star owns a 2.04 GAA and a 92.8% save percentage. 

SPECIAL TEAMS
The Bears posted another three power play goals last night and now boast a 22.4% conversion rate on the man advantage this season, the second best power play in the AHL.  The penalty kill has had a league-leading 89.9% success rate, with 12 shorthanded goals for the Bears.  Boyd Kane leads the league in shorthanded goals this season with four, while Steve Pinizzotto sits tied for fourth with three. 

HERSHEY'S RECORD
In January:  12-1-0-0
On Sundays:  8-1-0-0
At home:  20-3-0-2


Opening face-off between the Bears and Senators is slated for 5:00 p.m.  To those coming out tonight:  don't forget to help a fellow Bears fan by donating to the Jason Hartle Mobility Fund at the Booster Club table behind Section 117.  Last night, the Booster Club collected nearly two-thirds of the funds necessary to acquire a new vehicle for Jason.  Please donate tonight if you have not already.  (Every dollar helps).  If you are unable to make the game, John Walton's live broadcast will be available on WQIC 100.1 FM or at sportsjuice.com, with airtime at 4:40 p.m.