Game Preview: Hershey @ Binghamton

The Bears travel to Binghamton tonight to face the Senators in the seventh installment in the season's best-of-eight series.  Hershey has emerged the victor in five of six contests against Binghamton this season.  Hershey looks to stave off back-to-back regulation losses--which has not happened since October--and a third consecutive loss overall--which has not happened at all this season.  The Chocolate and White need a mere point to clinch the East Division.

The cellar dwellers of the East Division, Binghamton has lost two straight games and shows a record of 6-2-2-0 in its last 10 games.  Martin St. Pierre paces the Sens with 59 points in 64 games (20-39-59), and Ryan Keller boasts nearly a point per game with 58 points in 60 contests (29-29-58).  Keller, Cody Bass, Tomas Kudelka and Zack Smith have each recorded two goals and two assists in six games against Hershey this season.  

TEAM RECORDS

Hershey:  50-13-0-3, 103 points
(1st place in East Division, 1st place in Eastern Conference)

Binghamton:  28-31-5-3, 64 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:  5-1-0-0
Binghamton:  1-4-1-0

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

THE LAST FIVE YEARS
Hershey:  27-7-1-3
Binghamton:  11-20-4-3

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
Jan. 31:  Binghamton @ Hershey-- BEARS 6, Sens 1



Alexandre Giroux shows eight goals and five assists in five games against the Sens this season.  Keith Aucoin has notched two goals and seven helpers in four games.  The Bears posted a franchise-best 27 shots on goal in the second period against Binghamton on Oct. 17.  

BEARS BY THE NUMBERS

ON THE OFFENSIVE
Leading the league in points, the duo of Keith Aucoin (32-54-86) and Alexandre Giroux (36-49-85) look to become the first pair in AHL history to finish as the top two scorers in back-to-back seasons.  Aucoin continues to pace the league in game winners with nine.  Andrew Gordon ranks second in power play goals with 15 and 10th in overall scoring (31-31-62).  Steve Pinizzotto has recorded points in three straight tilts, while Giroux and Bourque have both found the score sheet in five of the last six games.  The Bears own six of the top 10 spots in plus/minus.  
  
GOALTENDING
Michal Neuvirth shows a 2-1 record against Binghamton this season with a GAA of 2.32 and a 92.6% save percentage.  Braden Holtby earned a win in his only start against the B-Sens this season, with a 3.00 GAA and 91.2% save percentage.    

A STRONG CASE FOR THE DEFENSE
Chicago rental Grant Lewis makes his highly anticipated Hershey debut tonight.  Karl Alzner boasts points in three of his last five games.  Captain Bryan Helmer sits fifth in plus/minus among defensemen and sixth overall at +28.  The Bears have allowed the second fewest goals against (164 in 66 games), trailing only the Hamilton Bulldogs in that category (148 in 67 games). 

SPECIAL TEAMS
The Chocolate and White have had a 21.7% conversion rate on the man advantage this season, the best power play in the AHL.  Hershey owns a league-leading 88.2% success rate and shows 15 shorthanded goals.  Scoring shorthanded goals in back-to-back contests over the weekend, Steve Pinizzotto is now tied for first in the league in that category with five on the season.  Boyd Kane sits in fourth with four shorties. 

HERSHEY'S RECORD
In March:  4-1-0-1
On the road:  22-10-0-1
On Wednesdays:  3-2-0-0

The Bears and B-Sens face off with a 7:05 p.m. start tonight.   John Walton's call of the game is available on WQIC 100.1 FM or sportsjuice.com with 6:45 p.m. airtime.