Game Preview: Hershey @ Springfield

The Bears take on the Springfield Falcons at MassMutual Center tonight for the second installment of the season's home-and-home series.  The Falcons prevailed in the first game of the series with a 3-2 shootout win at Giant Center on Nov. 21.  Hershey has won 21 of its past 24 tilts and six straight since a Feb. 25 loss in Toronto.  The Chocolate and White look to claim the East Division crown tonight and will do so with a regulation win in Springfield, an Albany regulation loss to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, or a combination of an overtime or shootout loss to the Falcons and an Albany overtime or shootout loss to the Baby Pens.

Springfield sits in the Atlantic Division cellar, suffering a 4-2 loss to the Hartford Wolf Pack last night.  Charles Linglet leads the Falcons in scoring at a point-per-game pace (18-49-67) but was held off the score sheet last night after finding points in six straight games.  He ranks third in the league in assists and fourth in overall scoring.  Colton Fretter and Ryan O'Marra each posted a goal against the Bears in the shootout win over the Bears.         

TEAM RECORDS

Hershey:  50-12-0-2, 102 points
(1st place in East Division, 1st place in Eastern Conference)

Springfield:  21-34-9-3, 54 points
(8th place in Atlantic Division, 15th place in Eastern Conference) 

  






HOW THE BEARS AND FALCONS MATCH UP

2009-2010 HEAD-TO-HEAD RECORDS
Hershey:  0-0-0-1
Springfield:  1-0-0-0


2008-2009 HEAD-TO-HEAD RECORDS
Hershey:  1-0-0-1
Springfield:  1-1-0-0


THE LAST FIVE YEARS
Hershey:  5-1-0-3
Springfield:  4-4-0-1


THE 2009-2010 SEASON SERIES
Nov. 21:  Springfield @ Hershey-- FALCONS 3, Bears 2 (shootout)

Alexandre Giroux notched a goal and an assist in the Nov. 21 shootout loss, while Keith Aucoin shows a goal against Springfield this season.  

BEARS BY THE NUMBERS

ON THE OFFENSIVE
Keith Aucoin and Alexandre Giroux remain the top two scorers in the league with 85 and 83 points respectively.  Giroux and Chris Bourque have both posted points in five of the last six games, with Giroux striking twice in last night's overtime win in Glens Falls.  Aucoin leads the league in game-winning goals with nine.  Andrew Gordon ranks second in the league in power play goals with 14 and 10th in overall scoring (30-31-61).  The Chocolate and White own six of the league's top 10 spots in plus/minus.  The Bears  have far and away the most goals for in the AHL with 276; Hershey averages 4.3 goals per game overall this season.


GOALTENDING
Braden Holtby took the shootout loss in net against the Falcons earlier this season, showing a 1.85 GAA and an 88.2% save percentage.  He ranks sixth overall among AHL goaltenders with a record of 19-5-1 in 26 starts, owning a 2.26 GAA and 92% save percentage.


A STRONG CASE FOR THE DEFENSE
With two assists last night, Zach Miskovic is now riding a three-game point streak.  Karl Alzner boasts points in three of his last four games and is fifth in plus/minus among defensemen and seventh overall with +28.  Bryan Helmer scored his third game winner of the season last night.  The Bears have allowed the second fewest goals against (153 in 64 games), trailing only the Hamilton Bulldogs in that category (145 in 66 games).


SPECIAL TEAMS
The Chocolate and White have had a 22.2% conversion rate on the man advantage this season, the best power play in the AHL.  Hershey owns a league-leading 88.3% success rate and shows 14 shorthanded goals.  Steve Pinizzotto ranks third in the league in shorties and Boyd Kane sits in fifth, each with four.


HERSHEY'S RECORD
In March:  4-0-0-0
On the road:  22-9-0-0
On Saturdays:  18-2-0-2


Opening faceoff between the Bears and Falcons is slated for 7:00 p.m.  John Walton's call of the game is available on WQIC 100.1 FM or sportsjuice.com beginning at 6:40 p.m.

Game Preview: Hershey @ Adirondack

The Bears face off against the Phantoms in Glens Falls tonight for the seventh game of the season's eight-game series, the teams splitting the series at three games apiece.  The Bears have won 20 of their past 23 tilts and have already clinched a playoff berth.  A Hershey win coupled with an Albany regulation loss at Rochester tonight will guarantee the Bears the East Division title. 

The Phantoms are 3-7-0-0 in their last 10 games and have lost four straight games.  David Laliberte shows six points in six games against the Bears this season (2-4-6).  Patrick Maroon has posted five points in five contests (1-4-5).  The Phantoms show just 152 goals for on the season, 119 goals behind Hershey's 271.  Jon Matsumoto is Adirondack's leading scorer with 48 points (21-27-48). 
  

TEAM RECORDS

 


Hershey:  49-12-0-2, 100 points
(1st place in East Division, 1st place in Eastern Conference)





Adirondack:  28-32-2-2, 60 points
(6th place in East Division, 13th place in Eastern Conference)

HOW THE BEARS AND PHANTOMS MATCH UP

2009-2010 HEAD-TO-HEAD RECORDS 
Hershey:  3-2-0-1 
Adirondack:  3-3-0-0

2008-2009 HEAD-TO-HEAD RECORDS 
Hershey:  8-2-0-2 
Adirondack:  4-7-1-0

THE LAST FIVE YEARS 
Hershey:  35-11-2-6 
Adirondack:  19-33-1-1


THE 2009-2010 SEASON SERIES 
Oct. 16:  Hershey @ Adirondack-- PHANTOMS 2, Bears 1
Nov. 27:  Hershey @ Adirondack-- BEARS 5, Phantoms 1
Nov. 28:  Adirondack @ Hershey-- PHANTOMS 5, Bears 4 (shootout)
Jan. 3:  Adirondack @ Hershey-- BEARS 4, Phantoms 1
Feb. 19:  Hershey @ Adirondack-- PHANTOMS 5, Bears 3
March 7:  Adirondack @ Hershey-- BEARS 4, Phantoms 2


Keith Aucoin has posted seven points in five games against the Phantoms this season (3-4-7).  Bryan Helmer shows five points in five games (1-4-5), while Boyd Kane has notched four goals in six tilts (4-0-4).  

BEARS BY THE NUMBERS

ON THE OFFENSIVE
Keith Aucoin and Alexandre Giroux remain the top two scorers in the league with 84 and 81 points respectively.  Giroux and Chris Bourque have both posted points in four of the last five games.  Aucoin leads the league in game-winning goals with nine.  Andrew Gordon ranks second in the league in power play goals with 14 and 10th in overall scoring (30-31-61).  The Chocolate and White own six of the league's top 10 spots in plus/minus.  The Bears  have far and away the most goals for in the AHL with 271; Hershey averages 4.3 goals per game overall this season.

GOALTENDING
Braden Holtby shows a 19-5-1 record in 26 starts in net this season.  He owns a 2.26 GAA and 92.0% save percentage this season, ranking him sixth overall among AHL goaltenders.  Holtby shows a 5-3 loss in his only start against Adirondack this season.  Michal Neuvirth holds a 2-1 record against the Phantoms this season, with a GAA of 1.68 and a save percentage of 91.4%.

A STRONG CASE FOR THE DEFENSE
Bryan Helmer ranks ninth in the league in plus/minus ratings at +26 and is the all-time AHL leader in career assists by a defenseman with 387.  Karl Alzner is riding a three-game point streak.  He ranks seventh overall in plus/minus and fifth among defensemen with +28.  The Bears have allowed the second fewest goals in the league (149 in 63 games), trailing only the Hamilton Bulldogs (142 goals in 65 games).

SPECIAL TEAMS
The Chocolate and White have had a 22.2% conversion rate on the man advantage this season, the best power play in the AHL.  The penalty kill boasts a league-leading 88.8% success rate and shows 13 shorthanded goals.  Boyd Kane is fourth in the league with 4 shorthanded markers this season, while Steve Pinizzotto sits in ninth place with three.

HERSHEY'S RECORD
In March:  3-0-0-0
On the road:  21-9-0-0
On Fridays:  12-6-0-0  

Opening faceoff between the Bears and Phantoms is slated for 7:30 p.m.  John Walton's call of the game is available on WQIC 100.1 FM or sportsjuice.com beginning at 7:10 p.m.

Apologies

I would like to apologize for the lapse in posts lately.  There was a technical glitch, chiefly a dead Dell.  However, I am up and running again thanks to a new Macbook.  Now back to the regularly scheduled blog.

Video from Outdoor Practice Thursday

We caught up with a few Bears players and Assistant Coach Troy Mann after the team's annual outdoor practice at the Milton Hershey School's ice rink.  Some enjoyed the brisk March morning more than others, staying on the ice long after the conclusion of practice (Andrew Gordon, Mathieu Perreault, Braden Holtby and Steve Pinizzotto, among several others).







Some footage of the practice

Game Preview: Hershey @ Wilkes-Barre/Scranton

Hershey will trek to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton this afternoon for the 10th installment in the season's 12-game series, with the Bears prevailing in seven of nine contests against the Baby Pens.  In their last outing at Mohegan Sun Arena, the Bears were shut out in a 5-0 decision.  The Chocolate and White are 16-3-0-0 in their last 19 games. 

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton shows a record of 7-3-0-0 in its last 10 games.  The Pens continue to battle Bridgeport for the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference, just one point behind the Sound Tigers.  Chris Conner shows two hat tricks in a five-game span, while Dustin Jeffrey continues to pace the Pens in points with 56 points in 56 games (18-38-56).  Conner (2-7-9 in 8 games) and Wyatt Smith (1-8-9 in 9 games) each boast nine points against the Bears this season.  Mark Letestu has posted eight points in five games against Hershey (2-6-8). 
 

TEAM RECORDS

 Hershey:  45-12-0-2, 92 points
(1st place in East Division, 1st place in Eastern Conference)

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton:  30-27-1-1, 62 points
(4th place in East Division, 9th place in Eastern Conference)

HOW THE BEARS AND PENS MATCH UP

2009-2010 HEAD-TO-HEAD RECORDS
Hershey:  7-2-0-0
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton:  2-7-0-0

2008-2009 HEAD-TO-HEAD RECORDS
Hershey:  3-5-0-2
Wilkes-Bare/Scranton:  7-2-0-1

THE LAST FIVE YEARS
Hershey:  25-17-2-5
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton:  24-20-2-3

THE 2009-2010 SEASON SERIES
Oct. 9:  Hershey @ Wilkes-Barre/Scranton-- BEARS 3, Pens 0
Oct. 23:  Hershey @ Wilkes-Barre/Scranton-- Bears 4, PENS 6
Nov. 14:  Wilkes-Barre/Scranton @ Hershey-- BEARS 3, Pens 1
Nov. 29:  Wilkes-Barre/Scranton @ Hershey-- BEARS 5, Pens 0
Jan. 1:  Hershey @ Wilkes-Barre/Scranton-- BEARS 3, Pens 2
Jan. 16:  Wilkes-Barre/Scranton @ Hershey-- BEARS 7, Pens 2
Jan. 29:  Hershey @ Wilkes-Barre/Scranton-- BEARS 8, Pens 6
Feb. 7:  Wilkes-Barre/Scranton @ Hershey-- BEARS 5, Pens 4
Feb. 13:  Hershey @ Wilkes-Barre/Scranton-- PENS 5, Bears 0

Keith Aucoin has registered 12 points (2-10-12) in eight games against Wilkes-Barre/Scranton this season, while Kyle Wilson shows 10 points in nine contests (4-6-10).  Boyd Kane (6-3-9 in 9 games) and Mathieu Perreault (4-5-9 in 7 games) each boast nine points against the Baby Pens.  Perreault netted his first career hat trick Feb. 7 against Wilkes-Barre/Scranton.     

BEARS BY THE NUMBERS

ON THE OFFENSIVE
Keith Aucoin (29-51-80) and Alexandre Giroux (30-46-76) remain the top two scorers in the league with 80 and 76 points respectively.  The line of Giroux, Aucoin and Andrew Gordon combined for 11 points in Saturday night's game.  Gordon ranks second in the league in power play goals with 13 and eighth in overall scoring (28-30-58).  Chris Bourque has recorded points in three of his past four games (3-3-6), and Andrew Joudrey notched points in four of his last five games (2-3-5).  The Chocolate and White own six of the league's top 10 spots in plus/minus.  The Bears  have far and away the most goals for in the AHL with 255, scoring at least eight goals eight times this season. 

GOALTENDING
Semyon Varlamov is expected to draw the start in net today.  He has faced the Baby Pens once this season, earning a 5-4 win at Giant Center on Feb. 7.  He shows an 86.7% save percentage against Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and 91.5% save percentage overall with the Bears this season.   

A STRONG CASE FOR THE DEFENSE
Rearguard John Carlson is riding a four-game point streak into today's game (0-4-4) and ranks ninth in scoring among all rookies (4-33-37).  His +36 rating is the best in the entire league.  Bryan Helmer is one assist shy of establishing a new AHL record for most assists by a defenseman.  He currently shares the record with Steve Kraftcheck with 386 career helpers.  The Bears have allowed the second fewest goals in the league (143 in 59 games), trailing only the Hamilton Bulldogs (132 goals in 60 games).

SPECIAL TEAMS
The Chocolate and White boast a 21.7% conversion rate on the man advantage this season, the best power play in the AHL.  The penalty kill has had a league-leading 88.6% success rate and shows 13 shorthanded goals.  Boyd Kane is third in the league with 4 shorthanded markers this season, while Steve Pinizzotto sits in seventh place with three.  

HERSHEY'S RECORD
In February:  8-3-0-0
On the road:  19-9-0-0
On Sundays:  12-1-0-0

Opening faceoff between the Bears and Baby Pens is scheduled for 1:05 p.m.  John Walton's live broadcast is available on WQIC 100.1 FM or at sportsjuice.com with airtime at 12:45 p.m. 

This Date in Bears History

February 27, 2000:  Serge Aubin recorded his second of back-to-back hat tricks at Hersheypark Arena, as the Bears defeated the Albany River Rats 5-1.  The night before, Aubin scored three goals against the Louisville Panthers in an 8-3 victory.

No Hershey player has registered hat tricks in back-to-back games since Aubin did 10 years ago today. 

Albany @ Hershey Postgame Reactions

Tonight was a monumental night for the Bears organization, as the franchise established a new AHL record with its 20th consecutive win on home ice.  In the victory, Hershey captain Bryan Helmer notched his 386th career assist to tie an AHL mark held by Steve Kraftcheck:  most career assists by a defenseman.  Head coach Mark French, Helmer, Francois Bouchard and Jason Bacashihua respond to tonight's effort.





The recap of the game, as always, is available on the Bears' official site. 

Support THON This Weekend

On a topic completely unrelated to hockey, I'd like to point out that this weekend is Penn State's annual THON.  As a Penn State alum, this is a cause very near and dear to my heart.  I was deeply involved during my time in State College. 

For those unfamiliar with the cause, this weekend's events are the culmination of yearlong efforts to support the Four Diamonds Fund and the families of children afflicted with pediatric cancer. 

THON is the largest student-run philanthropy in the entire world.  Over the course of the year, money and awareness are raised through multiple events including a 5k in the fall, a family carnival in December, and canning weekends, during which students infiltrate intersections and shopping centers throughout the Northeast to collect spare change in coffee cans.  THON weekend itself is a 46-hour no-sitting, no-sleeping dance marathon held each February.  The mission of THON is ultimately to conquer childhood cancer.


Thousands of volunteers on 14 committees plan and execute the weekend's events, while 700 dancers elect to forgo sitting and sleeping for 46 hours FOR THE KIDS (the THON mantra).  At the end of the weekend, the fundraising total is revealed.  The figure grows exponentially each year.  Last year's total was $7,490,133.87. 

THON is a truly life changing experience, and this post does not come close to doing it justice.  I've never been prouder to be a Penn State alum.  I encourage everyone to visit thon.org to learn more about THON and its history, to donate to the cause, and to watch the live webcast this weekend. 

Game Preview: Hershey @ Adirondack

The Bears face off against the Phantoms in Glens Falls tonight for the fifth game of the season's eight-game series.  Hershey and Adirondack have split the series at two games apiece.  The Bears have won 24 of their past 26 tilts, with just two losses in 2010--to Norfolk on Jan. 13 and to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on Feb. 13.  Hershey's last loss on home ice came at the hands of the Phantoms in a 5-4 decision Nov. 28. 

The Phantoms are 4-5-0-1 in their last 10 games.  David Laliberte, Jon Matsumoto and Jason Ward each show a goal and two assists against the Bears in four games this season.  The Phantoms show just 130 goals for on the season, 99 goals behind Hershey's 229.  Matsumoto is Adirondack's leading scorer with 43 points (20-23-43). 
 

TEAM RECORDS

 Hershey:  40-9-0-2, 82 points
(1st place in East Division, 1st place in Eastern Conference)









Adirondack:  25-25-2-2, 54 points
(5th place in East Division, 12th place in Eastern Conference)

  




HOW THE BEARS AND PHANTOMS MATCH UP

2009-2010 HEAD-TO-HEAD RECORDS
Hershey:  2-1-0-1
Adirondack:  2-2-0-0

2008-2009 HEAD-TO-HEAD RECORDS
Hershey:  8-2-0-2
Adirondack:  4-7-1-0

THE LAST FIVE YEARS
Hershey:  34-10-2-6
Adirondack:  18-32-1-1

THE 2009-2010 SEASON SERIES
Oct. 16:  Hershey @ Adirondack-- PHANTOMS 2, Bears 1
Nov. 27:  Hershey @ Adirondack-- BEARS 5, Phantoms 1
Nov. 28:  Adirondack @ Hershey-- PHANTOMS 5, Bears 4 (shootout)
Jan. 3:  Adirondack @ Hershey-- BEARS 4, Phantoms 1

Keith Aucoin has posted five points in three games against the Phantoms this season (2-3-5).  Bryan Helmer (1-3-4) and John Carlson (0-4-4) have each recorded four points in three games.  

BEARS BY THE NUMBERS

ON THE OFFENSIVE
Keith Aucoin and Alexandre Giroux remain the top two scorers in the league with 72 and 68 points respectively.  Andrew Gordon ranks second in the league in power play goals with 12 and ninth in overall scoring (24-29-53).  The Chocolate and White own 10 of the league's top 20 spots in plus/minus.  The Bears  have far and away the most goals for in the AHL with 229; Hershey averages 4.3 goals per game overall this season. 

GOALTENDING
Braden Holtby shows a 17-3-1 record in 21 starts in net this season.  He owns a 2.18 GAA and 92.2% save percentage this season, ranking him fifth overall among AHL goaltenders.  Holtby has not played against Adirondack this season.  Michal Neuvirth holds a 1-1 record against the Phantoms this season, with a GAA of 1.51 and a save percentage of 91.7%.  Jason Bacashihua suffered a shootout loss in his only start against Adirondack. 

A STRONG CASE FOR THE DEFENSE
Patrick McNeill shows points in nine of his last 11 games and now ranks 11th in scoring among defensemen (7-24-31).  Bryan Helmer ranks 14th in the league in plus/minus ratings at +19.  Rookie John Carlson is ninth in scoring among rookies and eighth among defensemen (4-29-33).  He owns the AHL's second best plus/minus rating at +32, while Karl Alzner sits in fifth with +24.  The Bears have allowed the second fewest goals in the league (127 in 53 games), trailing only the Hamilton Bulldogs (127 goals in 56 games).

SPECIAL TEAMS
The Chocolate and White have had a 22.8% conversion rate on the man advantage this season, the best power play in the AHL.  Blanking the Lowell Devils last Sunday, the penalty kill now boasts a league-leading 90.2% success rate and shows 12 shorthanded goals.  Boyd Kane is second in the league with 4 shorthanded markers this season, while Steve Pinizzotto sits in sixth place with three.  

HERSHEY'S RECORD
In February:  4-1-0-0
On the road:  18-7-0-0
On Fridays:  12-5-0-0 

Opening faceoff between the Bears and Phantoms is slated for 7:30 p.m.  John Walton's call of the game is available on WQIC 100.1 FM or sportsjuice.com beginning at 7:10 p.m. 

Hershey's Sweet Fans

I spent Tuesday evening taking in an Atlantic Division contest between the Springfield Falcons and Worcester Sharks at Springfield's Mass Mutual Center.  Though the town is home to AHL headquarters, the team did not garner much support for the match-up.  The experience was a stark contrast to a night on Hersheypark Drive.

The most notable difference?  The crowd, or lack thereof.  Reported attendance, according to the official score sheet, was an overly generous 3,411 fans.  This number was not announced in the arena, which isn't surprising, as the figure would have been a boldfaced lie.  It suggests that the arena was half full, when it was most certainly not.  I had two full rows of seats to myself, and other sections were only peppered with handfuls of spectators.  Sure, it was a snowy mid-February weeknight, but the concourse was packed with hundreds of hopefuls looking to find internships and jobs in the sports industry a mere hour before puck drop.  Few stayed for the game, and I highly doubt inclement weather was the sole factor influencing that decision.  And that is truly a shame.




This picture was taken during warmups, but the stands didn't fill much more by opening faceoff.







MassMutual Center is a perfectly respectable AHL venue.  The Falcons are in the Atlantic Division cellar and the team will indubitably be hitting the golf course early this spring.  But does a losing record warrant such a lapse in support?

The spectators in attendance were a vociferous group, but their yells were disheartening, to say the least.  A man behind me was demanding fights within the first 10 minutes of play.

"Give us what we paid for," he bellowed, "cause it isn't goals!"

Others nearby issued catcalls regarding the team's NHL affiliation.  With Edmonton deciding to activate its dormant AHL franchise in Oklahoma next season, the Falcons are without a parent club.  However, the fans expect Anaheim to become Springfield's new affiliate.

"This oil well's dried up.  We'd better be quacking next year," was the remark of one man.

Dozens more chanted variations of "We want the Ducks" or "Bring on the Ducks" progressively louder as the game went on.  (Worcester issued a savage 6-0 beating to the Falcons, with three goals in the first nine minutes of the game chasing Jean-Philippe Levasseur from net.)

I write this not to disparage the Springfield Falcons franchise, its fans, or MassMutual Center, but rather to offer a caveat to those in Hershey.  We are spoiled to partake in such overwhelming success.  We witness a myriad of crowds 10,000 strong over the course of the season.  We have seen three trips to the Calder Cup Finals and two Calder Cup titles in the past four years and continue to sit atop the AHL.  Blizzard conditions excluded, the Bears never play before a sparsely filled arena.

Tuesday was nothing short of a hockey culture shock.  It is my sincere hope that a new affiliate brings the Falcons success next year.  But in the present, this experience has put things in perspective.  I have gained a new respect for the Bears organization and the unparalleled support of the Chocolatetown loyal.