Sunday February 27, 2005 vs. Albany (Posted Sunday 11:17 P.M. EST.)

 

Bears honor #3 with 3-0 shutout of River Rats

 

By Joe Shetrom, 7641 Sports

 

Some game results are very befitting. Sunday's game was no exception, as the Hershey Bears honored the late Frank S. Mathers with a 3-0 blanking of the Albany River Rats before 9,278 fans at the Giant Center.

 

Mike Souza, Mathieu Darche, and Jeff Ulmer pocketed the Hershey goals, while goaltender Peter Budaj turned aside all 22 River Rats shots to earn his fourth shutout of the season. With the win, Hershey (32-26-1-0, 65 points) remains four points behind Wilkes-Barre (who defeated Philadelphia 3-2), but closed the gap to six points on Norfolk, and to five points on Philly, who each lost on Sunday. Hershey also finished the season series by sweeping Albany (18-28-6-5, 47 points) in all eight contests this season, and have defeated the Rats in nine straight, dating back to last season.

 

Need to Know: Souza would continue his offensive outpouring of late, netting the game's first score---and eventual game-winner---at the 2:37 mark of the 1st period. Souza, who has pocketed four of his five goals in February, punched in a loose puck from the crease, left there after Eric Perrin weaved around the Albany net and fired a shot that was initially stopped by Rats goalie Ari Ahonen.

 

With just under six minutes remaining in the final period, Darche would ring up a power play insurance marker to give Hershey a 2-0 advantage. Jeff Ulmer would set up the Bears' man advantage score, throwing a left circle pass back to Brett Clark at the point. Clark would then blast a shot towards the Rats net, which was redirected by Darche and trickled through the Albany netminder's pads.

 

Ulmer would put an exclamation point on the victory, picking up his 16th goal of the season---a power play tally---just under three minutes later at 15:50 of the 3rd. Perrin would earn another assist in the game, writing a shot from the left circle that was stopped by Ahonen, only to be picked up by Ulmer, who cashed in from the right side.

 

Misc. Game Notes: Budaj (25-16-0) earned five of Hershey's eight victories against Albany this season, allowing a total of 8 goals. Ahonen (9-16-1) suffered the loss for the Rats, finishing with 30 saves … although each team had several scoring opportunities, Dean McAmmond may have had Albany's best scoring chance during the 3rd period, zipping around the Bears net to attempt a wrap-around on an open goal. Martin Wilde would preserve the shutout though, getting a stick in front of the goal mouth to block McAmmond's low-ice shot … Hershey has outshot their opponent in four straight games … Ulmer finished with 3 points; his second, three-point game of the season ...if it wasn't special enough that Hershey registered 3 goals on "Frank Mathers Night," the Bears also finished with 33 shots on goal in the game...D Nick Naumenko (groin), RW Carl Corazzini (groin), and D Dean Arsene (ankle) were scratched from the Bears lineup, while D Agris Saviels returned to the lineup for his first game since February 9th … Hershey has killed 25 out of their last 26 short-handed situations (96.1%) … the Bears have gone 21-10-0 since December 17th.

 

Honoring "Mr. Hershey Bears Hockey": Before the start of the game, the Bears honored Mathers with a ceremony that was MC'd by longtime NHL announcer Mike "Doc" Emrick. Bears President/GM Doug Yingst introduced Mathers' wife Pat, sons Mike and JD, and daughter Patty, who were each escorted to their seat at the presentation by a Hershey player. AHL President Dave Andrews also took to the podium, but it was Emrick who spoke the longest, telling humorous stories regarding the Bears legend. Emrick orated as a video montage of Mathers rolled on the scoreboard, with Frank Sinatra's "My Way" playing in the background. Emrick concluded his speech by stating, "All that is left to do is win the hockey game," a line that Mathers would often use when a game was preceded with a ceremony/presentation.

 

Upon entry into the Giant Center, the first 8,000 fans were given Mathers Hockey Hall of Fame mini replica banners, similar to the one hanging in the GC rafters. The game night programs were also dedicated to Mathers, and both sides of the center ice faceoff circle were adorned with "FSM 3", Mathers' initials and Bears jersey number … video tributes to Mathers included those from former Hershey players, such as Mike Nykoluk and Willie Marshall, former Bears Head Coach John Paddock, former Bears President/GM Jay Feaster, and from longtime NHL executives John Muckler and Bobby Clarke … the Canadian National Anthem was performed in memory of the Winnipeg, Manitoba native.

 

Coming Up: The Bears hit the road for 4 straight, starting with back-to-back games next Friday and Saturday at the "Rock," in St. John's, New Foundland. It will mark the final appearances in the Canadian Maritimes for Hershey, as the Toronto Maple Leafs will begin placing their AHL prospects in Toronto next season. The Bears will actually play 6 of their next 7 away from Chocolatetown, but return to the Giant Center for a Sunday contest against the Norfolk Admirals on March 13th.

 

 

From left to right during the pre-game ceremony, Bears President/GM Doug Yingst, NHL broadcaster Mike Emrick, AHL President Dave Andrews, and the Mathers family: wife Pat, daughter Patty, and sons Mike and JD.

 

 

Mike Souza (#17) prepares to give Hershey a 1-0 lead early in the 1st period. Also pictured are Albany goalie Ari Ahonen, Pascal Rheaume, and Hershey's Jeff Ulmer (right).

 

 

Albany's Ryan Murphy attempts this wrap-around try on Bears goaltender Peter Budaj during 3rd period action. Also pictured are Hershey's Eric Perrin (left) and Jamie Rivers (right), with River Rats captain Pascal Rheaume standing at the doorstep.

 

 

Dean McAmmond's golden opportunity is dashed as Hershey's Martin Wilde (#4) gets a stick in to prevent an Albany goal during the 3rd period.

 

 

Mathieu Darche (left) redirects this Brett Clark shot past Albany netminder Ari Ahonen, giving the Bears a 2-0 lead in the 3rd period.

 

 

Jeff Ulmer (right) slips this shot past Ahonen to give the Bears a 3-0 advantage in the 3rd period. Hershey's Mathieu Darche (left) and Albany's Ray Schultz look on.

 

 

Bears goaltender Peter Budaj keeps a close eye on the puck, making one of his 22 saves during 3rd period play. Budaj earned his 25th win of the season, as well as his 4th shutout of the season.

 

Current Bears Statistical Leaders (through 2-27-05)

 

• Games: 43 (Peter Budaj)
• Wins: 25 (Peter Budaj)
• Losses: 16 (Peter Budaj)
• Shutouts: 4 (Peter Budaj)
• G.A.A.: 2.65 (Peter Budaj)
• Save %: .920 (Peter Budaj)

 

The 7641 Sports' News 'N Notes team can be contacted via e-mail at: nnn@7641.com

 

Saturday February 26, 2005 vs. Wilkes-Barre (Posted Sunday 1:47 A.M. EST.)

 

Bears rally to ice Penguins 2-1

 

By Joe Shetrom, 7641 Sports

 

Once again, the Hershey Bears saved the best for last, coming back from a one goal deficit to score two, 3rd period goals and down the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins 2-1 before 9,695 fans Saturday night at the Giant Center. Mike Souza scored the equalizer two minutes into the final period, and Dennis Bonvie slipped in the game-winner nearly five minutes later to secure Hershey's 9th, come-from-behind victory this season. With the win, Hershey (31-26-1-0, 63 points) moves within 4 points of Wilkes-Barre (28-17-5-6, 67 points) for 4th place in the East Division.

 

Need to Know: Picking up from where they both left off last weekend, Bonvie and Wilkes-Barre's Mike Sgroi dropped the gloves 3:19 into the opening frame. The combatants circled each other for 10-15 seconds near the Hershey blueline before any punches were thrown. Each threw several punches, with Bonvie's appearing to be the only ones landing; as Sgroi's wild rights were off their mark. Both came in close, tying each other up before the linesmen intervened.

 

Hershey had a golden opportunity to put goals on the scoreboard in the 1st period, as the Pens' Michel Ouellet was whistled for a 5-minute high-sticking major on Jeff Ulmer at 15:48. However, Hershey's Mathieu Darche was called for interference just 27 seconds into the major penalty (at 16:15), knocking two minutes off of the man advantage. If that wasn't bad enough, Hershey's Marek Svatos (slashing at 16:30) and Dean Arsene (high-sticking at 17:48) were sent off for infractions, giving the visitors a 2-man advantage for 1:45.

 

Goaltender Peter Budaj played a big role for the short-handed Bears, coming up with several key saves to keep the game scoreless heading into the first intermission.

 

Wilkes-Barre would take the game's first lead at the 13:43 mark of the 2nd period, with Ryan VandenBussche finishing a bang-bang play with Tomas Surovy. Surovy led the charge into the Bears zone, throwing a left circle pass over to VandenBussche, who managed to chip home the goal from the crease.

 

Darche nearly tied the game for Hershey in the final minute of play in the 2nd, taking in a breakaway that was turned aside by Penguins goaltender Dany Sabourin.

 

The Bears would unexpectedly tie the game at the 2:00 mark of the 3rd period, with Souza notching his 4th goal of the season. After a Ryan Steeves Penguins zone faceoff win came over to Souza, he fired a right circle attempt that eluded Sabourin high on the glove side, tying the contest at 1-1.

 

The Bears would take the lead at 6:51, with Bonvie sliding in the game-winner from the doorstep of the net. The goal was scored after Svatos fired a right circle shot that was initially stopped by Sabourin, only to be left out in front, where Martin Hlinka was unable to capitalize, but Bonvie came from behind the net to sneak home his first game-winning tally of the season.

 

Misc. Game Notes: Budaj (24-16-0) earned the win in net for the Bears, turning aside 31 shots in what was overall, one of Hershey's top defensive showings of the 2004/05 season. Sabourin (5-4-2), who pitched a near-perfect game for the Pens last Saturday at the Giant Center, took the loss in goal, finishing with 35 saves … in addition to his assist on the game-winning score, Hlinka had a solid game defensively for Hershey, dishing out big 1st period hits on Wilkes-Barre's Ross Lupaschuk and Shane Endicott … Hershey is 11-3 this season when Bonvie earns at least 1 point in a game … VandenBussche, known more for his toughness than scoring touch, has 3 points (1 goal, 2 assists) in two games versus Hershey this season...the Bears have 21 victories versus East Division opponents this season, tops in the AHL … Hershey leads the AHL with 9 victories this season when losing after the 2nd period … the Bears are 6-1 in their last 7 home games, and have gone 8-4 in their last 12 East Division matchups … Hershey owns a 3-2 lead in the season series with the Pens … Wilkes-Barre still has two games in-hand on Hershey … LW Josh Olson, acquired from the San Antonio Rampage on Friday, made his Bears debut … Hershey has gone 6-0 this season when referee Brian Pochmara officiates … D Nick Naumenko (groin), Carl Corazzini (groin), and D Agris Saviels were scratched from the Hershey lineup.

 

Coming Up: The Bears wrap up their weekend with a 5 PM Sunday matinee against the Albany River Rats at the Giant Center. Hershey is 7-0 versus the Rats this season, and have won eight straight over Albany dating back to last season. Before the start of Sunday's game, veteran NHL broadcaster Mike Emrick will MC a pre-game ceremony in tribute to the late Frank S. Mathers.

 

 

Hershey's Dennis Bonvie (left) trades punches with Wilkes-Barre's Mike Sgroi during their fight in the 1st period.

 

 

Wilkes-Barre's Colby Armstrong (#9) gets a ride from Hershey's Jamie Rivers during 1st period action.

 

 

Hershey's Josh Olson (left) can't stop Ryan VandenBussche from netting this 2nd period goal, beating Bears netminder Peter Budaj and giving the Penguins a 1-0 lead.

 

 

Dennis Bonvie (right) watches as Mike Souza's shot from the right circle gets past Penguins goalie Dany Sabourin, tying the game at 1-1 two minutes into the 3rd period.

 

 

Hershey's Dennis Bonvie (top) prepares to pick up the loose puck and give the Bears a 2-1 lead at the 6:51 mark of the 3rd period. Also pictured are (from left to right) Alain Nasreddine, Martin Hlinka, Danny Sabourin, and Rob Scuderi.

 

 

Bears goaltender Peter Budaj turns aside one of his 31 saves turning 3rd period play.

 

The 7641 Sports' News 'N Notes team can be contacted via e-mail at: nnn@7641.com

 

Friday February 25, 2005 at Philadelphia (Posted Friday 11:47 P.M. EST.)

 

Sim steals show as Phantoms trip Bears 4-1

 

The Philadelphia Phantoms spotted the Hershey Bears a 1-0 lead before storming back to down their in-state rivals 4-1 in front of 13,226 fans Friday night at the Wachovia Spectrum in South Philadelphia. Jon Sim netted three goals for the victorious Phantoms (32-17-2-4), pocketing a natural hat trick in an 8-minute span during the 2nd period. With the loss, Hershey (30-26-1-0, 61 points) remains six points behind Wilkes-Barre, who were idle on Friday. However, the Bears now sit nine points behind 1st-place Philadelphia and Binghamton, and eight points in back of Norfolk in the East Division standings.

 

Need to Know: Midway through the opening period (at 10:03), Cody McCormick would give the visitors a 1-0 advantage, pocketing his 4th goal of the season on a backhand shot that beat Phantoms goaltender Antero Niittymaki on the five-hole. McCormick set up the score by skating the puck into the Philadelphia zone, throwing a pass left to Eric Perrin, who then found McCormick between the circles for the marker.

 

Hershey's Jeff Finger and Philly's Riley Cote would earn fighting majors at the 14:33 mark of the 1st period. After a scrum in the corner of the Bears zone, Finger dropped his gloves first, throwing a shot or two at Cote, who then got Finger's jersey over his head, tossing a couple of shots before Finger lost his balance and fell to the ice.

 

On "Teddy Bear Toss Night," Jon Sim would incite the home crowd, netting the equalizer at 2:18 of the 2nd period. After Philly's Todd Fedoruk stripped Dennis Bonvie of the puck in the Phantoms zone, Fedoruk threw a right circle pass to Sim in-between the circles, who then fired a wrist shot past Bears goalie Peter Budaj.

Fedoruk would have a big hand in giving the Phantoms their first lead of the contest, skating the puck from the Hershey right corner to the net in a wrap-around attempt. Budaj made the save on Fedoruk's shot, but Sim was at the doorstep to put home the game-winner at 8:21 of the 2nd.

 

Bonvie and the Phantoms' Josh Gratton would renew acquaintances on the ensuing faceoff, each dropping the mitts near center ice. It would be all Bonvie in the bout, firing several unanswered rights to earn the lopsided win.

 

Sim would finish the natural hat trick at 10:55 of the 2nd, taking a Fedoruk feed and wristing a shot that beat Budaj low on the glove side. The goal was set up after a breakout in the Hershey zone by Joni Pitkanen, Fedoruk and Sim. Pitkanen would slide the puck over to Fedoruk on the left side, who then found Sim in the slot.

 

First-year pro Tony Voce would finish the evening's offense, capping the Phantoms' run of four unanswered goals at 17:11 of the 3rd period. Voce stole the puck from Hershey's Brett Clark in the neutral zone, going into the Bears zone and ripping a right circle shot that was stopped by Budaj. Voce followed the shot though, connecting on a baseball-style swing as the rebound was in mid-air.

 

Misc. Game Notes: Budaj (23-16-0) suffered the loss in net for Hershey, ending with 29 saves. Niittymaki (21-15-4) earned the win in goal for Philadelphia, finishing with 34 saves … Hershey saw its 3-game winning streak against the Phantoms come to an end … Bears D Johnny Boychuk has assists in two straight, the first he's earned points in back-to-back games this season … Sim's three goals was the second hat trick Hershey has allowed this season, with Duncan Keith netting a trifecta in Norfolk's 6-1 win on February 18th … Philadelphia is now 21-1-1-1 this season when leading after the 2nd period … the Phantoms have allowed only two 1st-period goals in their last 9 games … Philadelphia was without the services of rookie Ben Eager, who on Friday was suspended two games for a high-sticking major and attempt to injure match misconduct penalties Wednesday night in Cincinnati …veteran NHL referee Kerry Fraser was nearly pressed into action to start the game, as his son-in-law---AHL referee Harry Dumas---got hung up in traffic. Fraser, whose son Ryan is also an AHL on-ice official, skated to center ice for the opening faceoff, sporting a black track suit … the crowd was the largest audience Hershey has played in front of this season … although he has previously won in Philadelphia, Paul Fixter has yet to win a game at the Spectrum as Bears Head Coach …the Phantoms improved to 5-3 in the season series versus Hershey … the Bears are 0-6 this season when Dumas officiates.

 

Vet overload problem solved: Earlier in the day, the Bears and the San Antonio Rampage exchanged players, with Andre Savage leaving for South Central TX, and LW Josh Olson coming to South Central PA. Olson, 23, is a 6-5, 235 lb winger who comes to Hershey with 16 points (9 goals, 7 assists) in 53 contests this season with the Rampage. Savage, who fell victim to an abundance of veteran players on the Hershey roster, leaves town with 30 points (7 goals, 23 assists) in 53 games this season for the Bears. Last season, Olson finished second on San Antonio with 22 goals, and also netted a goal in 5 games played with the Florida Panthers. His 1st career NHL goal was scored in his NHL debut, beating Montreal's Mathieu Garon in Florida's 3-2 OT win on March 11th, 2004.

 

Coming Up: The Bears return to the Giant Center for a weekend homestand, beginning with a 7 PM faceoff against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on Saturday evening. Hershey is 2-2 versus Wilkes-Barre this season, having dropped a 7-1 decision to the Pens last Saturday at home.

 

The 7641 Sports' News 'N Notes team can be contacted via e-mail at: nnn@7641.com

 

Wednesday February 23, 2005 at Bridgeport (Posted Wednesday 9:47 P.M. EST.)

 

Svatos' scores surge Hershey past Bridgeport, 5-2

 

The Hershey Bears played the role of spoilers Wednesday night, snapping the Bridgeport Sound Tigers 6-game home winning streak and sending the team to its worst home loss of the season by a 5-2 score. Marek Svatos led the way on offense for the Bears, collecting a season-high 4 points, including a hat trick and game-winning tally. With the win, Hershey (30-25-1-0, 61 points) remains four points behind the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, who defeated the Manitoba Moose 2-1 Wednesday evening in Wilkes-Barre.

 

The Norfolk Admirals also won on Wednesday, but the Philadelphia Phantoms lost to the Cincinnati Mighty Ducks on the road, leaving the Bears only 7 points behind the East Division front-running Phantoms and Binghamton Senators, who both have 68 points. Bridgeport (23-27-1-1, 48 points), who also saw a 3-game win streak come to an end, now sits 13 points behind Hershey in the division standings.

 

Need to Know: With the Bears on the man advantage from a Jody Robinson hooking penalty, Cole Jarrett would net the game's opening score, taking a Brendan Yarema feed and firing a shot from the top of the left circle, beating Hershey's Peter Budaj. The short-handed goal, scored at 8:13 of the 1st period, was the second allowed by Hershey in their last two meetings against Bridgeport.

 

Late in the opening frame (at 18:38), Marek Svatos would even the score for Hershey, coming up with his 10th goal on a shot from the right circle, beating Bridgeport goaltender Dieter Kochan in the top right corner of the net.

 

For the second straight meeting against Bridgeport this season, Hershey would pocket a short-handed goal after surrendering an earlier "shorty" in the game. This time around, Jeff Ulmer would strip the 'Tigers defense of the puck at their own blueline, taking a breakaway attempt and chalking up his career-high 15th goal of the campaign.

 

Svatos would strike again for the Bears at the 5:19 mark of the 3rd period, taking a Martin Hlinka pass and burying a shot from high in the slot to give Hershey a 3-1 lead.

 

With Jim Campbell serving a delay of game penalty for Bridgeport, Brett Clark would give Hershey some extra breathing room, connecting on a shot from the right circle at 10:08.

 

Matt Koalska would get the Sound Tigers within two goals, converting a power play attempt from the near side at 15:19.

 

Svatos would round out the night's scoring by securing the hat trick at 18:36 of the 3rd stanza, taking an Ulmer helper and sinking an empty-net goal to give Hershey the 5-2 victory.

 

Misc. Game Notes: Budaj (23-15-0) earned the win in goal for Hershey, finishing with 26 saves. Kochan (11-12-0), the reigning AHL Player of the Week, took the loss for Bridgeport, ending with 34 saves…overall, it was Svatos' 9th multi-point game of the season; and it was Hershey's third hat trick of the season (David Masse on 12/17, and Mathieu Darche on 12/31)…Eric Perrin also had 4 points in Hershey's 7-3 win over Binghamton on 12/29…Masse finished with 2 assists for the Bears, his first multi-point contest since 12/29 versus Binghamton…of Jarrett's 3 career AHL goals, 2 have come on short-handed situations…Ulmer has 2 of Hershey's 4 short-handed scores this season…Hershey outshot an opponent for the first time since 1/28 at Wilkes-Barre (12 games)…as of this posting, Bridgeport has allowed the most power play goals in the AHL this season (56)…the Sound Tigers entered Wednesday tied for fourth in home wins this season (19), but sat tied for last in the AHL with 4 road victories…not that it matters, but Hershey is 5-0 this season when referee Brian Pochmara officiates…Andre Savage (veteran), Carl Corazzini (groin), and Agris Saviels (thumb) did not travel with the team…former Bear Graham Belak was a healthy scratch for the Sound Tigers…Hershey now holds a 3-2 lead in the season series against Bridgeport.

 

Etc: Former Bears enforcer Frank Bialowas (99/00) will make his professional boxing debut March 24th at the Wachovia Spectrum in Philadelphia. The former on-ice pugilist steps into the squared circle to take on Jarad Vasquez in a special 3-round donnybrook. That evening's card also features Eric "Butterbean" Esch taking on Philly-area police officer Jamie Campbell in a scheduled 3-round bout…according to internet rumors, the American Hockey League will end its affiliation with Pointstreak effective the end of this season. Pointstreak currently serves as the official statistics provider to the AHL, but has made noticeable errors on several occasions this season involving box scores.

 

Coming Up: The Bears next travel to Philadelphia for a 7:05 PM faceoff against the Phantoms Friday night at the Spectrum. Hershey has beaten the Phantoms in 3 straight after losing 17 consecutive contests dating back to last season. Philadelphia, however, still maintains a 4-3 lead in the season series. The game can be seen locally on Comcast Sports Net (Channel 35 for Harrisburg-area viewers).

 

The 7641 Sports' News 'N Notes team can be contacted via e-mail at: nnn@7641.com

 

Sunday February 20, 2005 vs. Syracuse (Posted Sunday 10:47 P.M. EST.)

 

Bears back on winning track after 3-1 win

 

By Joe Shetrom, 7641 Sports

 

It took the Hershey Bears only 52 seconds to do what they weren't able to do in 125 minutes of play against the Syracuse Crunch this season…score a regulation goal. Sunday night, the Bears reeled off two goals in just over five minutes into the 1st period, and relied on a terrific performance by goaltender Peter Budaj en route to a 3-1 victory before 8,578 fans Sunday evening at the Giant Center in Hershey, PA. Hershey (29-25-1-0, 59 points) remains six points behind 4th place Norfolk, who shutout the Hartford Wolf Pack 2-0 Sunday in Hartford. With their loss, Syracuse (24-23-4-3, 55 points) now shares 5th place in the North Division with the Hamilton Bulldogs, who defeated St. John's 4-2 Sunday afternoon.

 

Need to Know: Nick Naumenko would give Hershey the early 1-0 advantage just 52 seconds into the 1st period, netting an unassited marker on a right point blast that hit Syracuse goalie Andrew Penner's glove before dropping into the net.

 

Cody McCormick would have a big hand in setting up Hershey's second goal, flattening the Crunch' Andre Lakos on a hit near the end boards in the Syracuse zone. Chris Bala would pick up the loose puck from Lakos in between the circles and wrist home the game-winner at 5:11.

 

After a scoreless 2nd period, Eric Perrin would give the Bears an insurance goal just 19 ticks into the 3rd stanza, cruising through the slot and flipping a shot past Penner.

 

Syracuse would finally get on the scoreboard at the 14:36 mark of the 3rd, with Aaron Johnson rifling a shot from the top of the point to make it a 3-1 contest.

 

Misc. Game Notes: Budaj (22-15-0) earned the win in goal for Hershey, stopping 34 of 35 shots. Penner (3-5-0), who had shutout the Bears 3-0 at the Giant Center back on December 19th, took the loss for Syracuse, finishing with 22 saves…McCormick was handed a double roughing minor, as well as a ten minute misconduct at the 20:00 mark of the 3rd period. As McCormick gave chase to a puck squirting out of the Hershey zone and into neutral territory, Syracuse's Johnson stuck his leg out in what appeared to be a clipping attempt on the Bears centerman. Johnson however, was not assessed any penalties by referee Ryan Fraser…Bears LW Mathieu Darche returned to the lineup after missing Saturday's game due to veteran restrictions. Darche, who ranks 3rd in the AHL in shots taken, did not register a shot in the contest…Hershey has won its last 5 contests when scoring the game's first goal…in the game of veteran musical chairs, Bears D Jamie Rivers was left standing, and did not dress…play was delayed for several minutes early in the 3rd period, as a piece broke off of the bottom of an entrance door on the ice, with the puck lodged inside the dasher board. Members of the Giant Center rink crew were able to conceal the blemish with the always dependable, yellow duct tape.

 

Coming Up: The Bears head into a crucial week, facing four East Division opponents, including two road games in Bridgeport (Wednesday) and Philadelphia (Friday). Hershey returns to the Giant Center for home games next Saturday against Wilkes-Barre, and Sunday versus Albany.

 

 

This shot by Nick Naumenko hits goaltender Andrew Penner's glove, which would fall into the Syracuse net, giving the Bears a 1-0 lead early in the 1st period. Mathieu Darche and Francois Beauchemin are also pictured.

 

 

This shot by Chris Bala sails by Penner, giving Hershey a 2-0 lead 5:11 into the opening period. Syracuse's Aaron Johnson (#23) is also pictured.

 

 

Syracuse's Ole-Kristian Tollefsen runs Hershey's Dennis Bonvie into the boards during 1st period action. Tollefsen was assessed a boarding penalty on the play.

 

 

Syracuse goaltender Andrew Penner bobbles the puck, but holds onto this shot during 4-on-4 action late in the 1st period.

 

 

Hershey's Eric Perrin (left) flips this shot over goaltender Andrew Penner to give the Bears a 3-0 lead just 19 seconds into the 3rd period. Also shown are Syracuse's Aaron Johnson and Hershey's Brett Clark (#5).

 

 

Bears goaltender Peter Budaj turns aside this 3rd period shot as Syracuse's Alexander Svitov keeps an eye on the play.

 

 

Hershey's Peter Budaj and Dean Arsene watch as Aaron Johnson's score cuts the Bears lead to 3-1 with 5:24 remaining in the 3rd period.

 

Current Bears Statistical Leaders (through 2-20-05)

 

• Games: 55 (Johnny Boychuk, Eric Perrin, Jeff Ulmer)
• Goals: 19 (Mathieu Darche)
• Assists: 31 (Eric Perrin)
• Points: 49 (Eric Perrin)
• PIMs: 258 (Dennis Bonvie)
• +/-: +4 (Johnny Boychuk)
• PPGs: 7 (David Masse)
• SHGs: 1 (Jeff Ulmer, David Masse, Mike Souza)
• GWGs: 7 (Eric Perrin)
• Shots: 187 (Mathieu Darche)

• Games: 39 (Peter Budaj)
• Wins: 22 (Peter Budaj)
• Losses: 15 (Peter Budaj)
• Shutouts: 3 (Peter Budaj)
• G.A.A.: 2.74 (Tom Lawson)
• Save %: .918 (Peter Budaj & Tom Lawson)

 

Bonvie's 258 penalty minutes currently rank 2nd in the AHL...Masse's 7 power play goals rank 3rd among AHL rookies…Perrin's 7 game-winning goals are tied for 1st in the AHL…Darche's 187 shots rank 3rd in the league…with 31 points, Brett Clark is tied for 9th in scoring among AHL defenseman…Budaj's 22 wins in net are tied for 5th in the league, and his 5 shootout victories are tied for the AHL lead.

 

The 7641 Sports' News 'N Notes team can be contacted via e-mail at: nnn@7641.com

 

Saturday February 19, 2005 (Posted Sunday 9:58 P.M. EST.)

 

Penguins Alumni shine at "Old Barn"

 

By Joe Shetrom, 7641 Sports

 

On Saturday afternoon, several familiar names and faces graced the Hershey Park Arena ice, as the Pittsburgh Penguins Alumni faced off against Team Labatts in a charity-oriented contest benefiting the Ronald McDonald House of Hershey, as well as several other local charities. NHL Hall of Famers Bryan Trottier and Joe Mullen were among the participants competing for the Pens Alum, as were former Bears fan-favorites Mitch Lamoureux and Gary Rissling. Other former Penguins, including 2-time Stanley Cup winner Phil Bourque, Warren Young, and Mark Kochowski laced up the skates for the visiting alumni squad. The Pens Alum went on to defeat the Labatts squad 14-7, with Rissling and former Bears defenseman Bob Wilkie each netting hat tricks, while Shawn Powell registered 3 goals for the losing Labatts team.

 

The Team Labatts crew was headed by event coordinators Rob Ziemba and Jon Jehrio. Ziemba, who lives in nearby Palmyra, is also the founder/chairman of Slapshot 2. In 2004, the Philadelphia Flyers presented Ziemba with their annual 7th Man Award. The honor, which was presented by former Philly greats Bobby Clarke and Bob Kelly, was given for his dedication to the Flyers, hockey and charity. Says Ziemba, "The main purpose of our events is to raise money for charity and have fun. If a team of local hockey players can get together once a year, play against the pros and donate to a good cause, we are happy."

 

Since starting the alumni games in 2001, the Slapshot 2 organization has donated proceeds to many local charities, including the Jake Gittlen Cancer Research Institute, and the YWCA of Greater Harrisburg. This year, a donation will be made to the Ronald McDonald House of Hershey. From 2001-2004, the Philadelphia Flyers Alumni played an annual game in Central PA, with 2005 marking the first time that the Pittsburgh Penguins Alumni has made a stop in the area.

 

You can visit the Slaspshot 2 official website at: www.slapshot2.org

 

Notes: Before the game, players and fans observed a moment of silence in honor of Bears great Frank Mathers, who passed away last week at age 80. The Hershey Park Arena ice was adorned with "FSM 3" logos on both sides of the center ice faceoff circle, the initials and jersey number of Mathers…Trottier, who took and won the opening faceoff against Labatts' Ricky King, won 7 Stanley Cup Championships as a player and coach. Although he had served behind the bench as a visitor to Hershey Park Arena (as Head Coach of the Portland Pirates, and as an Assistant Coach with the Colorado Avalanche), it was his first time playing in the legendary arena…Rissling, who currently owns restaurants in the Baltimore area, won a Calder Cup Championship with Hershey in 1980 and went on to play with the arch-rival Baltimore Skipjacks in the mid-1980's…Bourque was a member of the Penguins 1991 & 1992 Stanley Cup-winning teams. When asked if he had any particular memories about playing in Hershey, he mentioned an incident where he went head-first into the end boards while playing with Baltimore, resulting in a trip to the Hershey Medical Center…Young serves as the President of the Pittsburgh Penguins Alumni Association…Corey Lamoureux, son of Bears great Mitch, played for the Penguins Alumni team, skating several shifts alongside his father. In fact, the younger Lamoureux assisted on a late-3rd period goal scored by his Dad…ABC27's Gregg Mace, as well as Nipsey from 105.7 The X served as Game MCs…Hershey Bears Head Coach Paul Fixter was in attendance…Barbara Kreamer, who tickled the ivories for 3 seasons at Hershey Park Arena, performed the National Anthem.

 

 

Hall of Famer Bryan Trottier signals the crowd after scoring a 1st period goal to give the Penguins Alumni a 2-0 lead.

 

 

Warren Young, President of the Pittsburgh Penguins Alumni Association, hovers around the net as Team Labatts goalie Austin Shemon defends during 2nd period action.

 

 

A Team Labatts member attempts to capitalize on this shot as Penguins goalie Dennis Begley tries to get into position during 3rd period play.

 

 

Hall of Famer Joe Mullen (in baseball cap) skates towards a neutral zone draw as referee Tom "Punky" O'Connell (left) races to the faceoff circle during the 3rd period.

 

The 7641 Sports' News 'N Notes team can be contacted via e-mail at: nnn@7641.com

 

Saturday February 19, 2005 vs. Wilkes-Barre (Posted Sunday 1:58 A.M. EST.)

 

Pens administer another thumping to Hershey, 7-1

 

By Joe Shetrom, 7641 Sports

 

Lately, it seems that when the Hershey Bears lose, they lose in a big way. In the last three weeks, Hershey has lost 6-1 (Hartford, 1/29), 8-2 (Wilkes-Barre, 2/4), and 6-1 Friday night in Norfolk. Saturday night, the Penguins scored twice early in the 1st period and never looked backed, cruising to a 7-1 win before 10,339 fans at the Giant Center in Hershey, PA. With a goal and two assists each for Wilkes-Barre, Colby Armstrong and Erik Christensen supplied enough offense to lead the Pens and tie the season series with the Bears at 2-2. With the loss, Hershey (28-25-1-0, 57 points) now trails Norfolk by six points for the fourth and final playoff spot in the East Division. With their victory, Wilkes-Barre (27-16-5-6, 65 points) claims sole possession of 3rd place in the East, a spot they shared with Norfolk coming into Saturday's game.

 

Need to Know: Wilkes-Barre would quickly get on the scoreboard Saturday evening, with Ramzi Abid finishing a tic-tac-toe play with Shane Endicott and Colby Armstrong to give the Pens a 1-0 advantage just 1:09 into the 1st period. Abid took an Endicott cross-ice pass, skated into the right circle and fired a shot past Bears goaltender Peter Budaj.

 

Just over a minute and a half later (at 2:40), Armstrong would make it 2-0 Penguins, skating into the left circle, turning around and blazing a wrister that beat Budaj on the stick side. Armstrong's 14th goal of the season would stand as the eventual game-winning score.

 

Hershey's Dennis Bonvie and Wilkes-Barre's Mike Sgroi then "had a go" in the Penguins zone at 5:18 of the 1st, with each throwing numerous right-hand shots. Each landed a couple of glancing blows, but Bonvie landed the best shot after Sgroi missed with a haymaker early in the fight. The two combatants had actually dropped the gloves minutes before, but with neither participant willing to come in close, the linesmen jumped in after a good 30 seconds of non-action.

 

Chris Kelleher would finish the 1st period offensive output for Wilkes-Barre, pocketing a power play goal on a shot from the slot that eluded Budaj at 13:11.

 

With under a minute remaining in the 2nd frame (at 19:17), amid a scramble around the Hershey net, Matt Hussey picked up a Ryan VandenBussche rebound in the crease, slipping the puck past Budaj to give the Penguins a 4-0 lead heading into the second intermission.

 

The Penguins would continue to pour it on in the 3rd stanza, with Erik Christensen coming from behind the Bears net and into the right circle, where he would turn around and rip a shot that beat Budaj stick-side. The goal, which pushed Wilkes-Barre's lead to 5-0, was scored at 2:40.

 

With Christensen serving a hooking penalty for the Penguins, Eric Perrin would erase the goose egg for Hershey, tallying his 5th power play goal---and 17th overall---at 3:21. Perrin would take Nick Naumenko's pass from between the circles and wrist home a shot from the right circle.

 

Wilkes-Barre would add insult to injury by ringing up 2 more goals in the period that occurred just 23 seconds apart. Maxime Talbot's unassisted marker at 6:25 and Tomas Surovy's 12th of the season at 6:48 provided the Penguins with a 7-1 advantage that would stand the final thirteen minutes of the contest.

 

Misc. Game Notes: Budaj (21-15-0) finished with 31 saves in defeat for Hershey. One of those saves included a 3rd period penalty shot awarded to Sgroi, who attempted to go stick-side on the Bears netminder. Budaj was also in net the last time an opponent attempted a penalty shot, when Albany's Pascal Rheaume was denied in a 4-2 Bears victory on November 19th…Dany Sabourin (4-3-2) earned the victory in net for the Pens, ending with 33 saves…Bears captain Brett Clark saw his 5-game assist/point streak come to an end…Hershey's 114 goals scored this season sit second only to Utah for last in the AHL…the Bears have been outshot in each of their last 10 games…the loss snapped Hershey's 4-game winning streak at the Giant Center…Hershey D Jamie Rivers, out since January 19th, returned to the lineup…LW David Masse returned to the Hershey lineup after missing the last four games…Bears LW Mathieu Darche, who had played in each of Hershey's prior 53 games this season, sat as veteran healthy scratch…D's Martin Wilde and Agris Saviels were Hershey's other scratches…Hall of Famer Bryan Trottier, who played earlier in the day for the Pittsburgh Penguins Alumni Association at Hershey Park Arena, attended the game.

 

Coming Up: The Bears finish the weekend with a 5 PM Sunday matinee against the Syracuse Crunch. The last time the two teams met, Syracuse shutout the Bears 3-0 December 19th at the Giant Center. It will be the final visit to Chocolatetown this season for the Crunch, who will host the Bears in their season finale March 11th in Syracuse.

 

 

Wilkes-Barre's Mike Sgroi and Hershey's Dennis Bonvie square during early 1st period action. No punches were exchanged though, and both players were issued Unsportsmanlike Conduct penalties.

 

 

Bears goaltender Peter Budaj watches as Colby Armstrong's left circle shot sails over his shoulder, giving the Penguins a 2-0 lead early in the 1st period.

 

 

In what became a familiar scene on Saturday night, Budaj watches as Chris Kelleher's 1st period score gives Wilkes-Barre a 3-0 advantage.

 

 

Hershey's Eric Perrin goes airborne over Wilkes-Barre's Maxime Talbot during 1st period action. Also pictured is Penguins goalie Dany Sabourin.

 

 

Wilkes-Barre's Matt Hussey (left) watches as his shot squeeks past Budaj, giving the Penguins a 4-0 lead with 43 seconds remaining in the 2nd period.

 

 

Eric Perrin's (right) power play attempt finds its way past Wilkes-Barre's Rob Scuderi (#2) and Sabourin, making it a 5-1 score at 3:21 of the 3rd period.

 

 

Maxime Talbot (left) gives the Penguins a 6-1 lead at 6:48 of the 3rd period, netting this unassisted goal as Budaj checks the net. Also pictured are Hershey's Dean Arsene and Jeff Finger (#6), as well as Wilkes-Barre's Matt Hussey.

 

 

Wilkes-Barre's Mike Sgroi has this 3rd period penalty shot attempt stonewalled by Bears netminder Peter Budaj.

 

The 7641 Sports' News 'N Notes team can be contacted via e-mail at: nnn@7641.com

 

Friday February 18, 2005 at Norfolk (Posted Friday 11:01 P.M. EST.)

 

Bears kickoff second half in losing fashion

 

Fresh off the All-Star break, the Hershey Bears returned to action Friday night by receiving a 6-1 beating from the Norfolk Admirals before 5,607 fans at the Scope in Norfolk, VA. Duncan Keith would provide the offense for the Admirals, registering a hat trick, while twelve of his teammates registered at least 1 point in the blowout. The Bears (28-24-1-0, 57 points) saw their four-game winning streak come to a halt, while dropping 6 points behind Norfolk (29-18-1-4, 63 points) and Wilkes-Barre, who sit tied for 3rd place in the East Division.

 

Need to Know: Duncan Keith would give the Ads a 1-0 lead early into the 1st period, taking a top left circle pass from Matt Keith, and firing a shot from the slot that found its way past Bears goaltender Tom Lawson at 1:18.

 

Norfolk scored early in the period, and they would do it again towards the closing of the period, with Jason Morgan netting his 6th goal at 18:44 courtesy of a shot that went in off of Lawson's leg pad.

 

With Quintin Laing serving a high-sticking minor for Norfolk, Nick Naumenko would get the Bears on the scoreboard, coming in from the right circle and netting the power play score on a shot that hit Admirals D Michal Barinka before passing by goaltender Michael Leighton. The goal, scored at 15:08 of the 2nd period, cut the Norfolk lead in half at 2-1.

 

Norfolk would quickly reclaim a 2-goal lead at 16:48, with Jim Vandermeer capitalizing on a Lawson slashing call and beating the Hershey netminder to make it 3-1 Admirals.

 

Thanks in part to a Cody McCormick late-2nd period hooking call for Hershey, Eric Nickulas would lengthen Norfolk's lead to 4-1, blasting a right circle shot that beat Lawson in the top left corner of the net just 54 seconds into the 3rd period.

 

After Lawson made an initial save on a Laing attempt, Duncan Keith would pick up the loose puck and slip a shot past Lawson at 11:25, giving the Ads a 5-1 advantage.

 

With 13 ticks remaining in the 3rd period, Duncan Keith would net the hat trick for Norfolk, beating Lawson five-hole and giving the Admirals a 6-1 lead.

 

Misc. Game Notes: Lawson (7-11-0), who made his first start since January 30th, suffered the loss in goal for Hershey, finishing with 44 saves. Leighton (16-13-2), earned the victory in net for Norfolk, ending with 27 saves…with an assist on Naumenko's 2nd period score, Bears captain Brett Clark extended his assist/point streak to 5 games…Hershey's Dennis Bonvie and Norfolk's Mike Brown, who were inserted into their respective teams' starting lineups, squared off just 11 seconds into the opening period…Bears D Dean Arsene and Admirals LW Travis Moen fought at the 14:29 mark of the 1st, after Arsene laid out the Ads' Pavel Vorobiev with a clean, open-ice hit…Norfolk's 20 wins vs East opponents leads the Division…the hat trick was the first Hershey has allowed since 2/21/04, when Freddy Meyer netted three en route to the Philadelphia Phantoms' 4-1 win at the Giant Center…the 50 Norfolk shots allowed by Hershey matched a season-high, who also chalked up 50 in a 5-0 loss to the Bears on December 26th…Hershey, who was making its final visit of 04/05 to Norfolk, is now 3-6 vs the Admirals this season…the Bears have been outshot in 8 of 9 matchups against the Ads this season, registering 248 attempts compared to Norfolk's 340 shots…the Admirals improved to 14-0-0 at home this season when leading after the 2nd period…D Jamie Rivers, LW David Masse, and D Agris Saviels did not make the trip for Hershey.

 

Coming Up: The Bears head back to Chocolatetown for a 7 PM faceoff against East Division rival Wilkes-Barre Saturday night at the Giant Center. Hershey is 2-1 against the Penguins this season, including a 4-2 win in their previous meeting last Friday in Wilkes-Barre.

 

The 7641 Sports' News 'N Notes team can be contacted via e-mail at: nnn@7641.com

 

Thursday February 17, 2005 (Posted Thursday 8:17 P.M. EST.)

 

No NHL? No problem

 

Perrin now focused on helping Bears to postseason

 

By Joe Shetrom, 7641 Sports

 

To quote the Grateful Dead, "What a long strange trip it's been." For the last 20 months, Eric Perrin can relate. First, he returned to North America to play pro hockey for the first time in four seasons, having signed a 1-year contract with the Tampa Bay Lightning in June of 2003. After the Lightning assigned him to Hershey during training camp, he sat out the 2003/04 season opener in Syracuse as a healthy scratch, the victim of too many veterans in the lineup. However, after that first game, Perrin never looked back, eventually leaving Hershey on March 27th, 2004 as the team and league leader in points, and finishing the campaign with the Stanley Cup Champion Tampa Bay Lightning. After re-upping with Tampa Bay this past summer, and figuring to be a fixture in the Lightning lineup, September 15th rolled around. "D" Day. That's the date when the National Hockey League shut down operations, closing shop when they and the NHL Players Association couldn't hammer out a new agreement. Suddenly, numerous players found themselves out of work, including Perrin. While many players signed overseas, Perrin signed with Hershey on September 27th, returning to a community that he and his family thoroughly enjoyed a season before. Now, with the NHL locking out its players for the balance of the 2004/05 season, Perrin remains in Hershey as a key figure in the Bears' drive to the playoffs.

 

"It's disappointing," said Perrin, referring to the NHL's announcement on Wednesday to cancel the rest of the 2004/05 season. "For the hockey world and its fans, it's a shame that we couldn't figure out something. It's regretful…and from the players side, it's not that they don't want to be playing…I know they feel bad for the fans. What's bad is that all of the details are out, and they're just out to make each other look bad."

 

When asked if he believed the NHL and the NHLPA would reach an accord before Wednesday's 1 PM deadline, Perrin stated "I did. I was a believer, but little did we know that we were so far off. That's even more embarrassing. 80% of the NHL guys probably didn't know how far apart they were."

 

Perrin said that the lockout wasn't on his mind while he was on the ice, and that his play was never affected due to the work stoppage. "Over the years, I've suffered too many obstacles to let things bother me. I just play my game and not worry about those things." Now that the lockout is in effect for the rest of this season, Perrin feels a sense of relief knowing that Hershey will be his home until at least April. "In a way, it clears your mind. Now you just focus on one thing, and one thing only, and that's to win games here in Hershey."

This past Monday night, he made his second straight appearance in an All-Star Classic, representing the Canadian AHL All-Stars. Perrin said it was an honor to represent the organization, but chuckled when stating, "It was a little embarrassing for the Canadian team there in the 2nd and 3rd periods." The Canadian All-Stars were up 4-0 after the 1st period, but ended up losing the game 5-4 in a shootout.

 

In that same contest, Perrin also scored the American Hockey League's first-ever short-handed goal in an All-Star Game, beating Chicago Wolves goaltender Kari Lehtonen during the 1st period. "I came to find that out later on (referring to the first-ever AHL All-Star Game short-handed score). I was thinking that there wouldn't be many short-handed goals, especially when there are no penalties. (Philadelphia's) Patrick Sharp set up the whole thing…he kind of delayed the play coming into the zone and waited for me as I was coming from the bench. He saw me coming and just passed it over and I caught the defenseman standing still, so I just went around and took a quick shot, and got the rebound in the air."

 

"Nothing like getting right back into it," Perrin said when asked about this weekend's "3 in 3" games against Norfolk, Wilkes-Barre, and Syracuse. "The first two are huge divisional games and are very important games for us to win. We're not going to waste any time…we're going to try and go get those two wins and do whatever we can. And then we have Syracuse on Sunday, who is a tough team…and I think they're better than their record shows."

 

When asked about the major differences with the current Bears lineup, as compared to the squad from earlier in the season, he stated, "I think the confidence level is higher. Everybody is playing a lot better all around, from the goalies to the defenseman to the forwards. We're scoring goals; we're keeping them out of our net. Our goaltending is really good, and we just found a way to play together. I think that's what we were missing, just a chemistry and playing as a team. We're doing that now and we also believe in ourselves every game that we can win."

 

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I am Iron Man…err Iron Men: Perrin, Mathieu Darche, Jeff Ulmer, and rookie Johnny Boychuk have suited up for each of the Bears' 52 games this season. If all four end the 04/05 campaign having played in every game, it would mark the first time that four teammates have appeared in all 80 games since the 1982/83 season, when Denis Lapensee, Lou Franceschetti, Wayne Prestage, and Frank Perkins each played in all 80 matches. Since that season, only four Bears teams have produced players who dressed for all 80 contests: 1992/93 (Tim Tookey, Corey Foster, Bill D. Armstrong), 93/94 (Mitch Lamoureux & Mike McHugh), 00/01 (Evgeny Lazarev), and 02/03 (Brett Clark). Former Hershey captain Bob Bilodeau holds the team single-season record with 81 games played in 77/78, a mark that was set due to the Hampton Gulls disbanding during the season, leaving all but two teams playing 81 contests.

 

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Notes: On Thursday, Bears President/General Manager Doug Yingst announced that the team will honor the late Frank Mathers in a pre-game ceremony on Sunday, February 27th against the Albany River Rats. The first 8,000 fans through the Giant Center gates will receive a replica Frank Mathers Hockey Hall of Fame banner, similar to the one that currently hangs in the Giant Center rafters. The Bears will also dedicate the February 27th game program to Mathers, and will honor "Mr. Hershey Bears Hockey" in a pre-game ceremony hosted by longtime broadcaster Mike "Doc" Emrick … As if they weren't represented enough in the toughness department, the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins have signed veteran RW Ryan VandenBussche to a contract. VandenBussche, 32, has played 290 career games in the NHL with the New York Rangers and Chicago Blackhawks, piling up 660 penalty minutes along the way. During his 11-year pro career, he's also spent time in the AHL, racking up 934 PIMs with St. John's, Springfield, Binghamton, Hartford, Portland, and Norfolk. He's probably most remembered for his 1-punch knockout of former Bear Nick Kypreos in a Rangers/Maple Leafs preseason game in 1997. Kypreos, who lay unconscious in a pool of his own blood, retired shortly after the incident … This past Tuesday, former Bear Steve Moore ('01-'04) filed a civil lawsuit against the Vancouver Canucks stemming from an on-ice attack by the Canucks' Todd Bertuzzi on March 8, 2004. Moore, 26, suffered a broken neck, concussion, and facial injuries after being blindsided from behind by Bertuzzi. Also named in the suit are Bertuzzi's teammate Brad May, Canucks Head Coach Marc Crawford, and former Vancouver General Manager Brian Burke. The claim, which was filed in Denver, alleges a string of charges including civil conspiracy, assault, battery, negligence and outrageous behavior. The lawsuit seeks unspecified damages, and is to be heard by a jury.

 

The 7641 Sports' News 'N Notes team can be contacted via e-mail at: nnn@7641.com

 

Sunday February 13, 2005 (Posted Sunday 6:10 P.M. EST.)

 

Current Bears Statistical Leaders (through 2-13-05)

 

Saturday February 12, 2005 vs. Bridgeport (Posted Sunday 2:27 A.M. EST.)

 

Bears tighten East Division with 4th straight win

 

The Hershey Bears continue to roll, reeling off their 4th-straight win with a 6-2 drubbing of the Bridgeport Sound Tigers Saturday night at the Giant Center. Mike Souza (2 goals, 1 assist) and Andre Savage (1 goal, 2 assists) led the offensive charge for the Bears, who have now won 8 of their last 10 contests. With the victory, Hershey (28-23-1-0, 57 points) now stands 4 points behind the Norfolk Admirals, who slipped to 4th place after a 2-1 home loss to the Philadelphia Phantoms on Saturday night. Meanwhile, Bridgeport (20-26-1-1, 42 points) dropped to a woeful 3-21-1-1 on the road this season, and now sits 15 points behind Hershey in the East Division standings.

 

Need to Know: Only 9 seconds into a Brendan Yarema holding penalty for Bridgeport, Andre Savage would pocket his 9th goal of the season at 15:40 of the 1st period. Savage, who was unable to capitalize on two chances earlier in the period, darted to the left of the Sound Tigers goal, taking an Eric Perrin backhand pass from behind the Sound Tigers net and beating goaltender Wade Dubielewicz.

 

Just over two minutes later (at 17:57), Mike Souza would put Hershey up 2-0, picking off a pass from former Bear Ed Campbell and firing a shot from between the circles that would elude Dubielewicz.

 

After Bears D Jeff Finger laid out Bridgeport RW Rob Collins with a neutral zone hit along the far boards in the 2nd period, Sound Tigers agitator Kevin Colley immediately sought redemption, going after Finger in the Hershey end. Both would earn 5-minute majors for fighting, with Colley earning the instigator and misconduct penalties.

 

On the ensuing Hershey power play, however, Bridgeport D Brendan Yarema would beat Bears goaltender Peter Budaj on a stick-side shot, bagging a short-handed tally and cutting the Hershey lead in half at 2-1. The goal, Yarema's 3rd of the season at 15:33 of the 2nd period, was the first short-handed score Hershey has allowed at home this season.

 

Fisticuffs would ensue after a scrum in front of the Bridgeport net, with Hershey's Cody McCormick dropping the gloves with former Bear Graham Belak at 17:27 of the 2nd. Both threw numerous right-hand punches in the bout, with Belak earning the decision with more effective shots landed.

 

In the waning moments of the 2nd frame, Steve Regier would even the score at 2-2, picking up a rebound off of a Jody Robinson shot, turning around and wristing home his 4th goal at 19:36.

 

Jeff Ulmer would once again give Hershey the lead at 5:30 of the 3rd period, backhanding a shot from the end boards that hit the back of Dubielewicz' pads and trickled into the Sound Tigers goal. The eventual game-winner, Ulmer's 14th of the season, tied his pro career high in goals scored for one season.

 

Chris Bala would set up Hershey's 4th goal, leading a 3-on-2 rush into the Bridgeport zone and throwing a right-side shot to the net, which was picked up by Perrin and deposited his 16th of the season at 11:45 of the 3rd.

 

The 4th liners would account for the Bears' 5th goal, with Ryan Steeves collecting his 3rd of the season at 16:26, with assists coming from Dennis Bonvie and Souza. Bonvie set up the goal by backhanding a pass from the end boards to Steeves, who fired a shot from the right faceoff circle, beating Dubielewicz over the shoulder in the top left corner of the net.

 

Souza would put an exclamation point on the win, netting the Bears' fourth unanswered goal of the period with an empty-net, short-handed tally from the Bears blueline at 19:28.

 

Misc. Game Notes: Budaj (21-14-0) earned his 4th straight win in net for Hershey, turning aside 28 shots. Dubielewicz (12-16-1) took the loss for Bridgeport, finishing with 23 saves…with an assist on Savage's goal, Bears captain Brett Clark extended his point streak to 4 games (1 goal, 5 assists)…Ulmer previously scored 14 goals for the Canadian National Team during the 1999/00 season…Hershey's 4th line of Souza, Steeves and Bonvie accounted for 5 points in the win…Souza's short-handed score was the first the Bears have recorded on home ice this season...with Dubielewicz pulled in favor of a 6th attacker, Budaj made a save, quickly dropping the puck to the ice and firing a shot that went just right of the empty Bridgeport net...the Bears improved to 16-0-0 this season when scoring at least 4 goals in a game…Hershey has been outshot in each of their last 8 games…Bridgeport's 106 goals scored ranks 3rd-lowest in the AHL this season, and have been outscored 96-45 on the road in 04/05…the season series between Hershey and Bridgeport is now tied at 2-2…before the start of the game, players and fans observed a moment of silence in honor of former Bears Player/Head Coach/General Manager/President Frank Mathers, who passed away last Wednesday at age 80. The Bears will pay tribute to Mathers with a video homage before their home game against the Albany River Rats on Sunday, February 27th.

 

Coming Up: Heading into the All-Star break, Hershey is off until next Friday, when they travel to the Norfolk Scope to take on the division-rival Admirals at 7:30 PM. Hershey is 3-5 against the Ads this season, including a 3-1 loss in their last meeting on January 21st in Norfolk.

 

 

Andre Savage (top left corner) and Mathieu Darche watch as Savage's 1st period