Bears Final 2006/07 Postseason Statistical Leaders

 

 

Thursday June 8, 2007 at Hamilton (Posted Friday 8:22 P.M. EST)

 

Calder Cup Finals - Game 5

 

Bulldogs break out the champagne

Hamilton captures first Calder Cup with 2-1 win over Bears

 

By Joe Shetrom, 7641 Sports

joe@7641.com

 

Ten years after the Hershey Bears defeated the Hamilton Bulldogs in five games to capture their eighth Calder Cup Championship, the Bulldogs returned the favor, besting the Bears 2-1 in Game 5 before an AHL season-high 14,205 fans Thursday night at Copps Coliseum. The Bulldogs, who played the role of giant killers this spring following series victories over Rochester, Manitoba, Chicago, and Hershey, claimed their first AHL title after being runner-up in 1997 in 2003.

 

Following a scoreless 1st period, Hamilton would claim the first lead for the fifth straight contest on Maxim Lapierre's 6th of the playoffs at 14:37 of the 2nd.

 

Less than four minutes later, though, at 18:42, Jakub Klepis collected his fifth of the finals, knotting the score at 1-1.

 

With Mathieu Biron serving a high-sticking call for the Bulldogs, Ajay Baines would register the game-winner - his second short-handed goal in as many games - at 9:33 of the 3rd.

 

Penalties would do in the Bears the rest of the way, including a two-man Hamilton power play with 47 ticks remaining in Hershey's 99th contest of the 2006/07 campaign.

 

19-year-old uber-rookie Carey Price (15-6) would stop 29 of 30 shots to earn the Cup-clinching win for the Bulldogs. AHL President Dave Andrews presented Price with the Jack Butterfield Trophy as Playoff MVP during the on-ice ceremonies.

 

Frederic Cassivi (13-6), who backstopped the Bears to a championship last June, suffered the loss with 24 saves. Hershey is now 9-11 in Calder Cup Finals appearances.

 

TEAM	1ST	2ND	3RD	Total
Hershey	0	1	0	1
Hamilton	0	1	1	2

 

FIRST PERIOD - Scoring: None. Penalties: Hendricks, HER (goaltender interference), 3:00; Lapierre, HAM (tripping), 7:31; Sloan, HER (hooking), 10:40; Wiseman, HER (hooking), 14:41; Stortini, HAM (interference), 17:55.

 

SECOND PERIOD - Scoring: 1, HAM, Lapierre 6 (Benoit), 14:37. 2, HER, Klepis 7 (Steckel, Green), 18:42. Penalties: Chipchura, HAM (holding), :58; Green, HER (tripping), 2:22; Wiseman, HER (hooking), 15:12; Biron, HAM (interference), 16:36.

 

THIRD PERIOD - Scoring: 3, HAM, Baines 6 (game-winner) (short-handed) (Lapierre), 9:33. Penalties: Benoit, HAM (hooking), 5:16; Biron, HAM (high-sticking), 8:07; HER bench, served by Klepis (too many men), 11:13; Sloan, HER (hooking), 14:36; Steckel, HER (holding), 18:00; Green, HER (elbowing, unsportsmanlike conduct, misconduct), 19:13.

 

Game Factoids: Hershey finished 0-6 on the power-play, while Hamilton ended at 0-9 … The Bears outshot the Bulldogs 30-26 … Price stopped 182 of 191 shots faced in the series (.952%) … Klepis' 5 markers led all skaters in the finals … D Dan Jancevski was held without a point for the first time in the finals … The Bulldogs outscored the Bears 19-9 in the five championship matches … Hershey finished the series 3-41 on the man advantage (7.3%), while Hamilton ended at 7-35 (20%) … The Bears led for only 26:44 of a possible 300 minutes in the series … Alexandre Giroux was held scoreless in the finals, while Chris Bourque, Matt Hendricks, Chad Wiseman, and Kyle Wilson each collected just one point … Hershey's previous one-goal loss in regulation was April 14 in Binghamton … The Bears last lost a finals series in 1986, when the Adirondack Red Wings won in 6 games … Hershey outshot Hamilton in all 5 meetings … The Bears missed an opportunity to claim back-to-back titles for the first time in franchise history since the 57/58 & 58/59 seasons … It was only the second time Hershey has lost 3 straight contests in the Bruce Boudreau era … Boudreau started Andy Hedlund and Jeff Schultz on defense, with Tomas Fleischmann, Klepis, and Wilson at forward … Scratched from Hershey: LW Kip Brennan, D Marc Busenburg, D Deryk Engelland, RW Eric Fehr, D Jamie Hunt, G Daren Machesney, D Troy Milam, C Brad Ralph, C Joey Tenute, LW Peter Vandermeer, and RW Stephen Werner … 3 Stars of the Game: (1) Baines, (2) Price, (3) Cassivi … Referee: Steve Kozari … Kozari also referred Game 5 of the 2006 Calder Cup Finals, which saw the Bears defeat the Milwaukee Admirals 6-4 at Giant Center.

 

Coming Up: A well-deserved rest for the players and fans. Have a great summer, everyone!

 

Wednesday June 6, 2007 at Hamilton (Posted Thursday 5:50 P.M. EST)

 

Calder Cup Finals - Game 4

 

Bears behind 8-ball

Hamilton one win from Calder Cup after 6-2 win

 

By Joe Shetrom, 7641 Sports

joe@7641.com

 

If the Hershey Bears are to repeat as Calder Cup champions, they'll have to do it in improbable fashion. The Hamilton Bulldogs, on the verge of their first AHL title, scored four unanswered goals before adding a pair of short-handed markers in the final minute of regulation to thump the Bears 6-2 and take a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series. The game, played before 8,004 Wednesday night at Copps Coliseum, saw the Bulldogs score the first goal for the fourth straight match in the finals.

 

Mikhail Grabovski (at 2:07) and Matt D'Agostini (power play at 10:19) gave the Bulldogs a 2-0 advantage by the first intermission, while veteran Eric Manlow (at 4:51) tallied the only marker of the 2nd period to elevate the Western Conference champs to a three goal lead.

 

Michael Lambert would stake Hamilton with a 4-0 advantage at 2:29 of the 3rd before Jakub Klepis spoiled Carey Price's bid for a second shutout of the series at 5:07.

 

Tomas Fleischmann would cut the Bulldogs lead in half at 14:03, but Ajay Baines and Duncan Milroy would deposit empty net goals to ensure victory for the Montreal Canadiens' affiliate.

 

Price finished with 33 saves to improve to 14-6 in the playoffs. His counterpart, Frederic Cassivi, dropped to 13-5 with a 20-save effort for Hershey.

 

TEAM	1ST	2ND	3RD	Total
Hershey	0	0	2	2
Hamilton	2	1	3	6

 

FIRST PERIOD - Scoring: 1, HAM, Grabovski 4 (Milroy, D'Agostini), 2:07. 2, HAM, D'Agostini 4 (power play) (Benoit, Grabovski), 10:19. Penalties: Manlow, HAM (boarding), 2:38; Steckel, HER (tripping), 8:44; Milam, HER (interference), 10:52; Chipchura, HAM (slashing), 14:12; Klepis, HER (holding stick), 14:21; D'Agostini, HAM (tripping), 19:27.

 

SECOND PERIOD - Scoring: 3, HAM, Manlow 6 (game-winner) (Benoit, Milroy), 4:51. Penalties: Wiseman, HER (slashing), 10:54; Grabovski, HAM (slashing), 17:44

 

THIRD PERIOD - Scoring: 4, HAM, Lambert 2 (Manlow, Jancevski), 2:29. 5, HER, Klepis 6 (Laing, Arsene), 5:07. 6, HER, Fleischmann 5 (power play) (Steckel, Green), 14:03. 7, HAM, Baines 5 (empty net) (short-handed) (Lapierre, Benoit), 19:12. 8, HAM, Milroy 2 (short-handed) (Chipchura, Jancevski), 19:28. Penalties: Benoit, HAM (hooking), 5:45; O'Byrne, HAM (cross-checking), 17:36.

 

Game Factoids: Hershey finished 0-6 on the power-play, while Hamilton ended at 1-4 … The Bears outshot the Bulldogs 35-26 … D Dan Jancevski, who leads all players with 8 points (1G, 7A) in the finals, has recorded 2 points in each contest … Hamilton defensemen have accumulated 19 points in the four head-to-head meetings … Milroy finished a game-high +4 … Hamilton has outscored Hershey 17-8 in the series … Klepis has accounted for 4 of Hershey's 8 goals … C Alexandre Giroux, the Bears' leading scorer in the regular season, has yet to find the scoresheet in the series … The Bears are an anemic 3-35 on the power play in the finals (8.5%) … Hershey has lead for only 26:44 - all in Game 2 - in the series … Only 3 teams in AHL history have won the Calder Cup after facing a 3-1 series deficit … LW Peter Vandermeer made his Calder Cup Finals debut, replacing LW Louis Robitaille … Andrew Joudrey subbed for Joey Tenute at center … Hershey Head Coach Bruce Boudreau started Dean Arsene and Mike Green on defense, with Scott Barney, Matt Hendricks, and Quintin Laing at forward … Scratched from Hershey: LW Kip Brennan, D Marc Busenburg, D Deryk Engelland, RW Eric Fehr, D Jamie Hunt, G Daren Machesney, C Brad Ralp, Robitaille, Tenute, and RW Stephen Werner … 3 Stars of the Game: (1) Grabovski, (2) Manlow, (3) Benoit … Referee: Brian Pochmara.

 

Coming Up: The Bears look to stave off elimination in Game 5 of the Calder Cup Finals Thursday night at Copps Coliseum, facing the Bulldogs at 7:30 PM.

 

Monday June 4, 2007 at Hamilton (Posted Tuesday 5:50 P.M. EST)

 

Calder Cup Finals - Game 3

 

Bulldogs show teeth

Hamilton claims 5-2 Game 3 victory over Bears

 

By Joe Shetrom, 7641 Sports

joe@7641.com

 

In Game 1 of the Calder Cup Finals, the Hamilton Bulldogs defense played a key role in their 4-0 shutout win, shutting down a potent Hershey Bears lineup with 9 penalty kills. In Game 3 their blueliners showcased their offensive talents, coming up with all five goals - including 3 power play markers - in a 5-2 victory before 5,683 Monday night at Copps Coliseum. The Bulldogs now lead the best-of-seven series 2-1.

 

Danny Groulx would jumpstart the Hamilton scoring, potting his first of two power play goals at 1:20 of the 1st period. It marked the third straight game the Bulldogs have scored first.

 

With the 1st stanza drawing to a close, Jakub Klepis would register his second goal in as man games, taking a Tomas Fleischmann pass and beating Bulldogs rookie goaltender Carey Price at 19:47. The 4-on-3 man advantage strike tied the contest heading into the first intermission.

 

Hamilton would quickly regain the lead in the 2nd, as Andre Benoit took a Corey Locke feed and beat the Bears' Frederic Cassivi at 1:19.

 

First-year d-man Ryan O'Byrne would give the Bulldogs a two-goal advantage at 7:58, taking a Matt D'Agostini pass and converting a shot from in front of Cassivi. The marker would stand as the eventual game-winner.

 

With Hamilton native Joey Tenute in the penalty box for holding, Groulx would bookend the goal scoring for the Bulldogs at 19:18.

 

Klepis collected his second of the contest at 11:21 of the 3rd, redirecting a Fleischmann shot to round out the night's offense.

 

Price upped his record in the playoffs to 13-6, stopping 38 of 40 shots. It was the third consecutive game he's faced at least 40 shots.

 

Cassivi fell to 13-4 in the postseason with a 24-save performance.

 

TEAM	1ST	2ND	3RD	Total
Hershey	1	0	1	2
Hamilton	1	4	0	5

 

FIRST PERIOD - Scoring: 1, HAM, Groulx 5 (power play) (D'Agostini, Biron), 1:20. 2, HER, Klepis 4 (power play) (Fleischmann), 19:47. Penalties: Robitaille, HER (hooking), 1:04; Cote, HAM (boarding), 3:42; O'Byrne, HAM (holding), 7:11; Chipchura, HAM (cross-checking), 8:40; Ferland, HAM (high-sticking major), 13:46; Bourque, HER (hooking), 14:40; Robitaille, HER (unsportsmanlike conduct), 19:00; Archer, HAM (hooking), 19:00; Stortini, HAM (unsportsmanlike conduct), 19:00; O'Byrne, HAM (roughing), 19:27; Giroux, HER (hooking), 19:42.

 

SECOND PERIOD - Scoring: 3, HAM, Benoit 2 (Locke, Lapierre), 1:19. 4, HAM, O'Byrne 2 (D'Agostini, Lambert), 7:58. 5, HAM, Jancevski 3 (power play) (Stortini, Benoit), 12:28. 6, HAM, Groulx 6 (power play) (Jancevski, Grabovski), 19:18. Penalties: Lapierre, HAM (holding), 2:29; Hedlund, HER (hooking), 10:37; Wedderburn, HER (holding), 15:48; Tenute, HER (holding), 18:15.

 

THIRD PERIOD - Scoring: 7, HER, Klepis 5 (Fleischmann, Steckel), 11:21. Penalties: Ferland, HAM (high-sticking), 7:47; Sloan, HER (interference), 12:53; Robitaille, HER (roughing), 18:19; Lapierre, HAM (boarding), 18:19; Stortini, HAM (roughing, spearing major, game misconduct), 18:19.

 

Game Factoids: Hershey finished 1-11 on the power-play, while Hamilton ended at 3-6 … The Bears outshot the Bulldogs 40-29 … Through 3 contests, Hamilton defensemen have collected 14 points (5 goals, 9 assists) … Jancevski leads all skaters with 6 points (1G, 5A) in the finals … So far this series, Price has stonewalled 120 of 126 shots (.952%) … The Bulldogs are sporting a 27.2% success rate on the man advantage in the series (6-22) … The Bears, who entered the Calder Cup Finals with the AHL's top-ranked power play, have converted just 3 of 29 man-up opportunities (10.3%) … Klepis (3) has scored half of Hershey's goals (6) in the finals … Dean Arsene returned to the lineup, replacing Troy Milam … LW Chad Wiseman started for the first time this postseason … Hamilton was whistled for a pair of 5-minute major penalties in the contest, with Jonathan Ferland getting called for high-sticking Fleischmann at 13:46 of the 1st and Zack Stortini getting handed a spearing major at 18:19 of the 3rd … The Bears also faced a 2-1 deficit in the 2006 Calder Cup Finals, losing Games 1 & 3 to the Milwaukee Admirals … Hershey Head Coach Bruce Boudreau started Arsene and Tyler Sloan on defense, with Quintin Laing, Dave Steckel, and Wiseman at forward … Scratched from Hershey: LW Kip Brennan, D Marc Busenburg, D Deryk Engelland, RW Eric Fehr, D Jamie Hunt, C Andrew Joudrey, C Brad Ralph, LW Peter Vandermeer, and RW Stephen Werner … 3 Stars of the Game: (1) Groulx, (2) Price, (3) O'Byrne … Referee: Steve Kozari.

 

Coming Up: Hershey will look to square the series at 2-2 when the two teams lock horns in Game 4 of the Calder Cup Finals Wednesday evening at Copps Coliseum. Opening face-off is slated for 7:30 PM.

 

Saturday June 2, 2007 vs Hamilton (Posted Sunday 11:39 A.M. EST)

 

Calder Cup Finals - Game 2

 

Bears claw Bulldogs 4-2

Hershey squares Finals at one game apiece

 

By Joe Shetrom, 7641 Sports

joe@7641.com

 

No need to call the Mythbusters crew. Turns out Carey Price is human after all. The 19-year-old phenom, who stopped 46 shots in Game 1 of the Calder Cup Finals, surrendered 4 goals as the Hershey Bears doubled up the Hamilton Bulldogs 4-2 to claim Game 2 and even the series before 10,768 Saturday night at Giant Center.

 

For the second straight game, Hamilton would capture the first lead, with Zack Stortini collecting his 3rd of the playoffs on a delayed Louis Robitaille penalty at 5:39 of the 1st period.

 

Only 7 seconds into a Matt D'Agostini hooking infraction, Scott Barney would knot the contest at 1-1, picking up a loose puck along the Hamilton end boards and slipping the vulcanized rubber past Price at 10:27 of the 1st. It was the first goal allowed by Price in the series, and the first he'd given up in 93:46 of action.

 

The Bulldogs would regain the lead in the 2nd, as Dan Jancevski's center point shot was redirected by Kyle Chipchura at 7:21.

 

Less than a minute later, though, Hershey would respond at even strength, with Jakub Klepis taking a Tomas Fleischmann left corner feed and backhanding a shot past Price at 8:03.

 

With the Bears back on the man advantage, Barney would tip a Chad Wiseman left point slap shot by Price at 13:16, giving Hershey its first lead of the game and series. The marker - Barney's 2nd power play goal of the contest - stood as the eventual game-winner.

 

Chris Bourque added an insurance goal at 8:53 of the 3rd - his first since April 22 - to give the defending AHL champions a 4-2 lead that would stand the final half of the frame.

 

Frederic Cassivi upped his record to 13-3 this spring, stopping 20 of 22 shots. Over the last two playoff seasons the veteran netminder is 29-8.

 

Price (12-6) took the loss for Hamilton with 36 saves. The four goals allowed were more than the 3 markers combined he'd surrendered over the previous 4 games.

 

TEAM	1ST	2ND	3RD	Total
Hamilton	1	1	0	2
Hershey	1	2	1	4

 

FIRST PERIOD - Scoring: 1, HAM, Stortini 3 (Jancevski, Locke), 5:39. 2, HER, Barney 9 (power play) (Wilson), 10:27. Penalties: Laing, HER (elbowing), 1:46; Milam, HER (hooking), 6:06; D'Agostini, HAM (hooking), 10:20; Lapierre, HAM (high-sticking), 10:35; Archer, HAM (slashing), 12:54; Hendricks, HER (goaltender interference), 15:41; O'Byrne, HAM (holding stick), 18:19.

 

SECOND PERIOD - Scoring: 3, HAM, Chipchura 6 (Jancevski, Benoit), 7:21. 4, HER, Klepis 3 (Tenute, Fleischmann), 8:03. 5, HER, Barney 10 (game-winner) (power play) (Wiseman, Green), 13:16. Penalties: Hedlund, HER (hooking), 4:43; Benoit, HAM (hooking), 12:07; Hedlund, HER (roughing), 13:21; Groulx, HAM (holding), 13:55; D'Agostini, HAM (roughing), 17:43; Fleischmann, HER (roughing), 17:43; Biron, HAM (hooking), 19:28.

 

THIRD PERIOD - Scoring: 6, HER, Bourque 2 (Hendricks, Robitaille), 8:53. Penalties: Milam, HER (hooking), 1:57; Schultz, HER (holding), 5:15; Biron, HAM (interference), 5:50; Green, HER (elbowing), 10:14; Biron, HAM (elbowing), 11:50; Schultz, HER (hooking), 14:40.

 

Game Factoids: Face-offs won (unofficial): Hershey: 34, Hamilton: 30 … Hershey finished 2-9 on the power-play, while Hamilton ended at 0-9 … The Bears outshot the Bulldogs 40-22 … C Joey Tenute, out since suffering a broken rib and punctured lung in Game 2 of the East Division Finals against Wilkes-Barre on May 4, returned to the lineup and registered a playmaker on Klepis' 2nd period equalizer … Barney's 10 goals are tied with Hamilton's Corey Locke for 1st in the AHL … Robitaille collected his first point of the postseason with an assist on Bourque's 3rd period marker … Jancevski has notched 4 assists in the series … The Bulldogs saw their 7-game road win streak end … Hamilton D Mathieu Biron was whistled for 4 penalties … The sold-out crowd was the 5th largest in Giant Center history … Through the first two games of the finals, the Bulldogs have recorded a combined 10 shots in the 3rd period … Troy Milam and Tim Wedderburn replaced Dean Arsene and Deryk Engelland on defense, while Tenute replaced Andrew Joudrey at center … Hershey Head Coach Bruce Boudreau started Andy Hedlund and Jeff Schultz on defense, with Bourque, Matt Hendricks, and Robitaille at forward … Scratched from Hershey: Arsene, LW Kip Brennan, D Marc Busenburg, Engelland, RW Eric Fehr, D Jamie Hunt, Joudrey, G Daren Machesney, C Brad Ralph, LW Peter Vandermeer, and RW Stephen Werner … 3 Stars of the Game: (1) Barney, (2) Klepis, (3) Hendricks … Referee: Terry Koharski.

 

Coming Up: The series now shifts to Copps Coliseum in Hamilton for Games 3, 4 and 5. Game 3 is set for Monday evening at 7:30 PM.

 

With the scored knotted at 1-1 in the 1st period, the Bears Matt Hendricks is called for Goaltender interference.

 

Hamilton's Kyle Chipchura (not shown) flips a shot past a fallen Frederic Cassivi at 7:21 of the 2nd period. Cassivi would argue that his skates were pulled out from under him by the Bulldogs JonathanFerland.

 

Hershey's Scott Barney redirects a shot past Hamilton's Carey Price to put the Bears up 3-2.

 

The Bears Chris Bourque finishes Hershey's scoring outburst with this 3rd period goal.

 

Hershey's Dave Steckel and Jeff Schultz team up to take an unidentified Bulldog off the puck.

 

Friday June 1, 2007 vs Hamilton (Posted Saturday 3:38 P.M. EST)

 

Calder Cup Finals - Game 1

 

Price, Bulldogs Blank Bears 4-0

Special teams shine for Hamilton

 

By Joe Shetrom, 7641 Sports

joe@7641.com

 

The lights went out on the Hershey Bears Friday night at Giant Center, figuratively and literally. With a severe thunderstorm rolling through Derry Township, power was momentarily knocked out in the five-year-old arena, delaying the opening face-off by nearly 30 minutes. When the game finally got underway, though, the Hamilton Bulldogs put on a defensive clinic, stymieing all nine Hershey power plays - including a 5-on-3 man advantage for 2 minutes - while goaltender Carey Price stonewalled all 46 shots faced to give the visitors a 4-0 win and a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven Calder Cup Finals.

 

Following a scoreless 1st period, Matt D'Agostini would tally what turned out to be the game-winner at 1:21 of the 2nd, pocketing his 3rd of the playoffs on the man advantage.

 

Just over 2 ½ minutes later at 3:54 and on the power play again, Mikhail Grabovski would give Hamilton a 2-0 advantage, wristing a shot from between the circles for his 3rd of the postseason.

 

Third-year pro Corey Locke would round out the 2nd stanza offense by backhanding a shot past Bears goalie Frederic Cassivi at 11:35, elevating the Bulldogs to a 3-0 lead.

 

With Tyler Sloan serving a boarding penalty for Hershey, Locke would bag his second goal of the contest - and AHL-leading 10th marker of the playoffs - at 13:37 of the 3rd to close out the scoring.

 

Fighting majors would dot the scoresheet in the latter moments of regulation, with Mathieu Biron, Grabovski and Zack Stortini dropping the gloves for Hamilton at 18:56 and 18:57, respectively. For Hershey, Deryk Engelland and Quintin Laing would each earn five minutes, while Tyler Sloan collected both elbowing and fighting major penalties.

 

Price (12-5), who leads all AHL netminders in playoff minutes (1,075) and saves (518), earned his second shutout of the postseason.

 

Cassivi (12-3) suffered Hershey's first shutout of the 2006/07 campaign with 21 saves.

 

TEAM	1ST	2ND	3RD	Total
Hamilton	0	3	1	4
Hershey	0	0	0	0

 

FIRST PERIOD - Scoring: None. Penalties: Giroux, HER (tripping), 4:25; Grabovski, HAM (tripping), 5:38; Jancevski, HAM (holding), 9:43; Lapierre, HAM (roughing), 13:24; Arsene, HER (roughing), 13:24; Fleischmann, HER (roughing), 20:00.

 

SECOND PERIOD - Scoring: 1, HAM, D'Agostini 3 (game-winner) (power play) (Jancevski, Locke), 1:21. 2, HAM, Grabovski 3 (power play) (Manlow, Groulx), 3:54. 3, HAM, Locke 9 (unassisted), 11:35. Penalties: klepis, HER (hooking), 3:41; Chipchura, HAM (hooking), 7:26; Biron, HAM (holding), 16:40; Jancevski, HAM (high-sticking), 18:27.

 

THIRD PERIOD - Scoring: 4, HAM, Locke 10 (power play) (Jancevski, Lapierre), 13:37. Penalties: O'Byrne, HAM (interference), 5:11; Green, HER (boarding), 5:43; Jancevski, HAM (hooking), 9:11; Lapierre, HAM (cross-checking), 9:11; Sloan, HER (boarding), 12:00; Benoit, HAM (tripping), 15:47; Baines, HAM (roughing), 18:56; Biron, HAM (fighting major), 18:56; Grabovski, HAM (roughing, fighting major), 18:56; Engelland, HER (fighting major), 18:56; Robitaille, HER (roughing, misconduct), 18:56; Sloan, HER (elbowing major, fighting major), 18:56; Stortini, HAM (roughing, fighting major), 18:57; Laing, HER (fighting major), 18:57; Hedlund, HER (roughing), 19:32.

 

Game Factoids: Face-offs won (unofficial): Hershey: 37, Hamilton: 32 … Hershey finished 0-9 on the power-play, while Hamilton ended at 3-7 … The Bears outshot the Bulldogs 46-25 … The winner of Game 1 has gone on to win the Calder Cup 75.7% of the time, although Hershey lost Game 1 of the finals last year to the Milwaukee Admirals before claiming the series in 6 matches … The Bears went a stretch of 97 games - regular season and playoffs - without being shutout. They were last blanked, ironically, during last year's Calder Cup Finals, dropping a 2-0 decision in Game 3 to the Milwaukee Admirals at Giant Center … It was Hershey's first loss in regulation since April 14th (2-1 Binghamton win) … Hamilton has won 7 straight road games … Scott Barney and Kyle Wilson saw their 5-game point streaks end … Bears captain Dean Arsene returned to the lineup for the first time since Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals … Stortini played in last year's Calder Cup Finals with Milwaukee … Faces in the crowd included Montreal Canadiens General Manager and NHL Hall of Famer Bob Gainey … Hershey Head Coach Bruce Boudreau started Engelland and Sloan on defense, with Chris Bourque, Dave Steckel, and Laing at forward … Scratched from Hershey: LW Kip Brennan, D Marc Busenburg, D Sean Collins, RW Eric Fehr, D Jamie Hunt, G Daren Machesney, D Troy Milam, C Brad Ralph, C Joey Tenute, LW Peter Vandermeer, D Tim Wedderburn, and RW Stephen Werner … 3 Stars of the Game: (1) Price, (2) Locke, (3) Dan Jancevski … Referee: Brian Pochmara.

 

Coming Up: The Bears will look to even the series at 1-1 before the series shifts to Hamilton for Games 3, 4, and if necessary, 5. Game 2 will have a 7 PM opening face-off Saturday at Giant Center.

 

Hamilton's Matt D'Agostini finds the twine to put the Bulldog's ahead 1-0 during 2nd period play.

 

During a three goal 2nd, the Bulldogs Corey Locke makes the score 3-0.

 

Locke would pick up his second goal during 3rd period play.

 

Hamilton Assistant Coach Ron Wilson has "a few words" with an enthusiastic Hershey fan.