September 28, 2008
The BEARS open the 2008 preseason Sunday with a home game against the Norfolk Admirals. Face-off is slated for 5:00 p.m.
The game marks the first preseason game as an American Hockey League head coach for Bob Woods. Woods took over last Thanksgiving for Bruce Boudreau and led the team to a 2008 Calder Cup Playoff berth. Assistant Coach Mark French, who was named as the team's assistant back on January 2 of this year, begins his first full season behind the bench as well.
It's the first preseason game for both teams today as Norfolk comes to down. The Admirals finished seventh in the East Division a year ago and missed the postseason for the first time in the club's AHL history. The two teams will meet again in two weeks during the first regular season weekend of the year at Norfolk Scope for a pair of games. October 10-11.
Several regulars from last year's squad will not play on Sunday, but Jay Beagle, Andrew Joudrey, Patrick McNeill and Tom Maxwell are expected to participate. Michal Neuvirth, who played Thursday for Washington against the Carolina Hurricanes, is expected to see time between the pipes Sunday for HERSHEY.
The game can be heard Sunday via HERSHEY'S new internet home, Sportsjuice.com. The web feed of all three preseason games and all 80 regular season games can now be heard via www.sportsjuice.com. John Walton, in his seventh season behind the microphone as the voice of the BEARS, will call the action Sunday from GIANT Center.
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