BLANK YOU VERY MUCH: BEARS WIN 3-0 FRIDAY

November 7, 2008

VARLAMOV SLAMS THE DOOR, BEARS WIN 3-0 FRIDAY By: John Walton The BEARS scored just 64 seconds into the game Friday night, and goaltending made it stand up as HERSHEY won at Albany 3-0. Andrew Gordon got Albany goaltender Daniel Manzato’s night off to a bad start, scoring just 1:04 into the game to give the BEARS a 1-0 lead. HERSHEY fired seven first period shots at Manzato, while Simeon Varlamov stopped all five he saw in the first 20 minutes. The BEARS would pick up 14 more shots in the second period, and again score the only goal of the period. Oskar Osala picked up his ninth goal of the season at 3:53 of the second with help from Mathieu Perreault and Francois Bouchard. Bouchard scored a goal of his own in the third period at 16:19 to put the game on ice, and Varlamov would do the rest. The rookie goaltender finished the game with 19 saves and his first pro shutout. The win earned the BEARS three points out of a possible four after two games of a five-game road trip. Notes: HERSHEY heads to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton for the third game of the current five-game road trip Saturday. Face-off at Wachovia Arena is 7:05 p.m. Current South Carolina Stingrays and former HERSHEY defenseman Sasha Pokulok narrowly escaped an apartment fire early Friday morning in North Charleston, SC. Pokulok had to jump from a second floor window to safety after the blaze was allegedly sparked by an electrical spark. The start for Varlamov in goal Friday was his first since October 17. Graham Mink, Tyler Sloan and Dean Arsene all missed Friday’s game due to injury, although Mink and Sloan are likely to be available Saturday when the team travels to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. HERSHEY’S next home game is next Saturday, November 15 when the Philadelphia Phantoms come to GIANT Center at 7:00 p.m. The shutout for Varlamov was the first by a HERSHEY goalie since Daren Machesney blanked the Rats on November 2, 2007. Bears Radio Network Three Stars of the Game 1. Simeon Varlamov (First pro shutout, 19 saves) 2. Andrew Gordon (Game winning goal in the first) 3. Greg Amadio (Led the defensive charge, fight late in the third)