November 30, 2008
BEARS RUN WIN STREAK TO NINE SUNDAY
By Jess Mikula
Andrew Joudrey would be the savior as HERSHEY earned its ninth consecutive win Sunday night, defeating the Norfolk Admirals 3-2. The BEARS sit atop the East Division, now five points ahead of Bridgeport.
Oskar Osala put the BEARS on the board with the lone goal of the first period, notching his 16th of the year at 3:01. Francois Bouchard and Mathieu Perreault recorded the assists. Bouchard nearly netted a goal of his own late in the period, as he launched a screamer off the inside of the right post, but the score would remain 1-0. HERSHEY carried the one goal advantage to the dressing room after 20 minutes of play, despite being out-shot 11-6.
Grant Potulny evened the score for the Admirals in the second, as he shoveled a pass from Brandon Bochenski over the shoulder of Simeon Varlamov at 4:11. The BEARS would not find the back of the net in the second but kept Norfolk from taking the lead, killing off a two-man deficit for 41 seconds. The score remained deadlocked 1-1 after two.
The visiting team would get its first lead of the game early in the third. Mathieu Curadeau potted his first of the year just 40 seconds into the period, past a sprawling Varlamov. Alexandre Giroux provided the answer for HERSHEY at 10:15 with his 17th of the season, a power play marker from Keith Aucoin and Patrick McNeill. Joudrey netted the deciding goal, his second of the year, assisted by Chris Bourque and Andrew Gordon, at 17:50.
Varlamov earned his ninth win of the season, making 32 stops on 34 shots.
Notes: The BEARS are off until Saturday when the Hartford Wolf Pack come to town at 7:00 p.m. It's Hartford's only appearance at GIANT Center in 2008-09. HERSHEY'S next road game will be in San Antonio against the Rampage on Thursday, December 11. HERSHEY has the best point total in the American Hockey League entering the month of December. The Bridgeport Sound Tigers, HERSHEY'S closest pursuer in the East Division, was idle Sunday.
BEARS Radio Network Three Stars of the Game:
1. Andrew Joudrey
2. Alexandre Giroux
3. Simeon Varlamov
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