December 20, 2008
BEARS HOLD ONTO FIRST PLACE WITH WIN OVER DEVILS
By Jess Mikula
Kyle Wilson recorded a two-goal effort Saturday night to propel the BEARS to a 4-2 victory over the Lowell Devils.
HERSHEY struck early, as Graham Mink scored his 13th goal of the season just 11 seconds into the game. Chris Bourque and Keith Aucoin added the helpers. Wilson increased the lead to two with his 11th of the year at 15:50, with assists from Darren Reid and Bryan Helmer. The BEARS barraged Devils netminder Dave Caruso with 19 shots in the first period and carried a 2-0 lead to the dressing room.
Andrew Gordon opened scoring in the second period, potting his 10th of the season and the eventual game winner from Quintin Laing and Helmer at 1:34. Lowell answered, as Matthew Spiller fed Jon DiSalvatore out of the box at 12:20. HERSHEY held a 3-1 advantage after 40 minutes of play.
The visiting team would score again late in the third, as Barry Tallackson notched his first of the year past a sprawling Daren Machesney at 16:22. With Caruso to the bench, Wilson tallied his second goal of the night and 12th of the year, stripping the puck from Anssi Salmela behind the empty net at 19:18.
The BEARS out-shot the Devils 36-19, and Machesney earned his 10th win of the season in net, turning aside 17 shots.
Bears Radio Network Three Stars of the Game:
1. Kyle Wilson
2. Bryan Helmer
3. Daren Machesney
Notes: The BEARS will wrap up the pre-Christmas portion of the 2008-09 schedule Sunday afternoon when the Lake Erie Monsters come to call at 5:00 p.m. Tickets are available at the GIANT Center box office, or by calling (717) 534-3911. Coach Bob Woods said on his pregame radio show Saturday that Simeon Varlamov will start Sunday's home game against Lake Erie. Varlamov was 2-0-0 in two starts for the Washington Capitals during a week-long stint in the NHL December 12-19, with wins over Montreal and St. Louis. The home game for HERSHEY Saturday was the first for the team since its December 7 win over the Norfolk Admirals.
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