BEARS WIN AS GIROUX SETS AHL GOAL SCORING RECORD

January 18, 2009

BEARS BITE BACK IN THIRD Giroux Breaks Goal-Scoring Record By Jess Mikula The BEARS won in come-from-behind fashion against Worcester Sunday night, defeating the Sharks by a 3-2 margin in the shootout. Worcester found the back of the net twice in the first period, both on the man advantage. Jamie McGinn put the Sharks on the board with goal on the two man advantage at 9:14, assisted by Patrick Traverse and Ryan Vesce. The visiting team struck again with a 5-on-4 tally from Steven Zalewski at 9:58. The BEARS carried a two-goal deficit to the locker room after one. Neither team found the score sheet in the second period. The Sharks maintained a 2-0 lead after 40 minutes. Sami Lepisto put the BEARS on the board early in the third period, sending a screamer past Worcester goaltender Thomas Greiss for his fourth goal of the year, a power play marker, at 3:48. Giroux and Chris Bourque added the helpers. Giroux knotted the score at 2-2 with a power play goal for 34th of the season from Mathieu Perreault and Lepisto at 13:33. With the goal, Giroux surpassed Brett Hull’s AHL record with goals in 15 straight contests. HERSHEY’s third period heroics would send the game to overtime. Giroux nearly ended the game late in overtime, his shot sailing off the left post. Neither team would score in sudden death, sending the game to the shootout. Kyle Wilson proved to be the hero for the BEARS, scoring in the first round of the shootout. Michal Neuvirth stopped all five of Worcester’s shooters to give HERSHEY the victory. The BEARS out-shot the Sharks 42-24. Neuvirth stopped 22 of 24 shots for his second win of the season in net. Bears Radio Network Three Stars of the Game: 1. Alexandre Giroux (game-tying goal, broke Hull’s record) 2. Michal Neuvirth (denied all five Worcester shooters in the shootout) 3. Thomas Greiss (39 saves on 42 shots) Notes: The BEARS embark Tuesday for Norfolk to take on the Admirals on Wednesday night at Norfolk Scope. Face-off Wednesday is set for 7:15 p.m. HERSHEY will host the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins Friday night at 7:00 p.m. at GIANT Center. Friday's game will be broadcast in the United States and Canada on Sirius/XM Satellite Radio on XM channel 204 and Sirius channel 208. John Walton and Ed Coffey will call the action on the national feed. The Chocolate and White will wrap up the pre All-Star game portion of the schedule Saturday night against the Manchester Monarchs at GIANT Center. Patrick McNeill returned to the HERSHEY lineup Sunday after a two-game injury absence. Patrick Wellar missed the game as a healthy scratch. The start for Neuvirth was his first for the BEARS since January 2 in Providence.