MONSTERS ROCK BEARS 6-3 IN CLEVELAND SUNDAY

March 8, 2009

BEARS DROP ROAD GAME IN BUCKEYE STATE SUNDAY By: John Walton The BEARS were forced to settle for two points out of four on the road this weekend, falling to the Lake Erie Monsters 6-3 Sunday at Quicken Loans Arena in Cleveland. Sean Collins opened the scoring in the first period, scoring his first AHL goal of the season at 6:49 from Francois Bouchard and Kyle Wilson. Lake Erie would rally before intermission however with Phil Dupuis scoring his 15th of the season at 16:07. The teams went to intermission tied at one. HERSHEY started strong in the second period, with Andrew Gordon scoring his 19th goal of the year to give the BEARS a 2-1 lead. It would be the last time the visiting team led in the game however, as Lake Erie scored three unanswered to take control. Randy Rowe scored his fifth of the year at 4:00, Mike McLean then picked up his first of the season at 5:33 and Wes O’Neill led off the third period with his first of the campaign at 2:48. Mathieu Perreault pulled the Chocolate and White within a goal at 4-3 when he scored just 22 seconds after O’Neill’s goal, but again the Monsters would answer. Former BEARS forward Matt Hendricks scored on a scramble in front on the power play at 5:55 of the third, and Per Ledin rounded out the scoring Sunday with his seventh of the year at 10:17. The regulation loss, coupled with Bridgeport’s 6-3 win over Hartford Sunday, placed the BEARS and Sound Tigers in a first place tie in the East Division at 86 points apiece. Simeon Varlamov, making his second start in as many days, allowed six goals on 27 shots. Notes: HERSHEY now returns home Wednesday to begin a three-game homestand against the Springfield Falcons. Face-off Wednesday is at 7:00 p.m. The BEARS then will have back-to-back East Division showdowns next weekend at GIANT Center as the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins and Bridgeport Sound Tigers come to call. Face-off Saturday with the Penguins is slated for 7:00 p.m., with the Tigers in Sunday at 5:00 p.m. Tickets for all three games on the homestand are available at the GIANT Center box office, or by calling (717) 534-3911. Bryan Helmer and Grant McNeill were scratched from Sunday’s game, allowing Kip Brennan and Collins to get into the lineup. HERSHEY fired a season low two shots on goal at Bacashihua in the first period. Bears Radio Network Three Stars of the Game 1. Phil Dupris (Scored goal and added assist for Monsters) 2. Randy Rowe (Two points, including a goal) 3. Matt Hendricks (Former BEAR now with seven goals in his last seven games)