March 15, 2009
HERSHEY looks to regain the top spot in the East Division Sunday, taking on the Bridgeport Sound Tigers in a 5:00 p.m. start. The BEARS begin the day one point back of Bridgeport for the East lead.
On Saturday, Graham Mink scored two goals and Grant McNeill picked up his second goal of the season Saturday as the BEARS edged the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins 3-2 at GIANT Center. Goaltender Simeon Varlamov won his 18th game of the season. The win snapped a Wilkes-Barre/Scranton five-game winning streak against the BEARS dating back to October 8. Mark Letestu scored a goal and assisted on another to pace the Penguin offense. The victory gave the BEARS a three point lead over third place Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, and pulled HERSHEY within a point of first place in the tight East Division race.
Bridgeport surged to the top of the East Division by winning eight of its last 10 games. The Sound Tigers have the fewest penalty minutes in the Eastern Conference. Former HERSHEY defenseman Mark Wotton serves at Bridgeport’s captain. Mike Iggulden leads the Sound Tigers in scoring with 23 goals and 58 points.
Around the East Division Sunday, the Norfolk Admirals are in Philadelphia to play the only other game on the schedule involving East Division clubs. Philadelphia, with games in hand on idle Binghamton, trails the Senators by 10 points for the fourth and final playoff spot. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton is off Sunday, but will play the Albany River Rats Monday night in a makeup game.
Sunday’s game can be heard via the BEARS Radio Network (100.1 FM, 1490 AM, Sportsjuice.com, AHLLive.com) beginning with the pregame show at 4:40 p.m. John Walton and Ed Coffey have the call of the action. Tickets are still available for Sunday’s game by calling or visiting the GIANT Center box office at (717) 534-3911.
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