BEARS CRUSH ALBANY 10-4 FRIDAY

January 15, 2010

HERSHEY scored five times in the first period Friday night and never looked back, winning 10-4 over the Albany River Rats Friday night at Times Union Center. The BEARS put the game away early on Friday night in New York, scoring five times in the first period. Keith Aucoin started the crushing of his former team by scoring his 20th of the season at 2:00. Mathieu Perreault then scored in close against Albany goaltender Justin Peters, collecting his fifth of the season at 7:40. Alexandre Giroux then got in on the action with his 15th of the season at 13:22, which was quickly followed by Chris Bourque’s 10th at 13:44. Jay Beagle rounded out the first period onslaught with his seventh of the campaign at 14:52. With two power play goals and three even strength tallies, HERSHEY led 5-0 after one. More offense in the second period from the Chocolate and White came from Boyd Kane. The BEARS picked up Kane’s short-handed lamp-lighter just 1:14 into the middle frame to make the score 6-0. Andrew Gordon then found the back of the net for his 19th of the season at 11:41. A Jerome Samson goal for Albany in the second proved to be the only goal through 40 minutes for the home team as HERSHEY jetted out to a 7-1 lead after two. HERSHEY finished a high-powered offensive night by scoring three times in the third period, giving the BEARS double-digit goals for the first time since October 17, 1992. BEARS Radio Network Three Stars of the game: 1. Alexandre Giroux (Five point game, first by a BEAR this season) 2. Keith Aucoin (First goal, three point night) 3. Chris Bourque (Goal and two assists) Notes: HERSHEY heads home for a pair of games this weekend that will take the American Hockey League’s top club into the All-Star break. The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins visit Saturday at 7:00 p.m., followed by the Syracuse Crunch Sunday at 5:00 p.m. Tickets available at the GIANT Center box office or by calling (717) 534-3911. The BEARS will have 37 regular season games remaining after Sunday’s clash with the Crunch. John Carlson was recalled to Washington Friday afternoon, and the rookie played Friday night against the Toronto Maple Leafs at Verizon Center. Defenseman Bryan Helmer and left wing Chris Bourque, both who missed Wednesday’s game in Norfolk due to injury, rejoined the lineup Friday in New York.