January 29, 2010
The BEARS return to
Giant Center Saturday and put the team’s record setting 14-game win streak on the line against the Albany River Rats. Face-off is slated for 7:00 p.m.
HERSHEY rallied from an early first period deficit, took a commanding lead and then hung on Friday to defeat Wilkes-Barre/Scranton 8-6 at Mohegan Sun Arena in Wilkes-Barre Township. Alexandre Giroux scored twice as did Boyd Kane, and Keith Aucoin spread around four assists in a true offensive show. Mark Letestu scored three goals against the Chocolate and White to keep it close, and even assisted on a goal late in the third to pull the Penguins within a goal at 7-6. But Kane’s second of the night came short-handed in the closing moments, leading the BEARS to victory. Braden Holtby, in a game not fit for goaltenders, earned his 15th win of the season. Penguins goaltender John Curry gave up seven goals on 20 shots before being pulled midway through the second period.
The BEARS and their supercharged offense have scored eight goals each of the last three games dating back to last Friday’s 8-3 win over Manitoba. In all over the last six games, the Chocolate and White have scored 45 goals, an average of 7.5 goals per game. HERSHEY has won six straight games, and 18 of its last 19 heading into Saturday’s tilt with Albany.
Goaltender Michal Neuvirth won his second game in three days, as Washington downed the Florida Panthers 4-1 Friday night at Verizon Center. Nicklas Backstrom scored a first period power play goal, Mike Knuble added two even strength goals, and former BEARS defenseman Jeff Schultz scored his second goal of the season. The win for Washington was the club’s ninth in a row, the longest winning streak by the team this season. The Red, White and Blue are back in action Sunday at home against the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Albany is firmly entrenched in second place in the East Division, well behind the front-running BEARS, but ahead by a fair margin over the rest of the pack. Jacob Micfliker is Albany’s leading scorer against HERSHEY this season, with four assists. Goaltender Justin Peters is 2-1-0 this season against HERSHEY, with a 3.34 goals against average. Peters allowed nine goals in his last start against the BEARS on January 15, but got a no decision.
12 other games dot the AHL schedule on this final Saturday of January, including Rochester at Toronto, Norfolk at Adirondack, Rockford at Grand Rapids and Manchester plays at Hartford against the Wolf Pack. Elsewhere, it’s Bridgeport on the road at Portland, Manitoba heads to Wilkes-Barre Township to take on the Penguins at Mohegan Sun Arena, San Antonio is at Lake Erie Saturday, while Providence travels to Springfield to face the Falcons, Binghamton stays in the East Division in Syracuse, Hamilton is in Chicago to play the Wolves in Rosemont, Houston is at Peoria and Abbotsford is in Texas to play the Stars.
Saturday’s game can be heard via the BEARS Radio Network (100.1 FM and www.Sportsjuice.com) beginning at 6:40 p.m. John Walton, Ed Coffey and Jim Jones has the call of the action from northeast PA.
vs
