BEARS DROWN RATS WITH 8 GOALS

January 30, 2010

BEARS DROWN RATS WITH 8 GOALS Hershey Wins Seventh Straight By Jess Mikula HERSHEY scored eight goals for the fourth consecutive game Saturday night, defeating the Albany River Rats by an 8-3 margin en route to the club’s 15th straight home victory and seventh straight overall. Keith Aucoin put the BEARS on the board. Just after goaltender Jason Bacashihua denied Albany with the toe of his skate, Patrick McNeill cleared the puck from the crease to Andrew Gordon, who dished a pass ahead and onto the stick of Aucoin. In one-on-none fashion, Aucoin beat Albany netminder Justin Peters to net his 26th goal of the season at 5:39. Aucoin struck again on a late man advantage. Alexandre Giroux and Chris Bourque fed Aucoin, who launched a one timer from the left circle at 18:35. Boyd Kane set up Steve Pinizzotto, who fired a shot at Peters in the closing seconds of the first period. As Peters fumbled the puck, Kyle Wilson potted the rebound for his 18th of the year at 19:45. HERSHEY carried a three-goal lead after 20 minutes. Gordon found the board early in the second period, swatting a rebound past Peters from the left post at 3:15. Karl Alzner and Giroux tallied the assists on Gordon’s 22nd of the season. Mathieu Perreault fed Bourque for a wrister that would effectively chase Peters from the game at 4:39, Bourque’s 14th goal of the year. Mike Morrison came into the game in relief of Peters, marking the second straight contest in which the Chocolate and White drove him from the game. Bacashihua lost control of a rebound in front of the crease, allowing a Rats power play goal to former BEAR Jonathan Paiement at 13:44. As Albany’s Jerome Samson broke from the penalty box, McNeill intercepted a pass at center ice to break up an odd-man rush late in the period. HERSHEY maintained a 5-1 advantage through two. Giroux opened the third period with a 4-on-3 power play marker at 2:43, a rocket of a slap shot, assisted by Bourque and Aucoin, for his 23rd of the season. Albany capitalized on a turnover behind the BEARS’ net, as Steven Goertzen potted a power play goal from Nick Dodge and Casey Borer at 6:16. The Rats struck again at 9:21, when Nicolas Blanchard found the back of the net amidst mass confusion in front of Bacashihua. Borer and Paiement tallied the helpers. Giroux found his second goal of the night, also coming on the power play, with a marker from Gordon and Bourque at 16:58. Francois Bouchard closed out scoring with a wrister at 18:55, his 11th of the season. Bourque and Perreault notched the assists. Bacashihua earned his ninth win in net this season, turning aside 28 of 31 shots. The BEARS power play was 3-for-8, while the penalty kill was 2-for-4. Bears Radio Network Three Stars of the Game: 1. Alexandre Giroux (two goals, two assists) 2. Keith Aucoin (two goals, one assist) 3. Chris Bourque (one goal, four assists) Notes: Aucoin and Giroux each now show points in 15 straight games, combining for 65 points in that frame. Bourque extended his points streak to eight games Saturday night. The BEARS will close out the month of January against the Binghamton Senators Sunday night with a 5:00 p.m. faceoff before traveling to Norfolk for a 7:30 p.m. tilt against the Admirals on Wednesday night. Tickets are available for Sunday’s game at the Giant Center box office or by calling (717) 534-3911.