February 12, 2010
Winners of 11 in a row and 23 of 24, the BEARS bring their road show to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Saturday, taking on the Penguins at Mohegan Sun Arena. Face-off is at 7:05 p.m.
HERSHEY picked up its 11th straight win Friday night, defeating the Albany River Rats 5-2 at Times Union Center. The BEARS bolted out to a 3-0 lead behind goals from Alexandre Giroux, Andrew Gordon and Francois Bouchard before the Rats mounted a third period comeback. Gordon struck for his second of the game late in the third to make the score 4-2, and Patrick McNeill rounded out the scoring with an empty-net goal in the game’s final minute. Jason Bacashihua collected the win in goal, making 35 saves. The victory gave the BEARS a 22- point lead in the East Division standings over second place Albany, the largest lead that the Chocolate and White have enjoyed this season.
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton enters play Saturday after defeating Binghamton 3-2 in a shootout Friday night 3-2. The Penguins begin play Saturday in fifth place in the East, tied with the Syracuse Crunch with 50 points apiece, and 32 points back of HERSHEY in the division race.
Saturday’s game is the ninth meeting of the season between the two clubs, with HERSHEY winning seven of the previous eight. The BEARS have won six straight games over the Penguins since Wilkes-Barre claimed a 6-4 win back on October 23. Keith Aucoin is HERSHEY’S leading scorer this season against the Penguins, with two goals and ten assists for 12 points. Mark Letestu, currently on recall to Pittsburgh, is the leading scorer for the baby Pens this season against HERSHEY, with six goals and eight points.
Saturday’s game can be heard via the BEARS Radio Network (100.1 FM and www.Sportsjuice.com) beginning at 6:45 p.m. John Walton has the call of the action from northeast PA.
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