EAST DIVISION CHAMPIONS! BEARS DOWN SENS 5-3

March 17, 2010

For the third time since 2006-07, the BEARS are East Division champions, downing the Binghamton Senators 5-3 Wednesday to claim the title. Sean Collins scored his first goal of the year just 1:45 into the first period, giving the BEARS an early 1-0 lead Wednesday. Kyle Wilson would add his 21st goal of the season at 9:32 to increase the HERSHEY lead to 2-0, but Jonathan Cheechoo would pull Binghamton within one late in the first with his fifth goal of the year at 14:17. The BEARS led 2-1 after one. Wilson would strike again in the second period at 1:58, his second of the game and 22nd of the campaign to make it 3-1 HERSHEY. After an Andrew Joudrey shot eluded Chris Holt midway through the second at 9:59, it looked like the Chocolate and White might run away with the game, but Binghamton would rally. Geoff Kinrade tallied a short-handed goal at 16:28, and Kaspars Daugavins tipped a Craig Schira shot past Braden Holtby at 19:43 to cut the lead to 4-3 after 40 minutes. Neither team would score in the third until Joudrey picked up his second of the game, an empty net goal, in the closing seconds at 18:59. The win was HERSHEY’S 51st of the season against just 13 regulation defeats. Holtby won his 20th game of the season, making 41 saves. BEARS Radio Network Three Stars of the game: 1. Kyle Wilson (Two goals) 2. Braden Holtby (41 saves and the win) 3. Andrew Joudrey (Two goals, including the empty net to clinch) Notes: The BEARS return home to face the Albany River Rats at Giant Center Friday night. Faceoff is at 7:00 p.m. Call the Giant Center box office for the latest information on ticket availability at 717-534-3911. The division title for HERSHEY is the team’s third since 2006-07, and Mark French is the third straight head coach to claim a division championship while behind the Chocolate and White bench. Bruce Boudreau won the 2006-07 division title, and Bob Woods claimed the 2008-09 division title in his only full season as HERSHEY’S head coach. The win for the BEARS Wednesday was the team’s 51st of the season, tying the 2006-07 club for most wins in a single season.