March 20, 2010
Fresh off a franchise record setting 52nd win of the season Friday night, the BEARS travel to Syracuse Saturday night to face the Crunch at 7:30 p.m.
The BEARS crushed the Albany River Rats Friday night 8-2 to win the club’s 52nd game of the season. The win set a new franchise mark for the most wins in a single season, eclipsing the 2006-07 team’s total of 51 wins under current Washington Capitals head coach Bruce Boudreau. Keith Aucoin led the team with two goals, and seven different HERSHEY skaters accounted for the eight goals for. Goaltender Braden Holtby, who came on in relief of injured starter Michal Neuvirth to start the second period, won his team leading 21st game of the season.
The Chocolate and White have already clinched a playoff spot and the East Division title, but the BEARS have yet to clinch the overall AHL point title. HERSHEY has a seven-point lead over the current Western Conference leading Hamilton Bulldogs with one game in hand. The club’s magic number to clinch the overall points total stands at 15. Any combination of points taken by HERSHEY or not earned by Hamilton totaling 15 will clinch home ice for the BEARS throughout the 2010 Calder Cup playoffs.
Syracuse starts play Saturday nine points behind Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and Bridgeport for the final East Division playoff spot, with just 11 games remaining. Former BEARS forward Jared Aulin has 16 goals and 37 points for the Crunch. Including Saturday’s game, HERSHEY will play three of its final 12 games at the Onondaga County War Memorial in Syracuse.
Saturday’s game can be heard via the BEARS Radio Network (100.1 FM and www.Sportsjuice.com) beginning at 7:10 p.m. John Walton has the call of the action from central New York.
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