BEARS WELCOME ADIRONDACK TO TOWN SUNDAY

March 21, 2010

Looking to wrap up a perfect week and move within four wins of a new AHL record for most wins in a single season, the BEARS are at home Sunday to face the Adirondack Phantoms at 5:00 p.m. Andrew Gordon scored two goals to pace the HERSHEY offense Saturday, as the BEARS defeated the Syracuse Crunch 6-2 at the Onondaga County War Memorial at OnCenter. Goaltender Jason Bacashihua, who had not played since February 24, earned his 15th win of the season Saturday. Ashton Rome, signed by the BEARS on Friday, scored his second goal in as many games in a HERSHEY sweater Saturday night. Jay Beagle also picked up his 12th goal of the season in Syracuse. The BEARS will head back to central New York a week from Wednesday to play the Crunch on March 31. The win Saturday was HERSHEY’S 53rd of the season, extending a franchise record. Adirondack finds itself 11 points out of a playoff spot heading into Sunday’s action with just 10 regular season games remaining. The Phantoms also have to climb over potentially four teams (Binghamton, Syracuse, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and a potential Atlantic Division crossover in Bridgeport) in the last three weeks of the season. The Phantoms have home games left with Albany (two), Binghamton (two), and Syracuse. Adirondack still has to play road games at Manchester, Hartford, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, and Albany after Sunday. The Phantoms were a first round exit last season, the club’s final season in Philadelphia, losing to the BEARS in four straight in the 2009 East Division Finals. It’s a busy Sunday around the American Hockey League on Sunday, with ten other games on the slate. Abbotsford is in Toronto to play the Marlies at Ricoh Coliseum, as Binghamton travels to Albany to square off with the River Rats. Springfield is at Bridgeport, while Providence travels to Bridgeport to play the Sound Tigers at the Arena at Harbor Yard. Grand Rapids wraps up a two-game set in Winnipeg Sunday against the Manitoba Moose at MTS Centre, San Antonio is in Rosemont Sunday to play the Chicago Wolves and Worcester is at Lowell to take on the Devils. Texas plays at Peoria Sunday, Portland plays a home game in Lewiston, Maine against Manchester, and the Milwaukee Admirals are in downtown Houston to play the Aeros at Toyota Center. Sunday’s game can be heard via the BEARS Radio Network (100.1 FM and www.Sportsjuice.com) beginning at 4:40 p.m. John Walton, Ed Coffey and Jim Jones have the call from Giant Center.