March 26, 2010
BEARS DROWN SHARKS 7-2
Giroux Hat Trick Fuels Offense
By Jess Mikula
HERSHEY scored early and often to down the visiting Worcester Sharks by a 7-2 count before a sellout crowd Friday night. With the win, the Chocolate and White clinched the regular season’s Eastern Conference crown.
The BEARS dominated play in the first period, striking three times less than six minutes into play. Jay Beagle opened scoring at 3:41, tipping a pass from Mathieu Perreault and Chris Bourque past Worcester netminder Alex Stalock for his 13th of the season. Alexandre Giroux added his 38th goal of the year, finishing an odd-man rush by eluding a sprawling Stalock at 4:27. Keith Aucoin and Karl Alzner recorded the helpers. Patrick McNeill rounded out scoring in the first, burying a snap shot from the left point for his eighth tally of the season at 5:55, assisted by Andrew Joudrey and Bryan Helmer. HERSHEY outshot the visiting Worcester Sharks 12-8 and led by a three-goal margin after one.
Aucoin padded the BEARS’ lead, as his slap shot from the left circle was deflected past Stalock by Worcester defenseman Mike Moore at 5:57. Giroux and Bourque found the assists on Aucoin’s 35th of the year. The Sharks found the score sheet late in the second, Jason Demers collecting a turnover in the HERSHEY zone and putting the puck past backstop Braden Holtby at 19:17. The BEARS maintained a 4-1 advantage through 40 minutes.
Giroux added his second of the night just 17 seconds into the third period, beating Moore in a one-on-one break to notch the unassisted goal. He then completed the hat trick, fed by Aucoin and Boyd Kane at 7:10. Worcester answered with a late strike, as John McCarthy intercepted an errant pass in the HERSHEY zone and potted it at 18:21. Kyle Wilson added insult to injury with his 24th of the season, as he waited at the goal mouth to finish a pass from Steve Pinizzotto and Francois Bouchard at 19:38.
Holtby earned his 22nd win of the season in net, turning aside 25 of 27 shots. The BEARS power play did not convert on any of its five power play opportunities, and the penalty kill blanked Worcester on each of its three chances.
Bears Radio Network Three Stars of the Game:
1. Alexandre Giroux (three goals, one assist)
2. Keith Aucoin (one goal, two assists)
3. Patrick McNeill (goal in return from injury)
Notes: HERSHEY further bolstered its playoff roster with the addition of Simon Ferguson from the ECHL’s Utah Grizzlies. John Carlson scored his first NHL goal in Washington’s shootout loss to the Carolina Hurricanes last night. The BEARS will play host to the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins Saturday night with a 7:00 p.m. start before the Binghamton Senators come to call for a 5:00 p.m. match-up on Sunday. Both games are already sold out, but the live broadcasts are available on WQIC 100.1FM or sportsjuice.com 20 minutes prior to puck drop.
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