March 27, 2010
BEARS SEND PENGUINS MARCHING 4-2 IN SEASON’S FINAL CONTEST
Aucoin Notches Three Helpers in Win
By Jess Mikula
After surrendering a shorthanded goal in the opening minutes of the game, the BEARS rallied from two separate deficits to earn a 4-2 victory over the visiting Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins Saturday night.
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton struck first with a shorthanded marker, Tim Wallace capitalizing on a turnover in the slot in front of backstop Jason Bacashihua 1:35 into the game. Dustin Jeffrey and Ben Lovejoy added the assists on the 11th shorthanded goal scored against the BEARS this season. Zach Miskovic found the equalizer for HERSHEY, blasting a slap shot from the blue line for his fourth of the season at 14:47. The Chocolate and White were outshot by an 8-5 margin in the opening period but remained in a 1-1 deadlock after one.
The Baby Pens regained the lead early in the second period, as Jesse Boulerice fed Eric Tangradi a pass ahead from the right wall with two BEARS in pursuit at 3:34. Karl Alzner knotted the score at two with his second goal of the year, fielding a pass from Andrew Gordon behind the net at 9:27. Keith Aucoin tallied the secondary helper on the power play goal. Alexandre Giroux gave HERSHEY its first lead of the night, slipping the puck past Wilkes-Barre/Scranton netminder John Curry’s outstretched glove for his 41st of the season at 15:28, assisted by Aucoin and Bryan Helmer. The BEARS carried a 3-2 advantage to the dressing room after 40 minutes of play.
Despite opening the period with 1:31 of penalty kill time, HERSHEY held the Penguins scoreless in the third. Andrew Joudrey rounded out scoring for the BEARS, backhanding the puck past Curry after Steve Pinizzotto’s wraparound try was denied at 8:52. Aucoin added the secondary helper on Joudrey’s 14th of the year.
Bacashihua made 23 saves on 25 shots to earn his 11th consecutive win in net and his 16th of the season. The power play converted just once on six opportunities, and the penalty kill blanked the Baby Pens on each of their seven tries.
Bears Radio Network Three Stars of the Game:
1. Keith Aucoin (three assists)
2. Jason Bacashihua (23 saves on 25 shots)
3. Alexandre Giroux (game-winning goal)
Notes: Saturday marked the second straight sellout and seventh consecutive crowd of more than 10,000 fans at
Giant Center. Mathieu Perreault was recalled by the Washington Capitals on Saturday. HERSHEY wraps up its four-game homestand with a 5:00 p.m. match-up against the Binghamton Senators on Sunday. The game is already sold out, but the live broadcast is available on WQIC 100.1FM or sportsjuice.com.
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