BEARS PLAY REGULAR SEASON HOME FINALE SUNDAY

April 2, 2010

One night after setting a new AHL record for most wins in a single season, the BEARS take on the Norfolk Admirals in the regular season home finale for the Chocolate and White. Face-off is at 6:00 p.m. The BEARS set a new American Hockey League record Saturday by winning the club’s 58th game of the season, a new single season standard. HERSHEY crushed the Syracuse Crunch 6-1 Saturday to best the previous AHL record of 57 wins by the 1992-93 Binghamton Rangers. Alexandre Giroux scored his 45th goal of the season, and Michal Neuvirth earned the win in his return to the lineup. Jay Beagle was named the game’s number one star, recording two goals including the game-winner in the first period. Norfolk trails the Atlantic Division’s Bridgeport Sound Tigers by two points with a game in hand heading into the final week of the regular season. The Tigers currently hold the final East Division playoff spot due to the Atlantic Division crossover, but a win today would pull the Admirals even with three games to go. Norfolk received four players (Vladimir Mihalik, Mark Parrish, Matt Lashoff, Paul Szczechura) from their parent club Saturday, in addition to head coach Jim Johnson. Johnson was named as head coach in January, replacing Darren Rumble, but was recalled to serve as an assistant coach with Tampa Bay in February. He returned Saturday for Norfolk’s game in Binghamton. Should Norfolk make the 2010 Calder Cup playoffs as the fourth seed in the East, they would face HERSHEY at Giant Center on Wednesday, April 14 in Game 1. There are but two other games on this Easter Sunday around the American Hockey League, beginning with the Manitoba Moose playing at Hamilton against the Western Conference leading Bulldogs. Manitoba clinched the fourth and final playoff spot in the North Division on Saturday, and the two teams are likely first round opponents in the Calder Cup playoffs. The Providence Bruins are on the road Sunday, facing the second place Portland Pirates at the Cumberland County Civic Center. A loss for the Bruins would mathematically eliminate Providence, last year’s Atlantic Division playoff champion, from making this year’s postseason. In the East Division, Binghamton clings to playoff life after defeating Norfolk Saturday night. The Senators play four games in five nights starting Wednesday. Sunday’s game can be heard via the BEARS Radio Network (100.1 FM and www.Sportsjuice.com) beginning at 5:40 p.m. John Walton, Ed Coffey and Jim Jones have the call from Giant Center.