AUCOIN, BOURQUE JOIN CAPTAIN KANE AS 2012 AHL ALL-STARS

January 4, 2012

HERSHEY, Pa. – The HERSHEY BEARS, in conjunction with the American Hockey League, announced today that forwards Keith Aucoin and Chris Bourque will join captain Boyd Kane as the club’s representatives at the 2012 AHL All-Star Classic, to be played January 29-30 at Atlantic City’s Boardwalk Hall. The announcement was made by BEARS President/GM Doug Yingst.

Aucoin, 33, currently leads the American Hockey League in scoring, posting 53 points in 33 games played. He is also at the top of the AHL in assists (45), power-play assists (23) and power-play points (27). He is tied for the lead in shorthanded assists (3), shorthanded points (4) and shootout-winning goals (2).

The 5-9, 187-lb. native of Waltham, Massachusetts has accumulated a total of 760 points in 663 career AHL games with Lowell, Providence, Cincinnati, Albany, and HERSHEY. He ranks seventh all-time in AHL assists (540) and 17th in all-time AHL scoring. Aucoin is also the highest-scoring United States-born player in league history. He ranks 12th on HERSHEY’s all-time assist leader board (241).

Aucoin has also chipped in eight goals and 18 assists in 75 National Hockey League games with the Carolina Hurricanes and Washington Capitals.

Aucoin will appear in his sixth AHL All-Star Classic, which will tie an American Hockey League record. He served as team captain of the PlanetUSA squad in 2008.

Bourque, 25, is right behind his linemate in the AHL scoring race with 48 points in 33 games. He is tied for the AHL lead in shorthanded goals (3) and points (4), ranks second in the league in assists (30), power-play goals, assists and points (9-16-25), and third in goals (18).

The 5-8, 180-lb. native of Boston, Massachusetts entered the 2011-12 season as the 21st player in BEARS history to reach 300 career points. Now sitting at 348 career points in HERSHEY (122 goals, 226 assists), Bourque ranks 16th in BEARS all-time scoring.

Bourque, the son of Hockey Hall of Fame defenseman Ray Bourque, earns his second All-Star Classic berth after also being selected in 2009. He was originally selected 33rd overall by the Washington Capitals in the 2004 NHL Entry Draft.

The two players will join Kane, who will make his first All-Star appearance as captain of the 2012 Eastern Conference All-Star Team. Kane was named playing captain on December 16.

From Jan. 5-23, fans will have the opportunity to vote for the starting lineups for the 2012 AHL All-Star Game by visiting theahl.com or facebook.com/theahl and completing the official Reebok AHL All-Star Fan Ballot. Voters will also be entered to win a grand prize of a team-signed authentic 2012 AHL All-Star jersey, and five more winners will each receive a pair of tickets to the 2012 AHL All-Star Skills Competition and All-Star Game, courtesy of Insurance Office of America.

Tickets for the 2012 AHL All-Star Classic – which include admission to both the 2012 AHL All-Star Skills Competition at 3 p.m. on Sunday, January 29, and the 2012 AHL All-Star Game at 7 p.m. on Monday, January 30 – are on sale now at the Boardwalk Hall box office, all Ticketmaster locations, by calling (800) 736-1420 or at www.ticketmaster.com. Tickets are also available for the Post-Skills Party (January 29, 5:30 p.m.) and the 2012 AHL Hall of Fame Induction & Awards Ceremony (January 30, 11 a.m.) at Caesars Atlantic City.

The 2012 AHL All-Star Classic will feature the top young talent in the American Hockey League competing in an internationally televised showcase from historic Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City. Of the 562 players to take part in the AHL All-Star Classic since 1995, more than 93 percent have competed in the National Hockey League, including Patrice Bergeron, Dan Boyle, Daniel Briere, Ryan Callahan, Brian Campbell, Zdeno Chara, Jimmy Howard, Miikka Kiprusoff, Ryan Miller, Zach Parise, Pekka Rinne, Bobby Ryan, Martin St. Louis, Jason Spezza, Eric Staal, P.K. Subban and Tomas Vokoun.

The 2012 AHL All-Star Classic is presented by the Atlantic City Convention & Visitors Authority, Caesars Entertainment, the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority and the American Hockey League. For destination information about Atlantic City, please visit www.atlanticcitynj.com.