BEARS ASSIGN PATRICK WELLAR TO READING ROYALS

October 23, 2012

HERSHEY, Pa. – The HERSHEY BEARS announced today that the club has assigned defenseman Patrick Wellar to the Reading Royals (ECHL).  The announcement was made by BEARS President/GM Doug Yingst.

Wellar, 28, made his season debut on Saturday against the Rochester Americans, going scoreless.  He has accumulated 40 points (six goals, 34 assists), 407 penalty minutes and a cumulative plus-19 rating over parts of five seasons in Chocolatetown, and is four games shy of playing 200 in a HERSHEY sweater.

The 6-3, 230-pound native of Carrot River, SK won his first Calder Cup championship as a member of the record-setting 2009-2010 BEARS squad that won 60 games in the regular season.  In the following year, Wellar went on to set career highs in goals, assists, and points.

Wellar has appeared in a total of 242 AHL games with HERSHEY, Toronto, Peoria and Worcester, totaling 45 points (seven goals, 38 assists), 431 penalty minutes and a cumulative plus-17 rating.

Prior to turning pro, Wellar appeared in 247 games with the WHL’s Portland Winter Hawks and Calgary Hitmen, posting 58 points (16 goals, 42 assists), 441 penalty minutes and a plus-31 rating.

Wellar was originally selected by the Washington Capitals in the third round (77th overall) of the 2002 NHL Entry Draft.

The BEARS are on the road for a game against the Connecticut Whale on Friday, October 26, with faceoff set for 7:00 PM from Hartford’s XL Center.  The club returns home on Saturday, October 27 for a 7:00 PM faceoff against the Albany Devils.  Individual tickets for this game and all HERSHEY BEARS home games are currently on sale at the GIANT Center box office, by calling (717) 508-BEAR, or online at TicketMaster.com.