posted by Hershey Bears Press Releases on Jan 28
Posted by Hershey Bears Press Releases
Holtby plays outstanding in goal with 44 saves in loss
posted by Hershey Bears Press Releases on Jan 28
Posted by Hershey Bears Press Releases
Holtby plays outstanding in goal with 44 saves in loss
posted by Hershey Bears on Jan 27
Posted by Hershey Bears
The victory allowed Norfolk to pull into a tie with Hershey in the Eastern Conference standings.
NORFOLK, Va. — The Hershey Bears have company in the East Division of the AHL.
Norfolk sent Hershey to its fourth straight loss Friday night, 2-1 at Norfolk Scope arena to pull into a second-place tie with the Bears in the East.
Now tied with 55 points each, the teams will do battle tonight back at Scope in the final game before the AHL All-Star break in Atlantic City, N.J.
Pierre-Cedric Labrie snapped a 1-all third-period tie by converting a rebound off an odd-man rush with 9:56 to play for the deciding goal. Labrie beat Braden Holtby, who was under siege all night. The Bears’ netminder was sharp, making 44 stops on 46 shots, but had no chance on Labrie’s game-winner.
Hershey continued its league-leading march to the penalty box Friday, committing nine infractions. The Bears killed off all nine, a remarkable stat, but spent much of the night behind the eight-ball. Hershey’s 18 penalty minutes give the club an AHL-high 996 PIMs for the season in just 43 games. Norfolk is second — the only two clubs with 900-plus PIMs.
A high-scoring season series (the teams averaged 8.83 goals per game combined in six prior meetings) took a severe downward turn in the first game of this back-to-back. Carter Ashton potted the first goal midway through the second period by prying the puck loose from underneath Holtby.
It stayed that way until Jacob Micflikier tied it for the Bears with 13:30 play by cashing in off a Norfolk turnover deep in the Admirals’ defensive zone, beating goalie Dustin Tokarski.
NOTES
-Micflikier’s goal extended his points-game streak to seven.
-The teams were a combined 0-for-15 on the power play.
-Former Washington Capitals goalie Olaf Kolzig was Hershey play-by-play man Scott Stuccio’s color man in the booth at Scope. Kolzig dropped the ceremonial first puck before the game.
-The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins beat Connecticut 3-2 in overtime to stretch their East Division lead to three points over the Bears and Admirals.
-Tonight’s rematch at Scope is a 7:15 start, 15 minutes earlier than Friday’s faceoff.
posted by Hershey Bears Press Releases on Jan 27
Posted by Hershey Bears Press Releases
Key back-to-back division battle begins tonight in Hampton Roads
posted by Hershey Bears on Jan 26
Posted by Hershey Bears
Before the AHL All-Star Classic arrives, the Hershey Bears and Norfolk Admirals will stage their own all-star games this weekend. The two clubs, which both boast three all-stars, will collide in high-stakes East Division games scheduled for Friday night and Saturday night at Norfolk Scope. With the NHL also heading into its all-star break, the Bears and Admirals got roster…
Before the AHL All-Star Classic arrives, the Hershey Bears and Norfolk Admirals will stage their own all-star games this weekend.
The two clubs, which both boast three all-stars, will collide in high-stakes East Division games scheduled for Friday night and Saturday night at Norfolk Scope.
With the NHL also heading into its all-star break, the Bears and Admirals got roster lifts this week. The Washington Capitals reassigned Cody Eakin and Tomas Kundratek to Hershey, and the Tampa Bay Lightning reassigned Trevor Smith, Pierre-Cedric Labrie, Mike Angelidis and Evan Oberg to Norfolk.
“When you looked at the schedule at the first of the year and you saw the two games with them, you probably knew it was going to be a big two games,” Bears head coach Mark French said Thursday. “But I don’t think we anticipated the all-star break and what the effect of the NHL schedules with their break would have. They got four players back and we got two, so both lineups are loaded.”
Hershey’s Keith Aucoin (starter), Chris Bourque and Boyd Kane (playing captain) are AHL all-stars. So are Smith and Norfolk teammates Mark Barberio (starter) and Cory Conacher (starter).
Thus, the six will be Eastern Conference teammates at the AHL All-Star Classic on Sunday (skills competition) and Monday (all-star game) in Atlantic City, N.J.
“It’s going to be nice to be playing with guys that you kind of go against every weekend and every game,” Bourque said. “It will be nice to get to know those guys and see what kind of guys you’ve been playing against all year.”
Aucoin and Bourque previously have played in the AHL All-Star Classic, but those were under the Canada-PlanetUSA format. This will be their first experience with the Eastern Conference-Western Conference format, which was implemented in last season’s AHL All-Star Classic at Giant Center.
“I don’t think it changes much,” Aucoin said. “You still have a good time and still get to know the guys you play against all year.”
January has been a neat month for the 31-year-old Kane. After playing in the Outdoor Classic in Philadelphia, where he once played for the Philadelphia Phantoms, he now will get to play in the AHL All-Star Classic.
“The outdoor game was once-in-a-lifetime, probably, for most guys,” Kane said. “It was pretty special for me being in Philly, where I’d spent a lot of time.
“I’m really looking forward to this week, too, first time going into an all-star game. It’s going to be lots of fun, and it’s going to be even better to be able to go with Bourque and Coiner there, too.”
Kane joked that he has tried to avoid thinking about the skills competition.
“We put in a list, a number list, of what we wanted to do,” he said. “I’m up for anything. I probably won’t be in fastest skater or hardest shot. But other than that, whatever.”
Kane, Aucoin and Bourque have continued to work together on Hershey’s first line this week. Perhaps they’ll also get to play as a line at some point in the all-star game.
“That would be pretty cool if we did,” Kane said.
“You can’t play with two players that are much better in this league, so for me it’s pretty awesome. Hopefully, we put a good weekend together before the break here.”
NOTEBOOK
Bourque and his wife, Kim, are due to have their first child, a boy, in May. “We’re really excited about that,” Bourque said, “expanding the family a little bit.”
After Saturday night’s game, the Bears will be off for the all-star break until returning to practice next Thursday at 3 p.m., French said.
Hershey has gone 4-1-1-0 against Norfolk. The teams have averaged a combined 8.83 goals per game in their six previous meetings.
posted by Hershey Bears Press Releases on Jan 26
Posted by Hershey Bears Press Releases
Will be available for Rays' three games in three nights this weekend
posted by Hershey Bears on Jan 26
Posted by Hershey Bears
With Giant Center and Hersheypark Arena unavailable, the Hershey Bears practiced at Milton Hershey School's outdoor rink on Thursday. And they posed for a team photo after the workout. "It’s nice for us to be able to come use this facility when Hersheypark Arena and Giant Center are busy like they are today," Bears head coach Mark French said. "Even…
With Giant Center and Hersheypark Arena unavailable, the Hershey Bears practiced at Milton Hershey School’s outdoor rink on Thursday. And they posed for a team photo after the workout.
“It’s nice for us to be able to come use this facility when Hersheypark Arena and Giant Center are busy like they are today,” Bears head coach Mark French said. “Even sometimes when we’re on the road and we’ve had some extra players behind, we’ve had them come over here. So it was a team picture with some of their upper management just to, I guess, basically say thanks for what they allow us to do.”
With the AHL all-star break looming, Phil Oreskovic and Matt Pope were reassigned to South Carolina (ECHL). But the plan is for them to return after the break.
French said Patrick Wellar (ankle) has been officially cleared to return to the lineup and was scheduled to make the trip for games Friday and Saturday at Norfolk. He practiced as the seventh defenseman.
French said Braden Holtby is scheduled to start in goal Friday.
In the wake of reports that the Bears will play the Norfolk Admirals next season at Washington’s Verizon Center, with Dec. 6 a potential date, Bears President-GM Doug Yingst said it is a possibility but such a game would still have to be approved through the AHL scheduling procedure.
“Yeah, our plans are to be playing Hershey Bears versus Norfolk at Verizon Center,” Yingst said. “And it would be a Norfolk home game.”
The possibility of such a game is a positive sign that the Hershey-Washington affiliation will be extended through 2012-13.
“We’re still in negotiations to increase the affiliation,” Yingst said. “This is part of it. We’d love to play a game at Verizon Center. We certainly don’t want to lose a home game at Giant Center, so Norfolk decided they would be the home team.”
During Hershey’s practice, Cody Eakin played center on a line with Ryan Potulny, who moved to left wing.
“For right now,” French said. “We’ll probably adjust it a little bit on the fly, but that’s how we’ll start.”
Here is a link to Thursday’s Japers’ Rink Caps clips.
posted by Hershey Bears Press Releases on Jan 25
Posted by Hershey Bears Press Releases
AHL's leading scorer will take first shift in Atlantic City next weekend
posted by Hershey Bears on Jan 25
Posted by Hershey Bears
Hershey Bears centerman Keith Aucoin was selected in fan voting as an Eastern Conference starter for the AHL all-star game, the league announced Wednesday. The all-star game is scheduled for Monday in Atlantic City, N.J. The skills competition is scheduled for Sunday.
Hershey Bears centerman Keith Aucoin was selected in fan voting as an Eastern Conference starter for the AHL all-star game, the league announced Wednesday.
The all-star game is scheduled for Monday in Atlantic City, N.J. The skills competition is scheduled for Sunday.
posted by GM on Jan 25
Posted by Hershey Bears Hockey
Ok, let’s start with some information that you already know…the Bears have a good power play. League leading. Converting on 30.2% of their chances. That is over 8% better than the team in 2nd (Texas at 22.1%).
Graham Mink has 11 power play goals this season. Tied for 1st in the league.
But you probably knew that too.
The Bears have scored 2 or more power play goals in 17 games this year. They are 13-0-2-2 in those games.
Big deal, obviously if you score 2 or more goals with the extra man you are more likely to win.
Fair argument.
Mink has been in the lineup for 14 of those 17 games.
Ok, that is something new and somewhat interesting, but Keith Aucoin, Chris Bourque, Christian Hanson, and Jacob Micflikier have been in the lineup for at least that many as well. So what?
Mr. Mink has only played in 28 games this season. In half of those games the Bears have scored 2+ power play goals.
And remember, the Bears win 76.5% of their games and earn 88.2% of possible points when they score 2+ power play goals.
Translation…the Bears are more likely to score power play goals…and in turn win, when Graham Mink plays.
Graham has only played in 33% of the games this calendar year. The Bears have only converted on 23.8% of their power plays this calendar year.
Ok, so maybe you still aren’t convinced. Let me say that this isn’t the Richmond Effect (although even that took a big hit this past weekend…he was in the lineup for all 3 games), the Bears are not automatically a better team just because Minker is in the lineup.
Now, which player was missing on Saturday and Sunday? Yes, that would be one Graham Mink.
Did you know that…
In games where Graham Mink does NOT play the Bears have scored 15 power play goals….in 14 games. And they are still converting on 24.2% of their chances. Which would still be good enough for 1st overall in the league, but a full 6% less than their current numbers.
33.1%. That is the Bears success rate on the power play WITH Mr. Mink in the lineup. That is almost 9% higher than when he is not in the lineup.
The Bears power play, and in turn the Bears as a team, are more potent with Graham in the lineup.
Anyone who witnessed the debacle that was the Bears power play this past weekend knows what I am talking about. (Ok, it wasn’t that bad, but it didn’t seem to be clicking…almost like something, or someone, was missing.)
To recap today’s lesson:
Graham Mink = More Power Play Goals = More Hershey Bears Wins = Happiness For All
posted by GM on Jan 25
Posted by Hershey Bears Hockey
Ok, let’s start with some information that you already know…the Bears have a good power play. League leading. Converting on 30.2% of their chances. That is over 8% better than the team in 2nd (Texas at 22.1%).
Graham Mink has 11 power play goals this season. Tied for 1st in the league.
But you probably knew that too.
The Bears have scored 2 or more power play goals in 17 games this year. They are 13-0-2-2 in those games.
Big deal, obviously if you score 2 or more goals with the extra man you are more likely to win.
Fair argument.
Mink has been in the lineup for 14 of those 17 games.
Ok, that is something new and somewhat interesting, but Keith Aucoin, Chris Bourque, Christian Hanson, and Jacob Micflikier have been in the lineup for at least that many as well. So what?
Mr. Mink has only played in 28 games this season. In half of those games the Bears have scored 2+ power play goals.
And remember, the Bears win 76.5% of their games and earn 88.2% of possible points when they score 2+ power play goals.
Translation…the Bears are more likely to score power play goals…and in turn win, when Graham Mink plays.
Graham has only played in 33% of the games this calendar year. The Bears have only converted on 23.8% of their power plays this calendar year.
Ok, so maybe you still aren’t convinced. Let me say that this isn’t the Richmond Effect (although even that took a big hit this past weekend…he was in the lineup for all 3 games), the Bears are not automatically a better team just because Minker is in the lineup.
Now, which player was missing on Saturday and Sunday? Yes, that would be one Graham Mink.
Did you know that…
In games where Graham Mink does NOT play the Bears have scored 15 power play goals….in 14 games. And they are still converting on 24.2% of their chances. Which would still be good enough for 1st overall in the league, but a full 6% less than their current numbers.
33.1%. That is the Bears success rate on the power play WITH Mr. Mink in the lineup. That is almost 9% higher than when he is not in the lineup.
The Bears power play, and in turn the Bears as a team, are more potent with Graham in the lineup.
Anyone who witnessed the debacle that was the Bears power play this past weekend knows what I am talking about. (Ok, it wasn’t that bad, but it didn’t seem to be clicking…almost like something, or someone, was missing.)
To recap today’s lesson:
Graham Mink = More Power Play Goals = More Hershey Bears Wins = Happiness For All
posted by Hershey Bears Press Releases on Jan 25
Posted by Hershey Bears Press Releases
Rookie returns following goal in Washington's 5-3 win over Boston
posted by Hershey Bears on Jan 25
Posted by Hershey Bears
Forward Cody Eakin was reassigned to the Hershey Bears Wednesday by the Washington Capitals, the Bears announced. The Caps don't play again until Jan. 31 after the NHL all-star break.
Forward Cody Eakin was reassigned to the Hershey Bears Wednesday by the Washington Capitals, the Bears announced.
The Caps don’t play again until Jan. 31 after the NHL all-star break.
posted by Hershey Bears Press Releases on Jan 25
Posted by Hershey Bears Press Releases
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posted by Hershey Bears on Jan 24
Posted by Hershey Bears
Defenseman Tomas Kundratek’s first career NHL recall definitely was a thrill. It was amplified by the fact that he joined fellow Czech Republic countrymen Michal Neuvirth, Tomas Vokoun and Roman Hamrlik, a veteran NHL defenseman, on the Washington Capitals. “They talked to me in Czech,” Kundratek said. “I had a lot of fun with them. They talked to me before…
Defenseman Tomas Kundratek’s first career NHL recall definitely was a thrill.
It was amplified by the fact that he joined fellow Czech Republic countrymen Michal Neuvirth, Tomas Vokoun and Roman Hamrlik, a veteran NHL defenseman, on the Washington Capitals.
“They talked to me in Czech,” Kundratek said. “I had a lot of fun with them. They talked to me before a game, what should I do, what should I expect and helped me with what I have to do.
“I heard the name [Hamrlik] a lot of times when I was young. Yeah, he was kind of like a role model for me.”
Kundratek, reassigned by Washington on Monday, was back practicing with the Hershey Bears on Tuesday at Giant Center. The 21-year-old played five games for the Caps.
“It was unreal,” Kundratek said. “That’s a dream. I wanted to play in the big leagues. I enjoyed every day there.
“I worked hard. They sent me down and I will keep going hard to work for another call-up.”
Playing in the NHL this season is not something Kundratek realistically could have imagined three months ago.
The 6-2, 192-pounder was a frequent healthy scratch with the Connecticut Whale before he was acquired in a Nov. 8, 2011, trade for Francois Bouchard.
“If you think about where he’s been at and what he’s gone through this year,” Bears assistant coach Troy Mann said, “it’s an unbelievable transformation.”
When Kundratek first arrived in Hershey, there was a question about whether he might ultimately get assigned to South Carolina (ECHL).
“I think there was a lot of unknown around him,” Bears head coach Mark French said.
“We’ve been very happy with where he was when he was here. In the short voice mail I got from Washington was that they were happy with what they got up there. I think it’s been a pleasant surprise for everybody.”
After the trade, Kundratek responded to positive reinforcement that helped his confidence, Mann said. He produced six goals and two assists in his first 21 games with the Bears.
Following trades or call-ups, players, invigorated by new surroundings and looking to impress their new team, tend to have a strong performance burst.
“You never judge them before that eight- to 10-game mark,” Mann said. “I feel that once you get to that eight- to 10-game mark, you truly find out what you get in a player.
“In his case, initially in practice, I thought he looked nervous and his first game was OK. I thought, unlike most guys you acquire, where they taper off at that eight- to 10-game mark and then you truly see, ‘OK, this is what we’ve got,’ I just found from game to game he just kept getting better and better. That’s what’s really impressed me about him.”
There will be an adjustment period in returning to the AHL for Kundratek. His ice time should roughly double and he will carry increased responsibilities.
“When he left here, I thought he had shown tremendous improvement from the defensive side of things,” Mann said.
“I don’t think complacency will set in with him.”
Kundratek, a 2008 third-round draft pick (90th overall) by the New York Rangers, said he knows he has a lot to work on to get back to the NHL.
“I find out I have to get way more stronger,” he said, “and way more physical and a little bit quicker.”
NOTEBOOK
Former Bears goalie Daren Machesney, now playing for South Carolina, was named ECHL goaltender of the week.
posted by Hershey Bears on Jan 24
Posted by Hershey Bears
Hershey Bears defenseman Patrick Wellar (ankle) participated fully in practice Tuesday at Giant Center but hasn't officially been cleared to return to the lineup. "He took a step forward today," Bears head coach Mark French said. "Hopefully, he can continue to take steps going into the weekend.” After the formal part of practice ended, assistant coach Troy Mann had 1-on-1,…
Hershey Bears defenseman Patrick Wellar (ankle) participated fully in practice Tuesday at Giant Center but hasn’t officially been cleared to return to the lineup.
“He took a step forward today,” Bears head coach Mark French said. “Hopefully, he can continue to take steps going into the weekend.”
After the formal part of practice ended, assistant coach Troy Mann had 1-on-1, on-ice chats with a number of the defensemen about the upcoming weekend before the all-star break.
“I was basically taking the D on an individual basis,” Mann said, “and trying to get each guy for a couple minutes either today or tomorrow.”
Defenseman Tomas Kundratek, reassigned by the Washington Capitals on Monday, practiced and paired with Julien Brouillette.
Here is a link to Tuesday’s Japers’ Rink Caps clips.
Lines:
Kane-Aucoin-Bourque
Micflikier/Pope-Pope/Potulny-Ford/Micflikier
Greentree-Hanson-Mink
Mitchell/King-Carroll-Rechlicz/Mitchell
D-pairs:
McNeill-Collins
Richmond-Miskovic
Brouillette-Kundratek
Wellar-Oreskovic
posted by Hershey Bears on Jan 23
Posted by Hershey Bears
Defenseman Paul Baier was recalled from South Carolina (ECHL) Monday by the Hershey Bears and then released to play in Italy, the club announced. Baier, 26, played two games for the Bears this season. He recorded two goals and six assists in 39 games with South Carolina. The Charleston Post and Courier reported that Baier departed for a bid to…
Defenseman Paul Baier was recalled from South Carolina (ECHL) Monday by the Hershey Bears and then released to play in Italy, the club announced.
Baier, 26, played two games for the Bears this season. He recorded two goals and six assists in 39 games with South Carolina.
The Charleston Post and Courier reported that Baier departed for a bid to make Italy’s national team and hopes to play in the 2014 Winter Olympics.
posted by Hershey Bears Press Releases on Jan 23
Posted by Hershey Bears Press Releases
Defenseman returns after first career NHL stint
posted by Hershey Bears Press Releases on Jan 23
Posted by Hershey Bears Press Releases
Blueliner heads to Italy to continue pro career
posted by Hershey Bears on Jan 23
Posted by Hershey Bears
Defenseman Tomas Kundratek was reassigned to the Hershey Bears by the Washington Capitals on Monday, the Washington Times reported. Kundratek recorded no points in five games with the Caps. He has produced six goals and two assists in 21 games with Hershey.
Defenseman Tomas Kundratek was reassigned to the Hershey Bears by the Washington Capitals on Monday, the Washington Times reported.
Kundratek recorded no points in five games with the Caps. He has produced six goals and two assists in 21 games with Hershey.
posted by GM on Jan 23
Posted by Hershey Bears Hockey
I was going to do some research today to figure out the last time a Hershey team lost all 3 games in a 3 in 3 weekend. The good folks at Sweetest Hockey on Earth beat me to it.
April 2005.
The last time the Hershey Bears lost all 3 games of a 3 in 3 was under the Colorado Avalanche.
Thanks to ABC27 I was able to see all 3 games this weekend. The unfortunate part of that is, had I only seen 1, I would have seen them all.
The Bears played the exact same on Sunday as they had on Friday. It was like 3 nights was just one game.
Friday was the first period which saw the Bears lose on a late (6 minutes to go) shorthanded tally by the Binghamton Senators. Then after a 21ish hour intermission (and 3 hr road trip) they lost with another late (2 minutes to go) goal, this time by the Monarchs. Then another 19ish hour intermission they came out and laid an egg and lost yet again to Manchester.
Honestly, it was the same team all three games. And I am pretty sure it was a completely different team that had played previously in Hershey.
The goaltending…average…AT BEST.
The defense…way to aggressive at the offensive blueline.
The offense…too much passing.
The goaltending was weak all 3 games with the best performance coming on Sunday with Braden Holtby in net. (He also played Friday). But in all three games there were goals that should have been saves. The goaltending deserves a fair share of the blame, but they weren’t the only problem.
The defense routinely pinched in in the offensive zone and in turn routinely got beat the other way for odd man rushes. Many of these odd man rushes led to goals for the Senators and Monarchs.
The forwards couldn’t shoot the puck. And when they did shoot the puck they generally missed the net. The opposing goaltenders were good, no doubt, but the Bears always wanted to make the extra pass looking for the perfect shot/wide open net.
Don’t get me wrong…I enjoy the nice passing. And most of the time I think it is a necessary evil, but this weekend, last night especially, there was simply too much of it. Shooters were passing up shots left and right in an effort to look for “something better”.
It was just a bad weekend for the Bears.
All teams go through spurts of bad games and bad luck. This, in my opinion, is just that. It was a 3 game weekend after a 1 in 10 days stretch that apparently surprised the Bears.
They will rebound.