It's a bit disheartening to see the depth of the Northeast Division. The Bridgeport Sound Tigers have more points than the Bears but are next to last in their division. The Bears have the same record as the Hartford Wolf Pack and they're in last place in the Northeast. As the conference grouping currently stands, the Bears sit in eighth place. It's a good thing Hershey has had success against the Wolf Pack so far this season.
Granted, things will change and some of those Northeast teams will drop out of playoff contention (hopefully). But it's going to be a tough slog in the back end of the season. Depending on how things pan out, it could eventually be a fierce battle for playoff position down the stretch.
Anyway, back to the game at hand. It looks like the changes Troy Mann has made in the past week might have paid off as the Bears defeated Bridgeport 6-3. This was a much more open and looser game. Both teams brought speed and there was continual end to end action that both goalies needed to be sharp.
Through the first and second periods, it appeared as though the Stan Galiev Show was going to continue as he notched 2 goals (5 total in 4 games). Most impressive was his power play goal late in the 2nd. With a lateral, cross crease pass from Chris Conner, Galiev one-timed the puck just over David Leggio's right. That's an NHL type shot that isn't seen much in the AHL. Not many guys can hit the 4 to 5 inch spot just above the goalie's shoulder at that speed.
With the Bears up 2-1, the Sound Tigers would end up taking a delay of game penalty at the close of the second and Hershey started the third on the power play. While not converting on the power play (going 2 for 7 in the game), shortly after the Bears would make it 3-1 with some incredible passing off the rush by the Broda-Mitchell-Gazley line. I don't know what was better: Broda's backhand shot to hit the top left corner of the net or Mitchell's backhand pass between the legs of the Bridgeport defender to Broda.
A few minutes later Chris Brown would make it 4-1 and it appeared as though Hershey had gotten over its offensive slump. With all the talk of Galiev's two goals, Brown scored 2 himself and was the game's number #2 star. But the Sound Tigers would climb back to make it 4-3 with around 11 minutes left in the game.
With the clock ticking down, it seemed as though it was going to be a battle to the end and Bridgeport would pull its goalie. But Brown would score his second with about two minutes left to make it 5-3. Less than a minute later Chris Brown scored on the power play and it was lights out Bridgeport. Hershey never gave the Sound Tigers a chance to pull Leggio. Which I think will give the Bears much needed confidence not having to eek out another one goal game.
Finally, Dane Byers was all over Bridgeport defenseman Mark Nemec. Byers had at least two highlight reel checks on Nemec in the third. Both times as Nemec was trying to skate out of his zone, Byers dumped him with a hip check in the left corner and drilled him with a stand up open ice hit in the right corner.
Showing posts with label Bridgeport. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bridgeport. Show all posts
Saturday, December 6, 2014
Friday, February 17, 2012
Bears on the road this weekend
Tonight the Bears will play in Providence, Rhode Island. Tomorrow they travel to Manchester, NH. Sunday they complete the weekend in Bridgeport, CT. After that game they will return to Hershey.
Except that is just the beginning of their journey over the next week. This is the longest stretch of road games for the Bears this season (5) and due to the layout of the games the Bears will spend more than 1/7 of their next week on a bus.
The first leg, this weekend, will take them from Hershey to all the cities I already mentioned. That is 15 hours on a bus...according to mapquest anyways.
Then they come back to Hershey for about 3 days before leaving Wednesday (I assume, but they may leave Tuesday) for a trip to Rochester, NY to play that night. Then Thursday they go to Cleveland to play again.
That's a rough road trip.
Tonight the Bears get the Providence Bruins. Currently the Bruins sit in last place in the Atlantic Division and 11th in the Eastern Conference. Tim Leone points out that they have been one of the better AHL teams over the past 10 games, going 6-2-2-0 in those games.
Compare that to the Bears 4-5-0-1 in their last 10 and you might think the Bruins are playing better today. Except that the Bruins are 1-3 in their last 4 games while the Bears are 3-0-0-1 in their last 4.
In addition to that, the Bruins have scored a total of 8 goals in their last 4 games. Which is bad enough. But 6 of those goals came in one game. The 3 losses in their last 4 have seen goal totals of 0, 1, and 1 by the Bruins.
Although that shouldn't be entirely surprising considering they are currently ranked as the 30th team (out of 30) in the AHL in goals per game with only 2.33 per game.
Hershey scores 3.60 per game.
A few other stats in the Bears favor tonight...
That is second to the Bears...by 2,352.
Next up is the Manchester Monarchs. These guys beat our Bears twice in two days back in January. First there was a 5-4 win for them on Saturday the 21st. Then they followed it up with a 4-2 win on Sunday the 22nd.
The Monarchs enter the game 2nd in the Atlantic and 6th in the Conference. They are also 1-3 in their last 4 games (just like Providence) and have actually scored fewer goals in those 4 than the Bruins, only 7. While allowing 14.
Again, that shouldn't be surprising as the Monarchs score only 2.6 per game. And they don't do it on the power play at home as they are only 23rd in that category.
What they do well is keep opposing power plays from scoring as they are currently 6th in the league on the penalty kill at home.
Just in case you were wondering...Hershey is 1st in road power play.
While Providence weaknesses appear to be in the 1st and 3rd periods, the Monarchs are weak in the 2nd. They carry a -16 scoring margin in the 2nd period on the season. The Bears are +21 in the 2nd...their strongest period. (Also a +17 in the first so that is good...and not too bad in the 3rd, -2).
Finally this weekend the Bears get the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. The Tigers are probably the best team of the three this weekend...especially of late.
Yes the Bears beat them twice back in December. Once in Hershey and once in Bridgeport. But those games fell in a tough pattern for the Tigers as they were only 1-8 during a stretch there.
Since that stretch ended though they are a very impressive 13-1-0-1. Their two losses were to St. Johns and Manchester and impressively they have scored at least 5 goals in 4 of their last 6 games. All wins of course.
The good news...both the losses took place on home ice. If that helps you anyways.
Bridgeport is the best offensive team Hershey will see this weekend (7th in goals scored). Their power play on home ice is weak, only 26th in the league, but the penalty kill at home is a solid 4th in the league.
Lucky for us this game will be on TV starting at 3:00 Sunday afternoon.
Enjoy the games.
Except that is just the beginning of their journey over the next week. This is the longest stretch of road games for the Bears this season (5) and due to the layout of the games the Bears will spend more than 1/7 of their next week on a bus.
The first leg, this weekend, will take them from Hershey to all the cities I already mentioned. That is 15 hours on a bus...according to mapquest anyways.
Then they come back to Hershey for about 3 days before leaving Wednesday (I assume, but they may leave Tuesday) for a trip to Rochester, NY to play that night. Then Thursday they go to Cleveland to play again.
And then they come home.
All combined it is 1750 miles and over 31 hours on a bus. That means that about 18% of the teams next 7 days will be spent on a bus.
Tonight the Bears get the Providence Bruins. Currently the Bruins sit in last place in the Atlantic Division and 11th in the Eastern Conference. Tim Leone points out that they have been one of the better AHL teams over the past 10 games, going 6-2-2-0 in those games.
Compare that to the Bears 4-5-0-1 in their last 10 and you might think the Bruins are playing better today. Except that the Bruins are 1-3 in their last 4 games while the Bears are 3-0-0-1 in their last 4.
In addition to that, the Bruins have scored a total of 8 goals in their last 4 games. Which is bad enough. But 6 of those goals came in one game. The 3 losses in their last 4 have seen goal totals of 0, 1, and 1 by the Bruins.
Although that shouldn't be entirely surprising considering they are currently ranked as the 30th team (out of 30) in the AHL in goals per game with only 2.33 per game.
Hershey scores 3.60 per game.
A few other stats in the Bears favor tonight...
- Providence is only 1-5 versus the East Division
- Bruins are 28th in the league with the man advantage on home ice
- Bruins are only 15th in the league on the penalty kill at home
- The Bruins enter the game with a -13 scoring margin in the first period
- And a -14 in the third period.
That is second to the Bears...by 2,352.
Next up is the Manchester Monarchs. These guys beat our Bears twice in two days back in January. First there was a 5-4 win for them on Saturday the 21st. Then they followed it up with a 4-2 win on Sunday the 22nd.
So Hershey should be looking for some retribution.
The Monarchs enter the game 2nd in the Atlantic and 6th in the Conference. They are also 1-3 in their last 4 games (just like Providence) and have actually scored fewer goals in those 4 than the Bruins, only 7. While allowing 14.
Again, that shouldn't be surprising as the Monarchs score only 2.6 per game. And they don't do it on the power play at home as they are only 23rd in that category.
What they do well is keep opposing power plays from scoring as they are currently 6th in the league on the penalty kill at home.
Just in case you were wondering...Hershey is 1st in road power play.
While Providence weaknesses appear to be in the 1st and 3rd periods, the Monarchs are weak in the 2nd. They carry a -16 scoring margin in the 2nd period on the season. The Bears are +21 in the 2nd...their strongest period. (Also a +17 in the first so that is good...and not too bad in the 3rd, -2).
Finally this weekend the Bears get the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. The Tigers are probably the best team of the three this weekend...especially of late.
Yes the Bears beat them twice back in December. Once in Hershey and once in Bridgeport. But those games fell in a tough pattern for the Tigers as they were only 1-8 during a stretch there.
Since that stretch ended though they are a very impressive 13-1-0-1. Their two losses were to St. Johns and Manchester and impressively they have scored at least 5 goals in 4 of their last 6 games. All wins of course.
The good news...both the losses took place on home ice. If that helps you anyways.
Bridgeport is the best offensive team Hershey will see this weekend (7th in goals scored). Their power play on home ice is weak, only 26th in the league, but the penalty kill at home is a solid 4th in the league.
Lucky for us this game will be on TV starting at 3:00 Sunday afternoon.
Enjoy the games.
Monday, December 19, 2011
Bears get 4 points out of 6
For 20 minutes last night it looked like Hershey was going to take sole possession of 1st place in the East Division. The Bears were up 3-1 against Norfolk at Giant Center at the end of the first period.
In fact, they were up 3-1 after the second period too.
And then they gave up 5 goals to lose 6-3. 5 unanswered goals and only 1 came on the power play. One was an empty netter as well.
That leaves 3 even strength goals...all scored in the final 16 minutes of game action.
You had the sense that it was coming. It seemed to be one of the typical Bears games this season. A relatively dominant performance over the first 20 minutes followed by 40 minutes of ineptitude in the offensive zone.
The Bears had 11 shots in the first period...3 of them goals. They totaled 14 shots the remainder of the game. And very few of them were what most people would deem "quality" chances.
At the other end the Bears stopped playing defense as well. Brett Flemming got caught flat footed on Norfolk's 2nd goal (first of the 3rd period) and from there it just seemed like Hershey couldn't get to the loose pucks and when they did, they couldn't get the puck out of their own zone.
I hate to call out Flemming since he was only on the ice for 1 of the 5 goals against in the 3rd period but his misstep is the one that seemed to open the floodgates.
One player, other than Braden Holtby...who I personally think was left out to dry by his defense, was on the ice for 4 of the 5 goals.
Keith Aucoin.
I can't sit here and say that he was directly responsible for any defensive lapses but according to the scoresheet he was out there for most of the goals against. And generally, in most defensive schemes...including the Bears', the center is expected to help the defensemen down low. Whether Aucoin was doing that or not is something I can't say with certainty, but the odds are against him.
Holtby did what he could and for a long stretch he actually kept the team in the lead (game) to be honest. The Admirals came out firing in the 2nd period with Braden making multiple big saves. Even in the 3rd period he made some key saves...just not enough.
These lackluster 2nd and 3rd periods are beginning to be troublesome for the Bears. Or so it would seem...an initial look at the stats doesn't look too terrible...
Goals Scored Per Period:
1st:
Hershey - 43
Opponent - 22
2nd:
Hershey - 32
Opponent - 24
3rd:
Hershey - 30
Opponent - 35
Prior to last night Hershey was even with their opposition in the 3rd period. Then they gave up 5.
Overall...not as bad as I was expecting to be honest.
And the records aren't terrible either...
When leading after the 1st period Hershey is 12-2-2-1. No team in the league has more wins or more points when they take a lead into the first intermission.
When leading after the 2nd period Hershey is even better....14-2-1-0. Again, no team in the league is better in wins or points.
So, do the Bears 2nd and 3rd period struggles even exist? Are they actually doing fine and it just seems like things are going downhill over the last 40 minutes?
The initial statistical review suggested that it is a misconception. They have managed to hold their first period leads in the majority of games this season.
But a deeper look at the statistics shows that there is a problem here.
First up...record when scoring first. Hershey has scored the first goal 23 times this season...out of only 29 games. That is 4 more than the next closest team in the league.
That's great! And Hershey is 13-5-3-2 in those games. Again...the 13 wins is good...tied for most in the league.
But that is only 31 points in games they have scored first in. That is a points percentage of .674.
That ranks 21st in the league. 20 teams are better than the Bears when scoring first.
20.
So yes, there is a problem.
Oh, and it gets worse.
In games where Hershey is either tied or trails after the first period the Bears are a combined 4-6-1-1. There are ZERO teams with fewer wins in that situation. That means there are 29 that have more wins when tied or trailing after 1 period than the Bears.
To give the Bears a positive here...they have only been trailing after 1 period 3 times this year. That is tied for fewest in the league.
Unfortunately that only brings us to their record after 2 periods...
When trailing or tied after the 2nd period the Bears are only 2-6-2-2.
2 wins. Only 2 teams have fewer...Chicago and Rockford (they each only have 1 win).
If you combine the two (which likely combines games as teams may trail for an entire game but lets do it anyway) the Bears are a combined 6-12-3-3 when tied or trailing after the 1st and/or 2nd period. There is 1 team with fewer wins...Chicago.
And when I say that Hershey is trailing in this category, I don't mean by 1, 2, or even 3 wins. No, there are multiple teams with 20 wins in these situations. That is 14 more than the Bears. Norfolk has 19 wins. Binghamton...the Eastern Conference bottom dwellers...has 13 wins...7 more than Hershey.
So yes, there is a problem with Hershey's performances in the 2nd and 3rd periods. Generally speaking though, the performance we saw last night was an aberration and not part of this more complex problem.
Either the Bears 1st period scoring margin, currently a +21, needs to grow even higher or the Bears better start figuring out how to buckle down and protect leads or come back from deficits.
My guess...Calder Cup Champions do not have records like this. In the playoffs the Calder Cup Champ will have to overcome deficits, squeek out close games (Hershey is only 7-3-3-2 in 1 goal games), and hold on to leads once they get them.
Right now the Bears do one thing well. They score early and often (tied for 2nd in the league in goals scored).
It's time for the Bears to begin scoring when the game reaches its critical moments. 1st period goals are great. 3rd period goals are better.
In fact, they were up 3-1 after the second period too.
And then they gave up 5 goals to lose 6-3. 5 unanswered goals and only 1 came on the power play. One was an empty netter as well.
That leaves 3 even strength goals...all scored in the final 16 minutes of game action.
You had the sense that it was coming. It seemed to be one of the typical Bears games this season. A relatively dominant performance over the first 20 minutes followed by 40 minutes of ineptitude in the offensive zone.
The Bears had 11 shots in the first period...3 of them goals. They totaled 14 shots the remainder of the game. And very few of them were what most people would deem "quality" chances.
At the other end the Bears stopped playing defense as well. Brett Flemming got caught flat footed on Norfolk's 2nd goal (first of the 3rd period) and from there it just seemed like Hershey couldn't get to the loose pucks and when they did, they couldn't get the puck out of their own zone.
I hate to call out Flemming since he was only on the ice for 1 of the 5 goals against in the 3rd period but his misstep is the one that seemed to open the floodgates.
One player, other than Braden Holtby...who I personally think was left out to dry by his defense, was on the ice for 4 of the 5 goals.
Keith Aucoin.
I can't sit here and say that he was directly responsible for any defensive lapses but according to the scoresheet he was out there for most of the goals against. And generally, in most defensive schemes...including the Bears', the center is expected to help the defensemen down low. Whether Aucoin was doing that or not is something I can't say with certainty, but the odds are against him.
Holtby did what he could and for a long stretch he actually kept the team in the lead (game) to be honest. The Admirals came out firing in the 2nd period with Braden making multiple big saves. Even in the 3rd period he made some key saves...just not enough.
These lackluster 2nd and 3rd periods are beginning to be troublesome for the Bears. Or so it would seem...an initial look at the stats doesn't look too terrible...
Goals Scored Per Period:
1st:
Hershey - 43
Opponent - 22
2nd:
Hershey - 32
Opponent - 24
3rd:
Hershey - 30
Opponent - 35
Prior to last night Hershey was even with their opposition in the 3rd period. Then they gave up 5.
Overall...not as bad as I was expecting to be honest.
And the records aren't terrible either...
When leading after the 1st period Hershey is 12-2-2-1. No team in the league has more wins or more points when they take a lead into the first intermission.
When leading after the 2nd period Hershey is even better....14-2-1-0. Again, no team in the league is better in wins or points.
So, do the Bears 2nd and 3rd period struggles even exist? Are they actually doing fine and it just seems like things are going downhill over the last 40 minutes?
The initial statistical review suggested that it is a misconception. They have managed to hold their first period leads in the majority of games this season.
But a deeper look at the statistics shows that there is a problem here.
First up...record when scoring first. Hershey has scored the first goal 23 times this season...out of only 29 games. That is 4 more than the next closest team in the league.
That's great! And Hershey is 13-5-3-2 in those games. Again...the 13 wins is good...tied for most in the league.
But that is only 31 points in games they have scored first in. That is a points percentage of .674.
That ranks 21st in the league. 20 teams are better than the Bears when scoring first.
20.
So yes, there is a problem.
Oh, and it gets worse.
In games where Hershey is either tied or trails after the first period the Bears are a combined 4-6-1-1. There are ZERO teams with fewer wins in that situation. That means there are 29 that have more wins when tied or trailing after 1 period than the Bears.
To give the Bears a positive here...they have only been trailing after 1 period 3 times this year. That is tied for fewest in the league.
Unfortunately that only brings us to their record after 2 periods...
When trailing or tied after the 2nd period the Bears are only 2-6-2-2.
2 wins. Only 2 teams have fewer...Chicago and Rockford (they each only have 1 win).
If you combine the two (which likely combines games as teams may trail for an entire game but lets do it anyway) the Bears are a combined 6-12-3-3 when tied or trailing after the 1st and/or 2nd period. There is 1 team with fewer wins...Chicago.
And when I say that Hershey is trailing in this category, I don't mean by 1, 2, or even 3 wins. No, there are multiple teams with 20 wins in these situations. That is 14 more than the Bears. Norfolk has 19 wins. Binghamton...the Eastern Conference bottom dwellers...has 13 wins...7 more than Hershey.
So yes, there is a problem with Hershey's performances in the 2nd and 3rd periods. Generally speaking though, the performance we saw last night was an aberration and not part of this more complex problem.
Either the Bears 1st period scoring margin, currently a +21, needs to grow even higher or the Bears better start figuring out how to buckle down and protect leads or come back from deficits.
My guess...Calder Cup Champions do not have records like this. In the playoffs the Calder Cup Champ will have to overcome deficits, squeek out close games (Hershey is only 7-3-3-2 in 1 goal games), and hold on to leads once they get them.
Right now the Bears do one thing well. They score early and often (tied for 2nd in the league in goals scored).
It's time for the Bears to begin scoring when the game reaches its critical moments. 1st period goals are great. 3rd period goals are better.
Friday, December 2, 2011
Weekend Preview: Bears get 3 in 3
This weekend the Bears get 3 games in 3 nights for the first time since the last weekends of October. And they better get used to them as they have them the following 2 weekends as well.
Yesterday I talked about the goalie issues surrounding this team right now which are obviously making it hard for this team to win on a consistent basis.
Even with that being considered though the Bears are in decent shape. Remember...I said DECENT.
The Situation: Hershey currently sits in 8th position in the Eastern Conference...a playoff spot.
The Good News: They are only 4 points back from 1st in the division and only 5 points back from the top spot in the Conference.
The Bad News: They are only 7 points from being in dead last in the division/conference.
This weekend is a good chance to start moving up and stop the downward slide they have found themselves in since their first 3 in 3. They had managed 11 points in 7 games heading into their first 3 in 3 of the season. Since then they have lost 9 games and won 4, earning 12 of a possible 26 points.
Not good.
Tonight they visit Syracuse...a team below them in the standings. A team they destroyed 7-0 back in October and a team they took to a shootout just a couple weeks ago. This is a game the Bears SHOULD win.
Tomorrow night they welcome Portland...a team below them in the standings. A team that is playing very well right now. They have collected at least a point in 7 straight games and have won 6 of them. This is a game that teams with Calder Cup aspirations SHOULD win.
Sunday they visit Bridgeport (at 3 in the freaking afternoon)...a team directly ahead of them in the standings. A team that has only one twice in their last 6 games. A team that only has a 5-4-2-0 record on home ice. This is a game the Bears SHOULD get a point in. (seriously...traveling 4 hours after a 7:00 game for a 3:00 game on the back end of a 3 in 3...getting a point would be a win)
So at the end of the weekend the Bears should be sitting with at least 28 points and in a better position then they entered it.
We shall see.
If you are watching, listening, or attending the games this weekend here are some names to keep in mind. (oh and the Bridgeport game will be on TV if you get the channels...I do not).
For Hershey:
For the Connecticut game this past week Matt Ford took Boyd Kane's place on the top line and I was excited to see how it would work out going forward. Well, Kane is back on the top line and Ford is back to the second line.
Graham Mink was moved to the 3rd line in an attempt to balance out the scoring from the top two lines. I like the shuffling and the trying to get more offense but I think the wrong guys are being moved. But I will wait until after the weekend to pass too much judgement.
Keith Aucoin has 9 assists...9!...in his last 4 games. Nice.
Chris Bourque has a point in 8 straight games, collecting 5 goals and 9 assists in those contests.
The player I am most looking forward to seeing is Matt Pope. He was brought back on his pro tryout after Sjogren took his ball and went back to Sweden. Down in South Carolina he has 7 goals and 12 assists in 15 games...he should be able to produce something in Hershey if given the opportunity.
And of course there are the goalies, which I discussed yesterday. Dany Sabourin is expected to get the start tonight, Braden Holtby tomorrow, and then Sunday's starter is TBD but I would suspect Sabourin considering the travel scenario.
For Syracuse:
Kyle Palmeiri (12-6-18) and Patrick Maroon (8-11-19) are the leading scorers for the Crunch.
Nick Bonino has a 5 game point streak in which he has 3 goals and 4 assists.
Rookie Peter Holland has 2 goals and 4 assists in his last 3 games.
Jean-Francois Jacques has 2 goals and 2 assists in his last 3 games.
For Portland:
Dean Arsene will make his triumphant return to Giant Center on Saturday night. This will be Deano's first game back in Hershey since departing after the 2008-09 season. It will be good to see him and I am sure the crowd will show their appreciation during introductions.
Andy Miele is the AHL's top rookie for November and team leading scorer with 7 goals and 13 assists on the season. In November he had 4g and 9a in only 10 games. 2 goals and 3 assists have come in his last 2 games.
Matt Watkins has 3 goals and 4 assists in his last 4 games.
For Bridgeport:
Tim Wallace is the team leader in points (9-9-18) and had all 9 of his goals during the month of November...including 5 goals in his last 5 games.
Rookie Scott Howes has only played in 4 games for the Sound Tigers but he has 3 goals and an assist in those games.
Enjoy the games...
Yesterday I talked about the goalie issues surrounding this team right now which are obviously making it hard for this team to win on a consistent basis.
Even with that being considered though the Bears are in decent shape. Remember...I said DECENT.
The Situation: Hershey currently sits in 8th position in the Eastern Conference...a playoff spot.
The Good News: They are only 4 points back from 1st in the division and only 5 points back from the top spot in the Conference.
The Bad News: They are only 7 points from being in dead last in the division/conference.
This weekend is a good chance to start moving up and stop the downward slide they have found themselves in since their first 3 in 3. They had managed 11 points in 7 games heading into their first 3 in 3 of the season. Since then they have lost 9 games and won 4, earning 12 of a possible 26 points.
Not good.
Tonight they visit Syracuse...a team below them in the standings. A team they destroyed 7-0 back in October and a team they took to a shootout just a couple weeks ago. This is a game the Bears SHOULD win.
Tomorrow night they welcome Portland...a team below them in the standings. A team that is playing very well right now. They have collected at least a point in 7 straight games and have won 6 of them. This is a game that teams with Calder Cup aspirations SHOULD win.
Sunday they visit Bridgeport (at 3 in the freaking afternoon)...a team directly ahead of them in the standings. A team that has only one twice in their last 6 games. A team that only has a 5-4-2-0 record on home ice. This is a game the Bears SHOULD get a point in. (seriously...traveling 4 hours after a 7:00 game for a 3:00 game on the back end of a 3 in 3...getting a point would be a win)
So at the end of the weekend the Bears should be sitting with at least 28 points and in a better position then they entered it.
We shall see.
If you are watching, listening, or attending the games this weekend here are some names to keep in mind. (oh and the Bridgeport game will be on TV if you get the channels...I do not).
For Hershey:
For the Connecticut game this past week Matt Ford took Boyd Kane's place on the top line and I was excited to see how it would work out going forward. Well, Kane is back on the top line and Ford is back to the second line.
Graham Mink was moved to the 3rd line in an attempt to balance out the scoring from the top two lines. I like the shuffling and the trying to get more offense but I think the wrong guys are being moved. But I will wait until after the weekend to pass too much judgement.
Keith Aucoin has 9 assists...9!...in his last 4 games. Nice.
Chris Bourque has a point in 8 straight games, collecting 5 goals and 9 assists in those contests.
The player I am most looking forward to seeing is Matt Pope. He was brought back on his pro tryout after Sjogren took his ball and went back to Sweden. Down in South Carolina he has 7 goals and 12 assists in 15 games...he should be able to produce something in Hershey if given the opportunity.
And of course there are the goalies, which I discussed yesterday. Dany Sabourin is expected to get the start tonight, Braden Holtby tomorrow, and then Sunday's starter is TBD but I would suspect Sabourin considering the travel scenario.
For Syracuse:
Kyle Palmeiri (12-6-18) and Patrick Maroon (8-11-19) are the leading scorers for the Crunch.
Nick Bonino has a 5 game point streak in which he has 3 goals and 4 assists.
Rookie Peter Holland has 2 goals and 4 assists in his last 3 games.
Jean-Francois Jacques has 2 goals and 2 assists in his last 3 games.
For Portland:
Dean Arsene will make his triumphant return to Giant Center on Saturday night. This will be Deano's first game back in Hershey since departing after the 2008-09 season. It will be good to see him and I am sure the crowd will show their appreciation during introductions.
Andy Miele is the AHL's top rookie for November and team leading scorer with 7 goals and 13 assists on the season. In November he had 4g and 9a in only 10 games. 2 goals and 3 assists have come in his last 2 games.
Matt Watkins has 3 goals and 4 assists in his last 4 games.
For Bridgeport:
Tim Wallace is the team leader in points (9-9-18) and had all 9 of his goals during the month of November...including 5 goals in his last 5 games.
Rookie Scott Howes has only played in 4 games for the Sound Tigers but he has 3 goals and an assist in those games.
Enjoy the games...
LET'S GO BEARS!!!!
Monday, November 14, 2011
Bears Drop 2 at Home
2 home games...2 losses. Sure, one of them came in OT but they were both losses nonetheless.
First up, Bears vs Pens:
We can focus on the positives if we want to...
First of all you have to score when you come in 2 on none on the penalty kill, which the Bears did once. If you are going to win games against teams as good as the Baby Pens you have to score on those.
And you can not give up goals at the end of periods. Sure, from time to time you will give up a goal at the end of a period...even the Pens gave one up to the Bears at the end of the 1st period Friday night (although I think if thats the NHL it gets reviewed and overturned for coming after the period was over...just sayin). But you can not give up 2 goals at that point. That is embarassing effort by a team who's motto is "No Rest".
While those non-goals and goals against were definitely huge points in the game, they aren't my biggest concern.
Anytime there was a loose puck the Penguins seemed to get to it. Battles in the corner...the Pens won those. Neutral zone play...controlled by the Pens. I didn't think the Penguins controlled the puck the whole game, which is good, but they controlled the tempo and style of play with ease.
For long stretches it seemed like the Bears were all just standing around watching other players make plays...typically Penguin players.
Which brings us to...communication. Time after time it looked like Bears players were waiting for a teammate to get to a loose puck. They didn't want to leave their position to get the puck because they thought someone else would.
To me that is a simple breakdown in communication. Considering the veterans on this team you would think this would be second nature. Maybe it has to do with all the new faces but we are now 15 games into the season...if you haven't started talking to your teammates by now, when are you going to?
Are some of these things injury/recall related? Maybe. Kyle Greentree, Ryan Potulny, and Matthew Ford are all out with injuries while Cody Eakin remains in Washington. That means increased roles for Joel Rechlicz, newcomer DJ King, Maxime Lacroix, and rookie Garrett Mitchell. I am not suggesting that they can't handle it or don't deserve it, but when you continuously play with different players the first thing to diminish will be things like going after loose pucks and communication.
But that shouldn't be an excuse. It should be resolved during practice.
It sure as hell didn't get any better by Sunday night...Bears vs Sound Tigers:
Last night the hustle was definitely better. For the first 10 minutes and honestly for about 90% of the game the Bears controlled the play. They were the team getting the loose pucks and they were controlling the play.
The effort was definitely better. (Which is good considering how much energy they must have had left after the poor effort on Friday).
But you know what I noticed...a lack of communication. **In the interest of full disclosure, I sit in section 103 so I am no where near the bench to hear any discussion going on there (players yelling to teammates, coaches coaching, etc.).**
All night I heard the Sound Tigers last night. All game long I heard players telling each other what was going on and where they were. The Bears? Didn't hear a peep. And I am not that much closer to the Sound Tigers bench but you could hear them clearly from where I was sitting.
I am not saying the Bears weren't talking...I am sure there is some communication going on. All I am saying is that it would appear that a bit more would be helpful.
You know what else would work...a change in the lineup. I know that all problems can not be solved by changing the lines but I think these problems could be.
The key to setting your lines is to find the guys that work best together. I don't attend practice so obviously the coaching staff sees more than I do. On that level you have to assume that Coaches French and Mann have considered that in their line makeups.
The next thing you have to consider is roles. Keith Aucoin is a playmaker, he is going to pass the puck 75% of the time. Kyle Greentree is a shooter, he will shoot 75% of the time. Boyd Kane and Graham Mink are grinders, their strategy is to get to the front of the net and cause havoc and get rebounds.
In general, and in my own non-professional opinion, a line should be made up of a playmaker, a shooter/scorer, and a grinder. This allows for goals from many different setups and actions. Rebound goals are more likely because you have the grinder and the shooter while "pretty" goals are also likely with a playmaker and a shooter.
The problem with Hershey's lines right now is they aren't balanced. Chris Bourque has a great slap-shot, but he isn't a pure scorer, he has always been more of a playmaker who would prefer to pass first and shoot later. I think Jacob Micflikier is the best shooter/scorer on the team right now (Greentree would be up close but he is hurt). My top line would be Micflikier, Aucoin, and Mink. Move Bourque to the second line with Hanson and Kane or Mitchell.
After that the big problem for the Bears is a lack of scorers/shooters. As much as Francois Bouchard didn't earn the playing time, he was a shooter/scorer that could have played a bigger role with Greentree and Ford out with injuries.
In the end I didn't think the Bears played badly last night. The lines just didn't click that well. Shots from the outside were rarely getting through and their goalie, Anders Nilsson, is huge and clogged up the crease pretty well. He did give up lots of rebounds but they are many times hard to corral.
Hershey should have won last night. Friday night they were lucky to get a point. Last night they were unlucky not getting some bounces.
The injuries will eventually work themselves out. Ford, Greentree, and Potulny will be back...some sooner than others, and will return to the lineup and help Hershey's depth and balance. Until then the coaching staff needs to make the changes that will help this team win. Having Bourque and Aucoin on the same line isn't working. Bourque has 1 goal and 0 assists in his last 7 games. You can't win with your top winger producing like that.
Obviously the offense isn't the only problem, but it's the only one that I think gets solved by a simple shuffling of players. Defense...that's a topic for a different day.
This Bears team is still very talented. They are built, like the 05-06 team, for the spring...lots of grinders and, hopefully, lots of ugly goals. It is way too early to worry...but it is never to early to try different things and adjust on the fly to see what might work when the games are more important
First up, Bears vs Pens:
We can focus on the positives if we want to...
- The game went to overtime...first time in 8 games the Pens even gave up 1 point,
- The Bears scored 4 goals against a Pens team that had given up only 8 over the last 7 games total,
- Hershey rallied from 1 goal deficits twice, and
- Take out 30 seconds of the second period and Hershey wins by 1.
- Hershey gave up 2 goals in the final 30 seconds of the second period,
- Wilkes-Barre controlled the play from the opening faceoff,
- A lack of hustle to the loose pucks, and
- What appears to be an overall lack of communication on the ice.
First of all you have to score when you come in 2 on none on the penalty kill, which the Bears did once. If you are going to win games against teams as good as the Baby Pens you have to score on those.
And you can not give up goals at the end of periods. Sure, from time to time you will give up a goal at the end of a period...even the Pens gave one up to the Bears at the end of the 1st period Friday night (although I think if thats the NHL it gets reviewed and overturned for coming after the period was over...just sayin). But you can not give up 2 goals at that point. That is embarassing effort by a team who's motto is "No Rest".
While those non-goals and goals against were definitely huge points in the game, they aren't my biggest concern.
Anytime there was a loose puck the Penguins seemed to get to it. Battles in the corner...the Pens won those. Neutral zone play...controlled by the Pens. I didn't think the Penguins controlled the puck the whole game, which is good, but they controlled the tempo and style of play with ease.
For long stretches it seemed like the Bears were all just standing around watching other players make plays...typically Penguin players.
Which brings us to...communication. Time after time it looked like Bears players were waiting for a teammate to get to a loose puck. They didn't want to leave their position to get the puck because they thought someone else would.
To me that is a simple breakdown in communication. Considering the veterans on this team you would think this would be second nature. Maybe it has to do with all the new faces but we are now 15 games into the season...if you haven't started talking to your teammates by now, when are you going to?
Are some of these things injury/recall related? Maybe. Kyle Greentree, Ryan Potulny, and Matthew Ford are all out with injuries while Cody Eakin remains in Washington. That means increased roles for Joel Rechlicz, newcomer DJ King, Maxime Lacroix, and rookie Garrett Mitchell. I am not suggesting that they can't handle it or don't deserve it, but when you continuously play with different players the first thing to diminish will be things like going after loose pucks and communication.
But that shouldn't be an excuse. It should be resolved during practice.
It sure as hell didn't get any better by Sunday night...Bears vs Sound Tigers:
Last night the hustle was definitely better. For the first 10 minutes and honestly for about 90% of the game the Bears controlled the play. They were the team getting the loose pucks and they were controlling the play.
The effort was definitely better. (Which is good considering how much energy they must have had left after the poor effort on Friday).
But you know what I noticed...a lack of communication. **In the interest of full disclosure, I sit in section 103 so I am no where near the bench to hear any discussion going on there (players yelling to teammates, coaches coaching, etc.).**
All night I heard the Sound Tigers last night. All game long I heard players telling each other what was going on and where they were. The Bears? Didn't hear a peep. And I am not that much closer to the Sound Tigers bench but you could hear them clearly from where I was sitting.
I am not saying the Bears weren't talking...I am sure there is some communication going on. All I am saying is that it would appear that a bit more would be helpful.
You know what else would work...a change in the lineup. I know that all problems can not be solved by changing the lines but I think these problems could be.
The key to setting your lines is to find the guys that work best together. I don't attend practice so obviously the coaching staff sees more than I do. On that level you have to assume that Coaches French and Mann have considered that in their line makeups.
The next thing you have to consider is roles. Keith Aucoin is a playmaker, he is going to pass the puck 75% of the time. Kyle Greentree is a shooter, he will shoot 75% of the time. Boyd Kane and Graham Mink are grinders, their strategy is to get to the front of the net and cause havoc and get rebounds.
In general, and in my own non-professional opinion, a line should be made up of a playmaker, a shooter/scorer, and a grinder. This allows for goals from many different setups and actions. Rebound goals are more likely because you have the grinder and the shooter while "pretty" goals are also likely with a playmaker and a shooter.
The problem with Hershey's lines right now is they aren't balanced. Chris Bourque has a great slap-shot, but he isn't a pure scorer, he has always been more of a playmaker who would prefer to pass first and shoot later. I think Jacob Micflikier is the best shooter/scorer on the team right now (Greentree would be up close but he is hurt). My top line would be Micflikier, Aucoin, and Mink. Move Bourque to the second line with Hanson and Kane or Mitchell.
After that the big problem for the Bears is a lack of scorers/shooters. As much as Francois Bouchard didn't earn the playing time, he was a shooter/scorer that could have played a bigger role with Greentree and Ford out with injuries.
In the end I didn't think the Bears played badly last night. The lines just didn't click that well. Shots from the outside were rarely getting through and their goalie, Anders Nilsson, is huge and clogged up the crease pretty well. He did give up lots of rebounds but they are many times hard to corral.
Hershey should have won last night. Friday night they were lucky to get a point. Last night they were unlucky not getting some bounces.
The injuries will eventually work themselves out. Ford, Greentree, and Potulny will be back...some sooner than others, and will return to the lineup and help Hershey's depth and balance. Until then the coaching staff needs to make the changes that will help this team win. Having Bourque and Aucoin on the same line isn't working. Bourque has 1 goal and 0 assists in his last 7 games. You can't win with your top winger producing like that.
Obviously the offense isn't the only problem, but it's the only one that I think gets solved by a simple shuffling of players. Defense...that's a topic for a different day.
This Bears team is still very talented. They are built, like the 05-06 team, for the spring...lots of grinders and, hopefully, lots of ugly goals. It is way too early to worry...but it is never to early to try different things and adjust on the fly to see what might work when the games are more important
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Bears play well, beat Devils for 5th time
The main reason to take a player that was your 2nd line center a couple games ago and put him on the bench (or in the minors) and stipulate that he won't play is because you don't want him to get hurt. And that means they want to move him.
Perry is talented, no one will deny that. On another team in another system maybe he sticks in the NHL but there are too many centers in the Capitals system to allow him to sit and wait. It would make more sense for the organization to include him in a deal for a more consistent and more proven player.
My guess...watch what the Florida Panthers do. I think Stephen Weiss is one of the best players available and I think the Caps COULD be interested. But it might cost too much.
If the Caps make a trade I would definitely expect Perreault to be a part of it.
---------
No on to the game last night.
Best effort I have seen from the Bears since the January 29th game against Charlotte. The score was 4-3 but it wasn't really that close in my opinion.
Hershey controlled the play from the beginning of the game. They registered 19 shots in the first period and tried to put the pressure on the Albany Devils from the opening whistle.
Albany did get the first goal of the game and I will be honest...I was worried at that point. But Hershey picked up only their 6th win of the season when they allow the first goal thanks to goals by Boyd Kane (2 of them), Francois Bouchard, and Steve Pinizzotto.
Personally I didn't think the offense was lights out amazing last night. They did enough to get the job done. The area where I saw the most improvement was the physical side.
And by physical I don't mean huge hits that knock a guy down...those are rare. But lately the Bears weren't even touching the other team.
Last night there was few if any times where a Devil went for a loose puck in the corner that a Bear wasn't punishing him for it. And that makes a HUGE difference in a game.
The effort level all over the ice was better for Hershey. Keith Aucoin at one point dropped to block a shot. The defense was solid after a shaky start. Jared DeMichiel struggled at times but still picked up the win in only his 2nd career AHL start. Dmitri Orlov showed great poise and looked very controlled all game long...he is definitely a player to keep an eye on.
The power play scored twice. The 5 on 4 power play goal was their first since February 6th (they scored a 5 on 3 on Wednesday night).
The penalty kill shut down the Devils opportunities.
To put it simply the Bears played like they can and have during most of the season. Instead of caving after they fell behind and instead of giving in when the fluke 2nd goal occurred at the end of the second they came out in the 3rd and played like they wanted to win.
For the first time in a while the Bears played like they wanted the win more than the opponent.
Now they have to show that they can string together a few good games. That begins this afternoon as they visit the Bridgeport Sound Tigers.
It is a tough turn around. Last night's game finished at about 9:30 and Hershey faces off today at 3:00. 17.5 hours in between with a 4 hour bus ride incorporated.
Fortunately for the Bears they are playing Bridgeport. They currently reside in 27th of the 30 AHL teams with only 49 points.
Last week Hershey beat them 6-4 at Giant Center in a game that Hershey didn't play that well in despite the score.
After that game Bridgeport won 2 straight before losing their most recent two games including a 5-0 loss to division leading Manchester last night.
Overall the Sound Tigers are 2-12-0-1 in their last 15 games.
This is the type of game that the Bears HAVE to win. You can't show up flat against a team at the bottom of the standings.
The Charlotte Checkers have closed the gap on the Bears to only 2 points. 1 game currently separates the 2nd place Bears and 3rd place Checkers. And it isn't much further to 4th place Binghamton (7 points).
Games against bottom dwelling teams are games you can not lose this late in the season.
LET'S GO BEARS!!!
Sunday, February 20, 2011
Bears defeat Sound Tigers 6-4
It definitely wasn't a game to write home about. But at this stage of the season a win's a win.
After struggling to find their offense over the past few games the Hershey Bears erupted for 6 goals on 28 shots. Steve Pinizzotto scored 2, Boyd Kane scored 2, Patrick McNeill had 1, and tough guy Joel Rechlicz scored his first career AHL goal.
But all was not perfect at Giant Center last night. Braden Holtby made his first start since January 29th and looked real rusty.
If it wasn't for the offense there is a real possibility that Holtby would have been pulled in this one. Bridgeport starting goalie Mikko Koskinen was pulled after allowing 4 goals on 11 shots but Holtby had allowed 3 goals on 6 shots at one point.
And none of the goals were what one would call unstoppable.
Holtby eventually settled down and finished the game with 15 saves to pick up his 13th win of the season.
It was an uneven night all around for the Bears...
So far this weekend the Bears have outscored the opposition 8-7 and have picked up 2 of a possible 4 points. That would be an okay weekend against the likes of Wilkes-Barre and Charlotte.
But this has been against 2 of the worst 7 teams in the AHL.
It is simply not good enough. Today the Charlotte Checkers visit Giant Center and Hershey better be ready. The Checkers are only 6 points back of 2nd place Hershey with Norfolk another 2 behind them.
The playoffs are still 2 months away and there is still lots of hockey to play.
After struggling to find their offense over the past few games the Hershey Bears erupted for 6 goals on 28 shots. Steve Pinizzotto scored 2, Boyd Kane scored 2, Patrick McNeill had 1, and tough guy Joel Rechlicz scored his first career AHL goal.
But all was not perfect at Giant Center last night. Braden Holtby made his first start since January 29th and looked real rusty.
If it wasn't for the offense there is a real possibility that Holtby would have been pulled in this one. Bridgeport starting goalie Mikko Koskinen was pulled after allowing 4 goals on 11 shots but Holtby had allowed 3 goals on 6 shots at one point.
And none of the goals were what one would call unstoppable.
Holtby eventually settled down and finished the game with 15 saves to pick up his 13th win of the season.
It was an uneven night all around for the Bears...
- Some of the top players seemed to lack urgency and effort. Kyle Greentree, Brian Willsie, Keith Aucoin, and Jay Beagle all appeared somewhat disinterested during the game. Not a whole lot of hustle by the bunch but they all had moments.
- Careless turnovers led to goals often. The first goal will most likely be blamed on Holtby as he tried to clear the puck but instead passed it right to a Sound Tiger who put it in the net. But in reality Jay Beagle started the bad play with an ill-advised pass in the offensive zone which led to the rush at the other end.
- Defensive lapses were often as well. The penalty kill allowed the 4th Bridgeport goal and it shouldn't have happened. The Sound Tiger player (Ullstrom) was basically standing by himself on the far post for what felt like an eternity. The closest player too him was Beagle but he was a good 10 feet away until the pass was made which he gently put in the back of the net.
So far this weekend the Bears have outscored the opposition 8-7 and have picked up 2 of a possible 4 points. That would be an okay weekend against the likes of Wilkes-Barre and Charlotte.
But this has been against 2 of the worst 7 teams in the AHL.
It is simply not good enough. Today the Charlotte Checkers visit Giant Center and Hershey better be ready. The Checkers are only 6 points back of 2nd place Hershey with Norfolk another 2 behind them.
The playoffs are still 2 months away and there is still lots of hockey to play.
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Bears drop decision in Rochester; Welcome Sound Tigers to Hershey
Well that was not the way you want to start an important weekend. The Bears gave up 3 goals in the first 25 minutes of the game last night and were unable to recover.
Hershey did score twice to make the score look more respectable but in the end it was still a 3-2 loss to a last place team.
Tonight the Bears return to Giant Center and welcome a former East Division rival. The Bridgeport Sound Tigers visit Hershey tonight for the first time since last April when the teams met in the first round of the playoffs.
Bridgeport is not the same team as they were when they made the playoffs last spring. They currently reside in the cellar of the Atlantic Division and are not thinking playoffs at this point.
Things weren't so bad too long ago for the Sound Tigers. Just a few weeks ago they sat at 19-19-3-3 and were hopeful to make up some ground and make a run at the playoffs.
But since their last victory on January 22 they have gone 0-9-0-1 and are now aiming to just get a win. They currently own the 3rd worst record in the AHL and are close to falling even lower.
During this stretch they have allowed 3 or more goals in 9 of the 10 games and have scored 2 or fewer in 7 of the 10.
They got close to a win on Wednesday night when they managed to force a shootout against the Springfield Falcons before losing.
The Bears aren't exactly coming into this game playing that well either. They have lost 3 of their last 4 games and the goal scoring that carried them through much of January has dried up substantially. They have scored only 8 goals over their last 4 which is almost 1.5 goals per game below their season average.
Many things are contributing to the slide but all are just excuses that you can't have at this point in the season. Now is the time to turn on the engine and make that push to the playoffs.
Hopefully some of the injured players return over the next few days. Andrew Joudrey, Brian Fahey, and Braden Holtby could all be back as early as tonight.
But the player Hershey is missing the most is probably Andrew Gordon. Gordo hasn't played since February 5 against Manitoba. Since then Hershey is 4-3 but has been outscored 20-19 in those 7 games.
The area where they miss him most is on the power play. Since he went out Hershey has had 29 power play opportunities.
They have 2 goals.
2 for 29 in their last 7 games on the power play and that includes a stretch over the last 6 where they haven't scored any. During the last 6 games they have gone 0-23 on the power play.
Winning games is tough when you can't score with the extra man.
Hershey Bears
record ~ 34-17-1-3 72 points
standings ~ 2nd in East Division
most recent game ~ 3-2 Loss @ Rochester, 2/18
last 5 games ~ 2-3-0-0
home record ~ 17-9-0-2
goals for ~ 186
goals against ~ 135
home power play ~ 23.1% (3rd)
home penalty kill ~ 87.3% (3rd)
Bridgeport Sound Tigers
record ~ 19-28-3-4 45 points
standings ~ Last in Atlantic Division
most recent game ~ 4-3 SO Loss @ Springfield, 2/16
last 5 games ~ 0-4-0-1
road record ~ 6-17-0-3
goals for ~ 144
goals against ~ 179
road power play ~ 19.4% (8th)
road penalty kill ~ 78.7% (24th)
last time teams met - This is the first of two meetings between the teams this season. They last met during the 1st round of the 09-10 Calder Cup Playoffs where the Bears won the series 4 games to 1 on their way to the Calder Cup.
Players to watch:
F Brian Willsie (37) - Still the team leader in goals (23) but he also leads the team, and the league, in power play goals with 14. Only has 2 goals and 1 assist since Gordon left the lineup.
C Jay Beagle (21) - Came on last night scoring a goal and assisting on the other. He is going to need to continue his sharp play to help the Bears win.
Bridgeport:
LW Eric Castonguay (45) - Has spent most of the season with Reading of the ECHL but has played in 4 games (the last 3) for the Sound Tigers and has 3 goals and 1 assist in those 4 games. 2 goals and 1 assist in the last 3.
LW Justin DiBenedetto (9) - Leads the team in goals with 13 despite only playing in only 34 games this season. 8 of those goals have come during their losing streak so you know he is playing hard.
RW Rhett Rhakshani (10) - Leads the team in points with 34 and is 3rd on the team with 10 goals. But he hasn't been performing of late with only 5 assists (no goals) in his last 12 games.
Hershey did score twice to make the score look more respectable but in the end it was still a 3-2 loss to a last place team.
Tonight the Bears return to Giant Center and welcome a former East Division rival. The Bridgeport Sound Tigers visit Hershey tonight for the first time since last April when the teams met in the first round of the playoffs.
Bridgeport is not the same team as they were when they made the playoffs last spring. They currently reside in the cellar of the Atlantic Division and are not thinking playoffs at this point.
Things weren't so bad too long ago for the Sound Tigers. Just a few weeks ago they sat at 19-19-3-3 and were hopeful to make up some ground and make a run at the playoffs.
But since their last victory on January 22 they have gone 0-9-0-1 and are now aiming to just get a win. They currently own the 3rd worst record in the AHL and are close to falling even lower.
During this stretch they have allowed 3 or more goals in 9 of the 10 games and have scored 2 or fewer in 7 of the 10.
They got close to a win on Wednesday night when they managed to force a shootout against the Springfield Falcons before losing.
The Bears aren't exactly coming into this game playing that well either. They have lost 3 of their last 4 games and the goal scoring that carried them through much of January has dried up substantially. They have scored only 8 goals over their last 4 which is almost 1.5 goals per game below their season average.
Many things are contributing to the slide but all are just excuses that you can't have at this point in the season. Now is the time to turn on the engine and make that push to the playoffs.
Hopefully some of the injured players return over the next few days. Andrew Joudrey, Brian Fahey, and Braden Holtby could all be back as early as tonight.
But the player Hershey is missing the most is probably Andrew Gordon. Gordo hasn't played since February 5 against Manitoba. Since then Hershey is 4-3 but has been outscored 20-19 in those 7 games.
The area where they miss him most is on the power play. Since he went out Hershey has had 29 power play opportunities.
They have 2 goals.
2 for 29 in their last 7 games on the power play and that includes a stretch over the last 6 where they haven't scored any. During the last 6 games they have gone 0-23 on the power play.
Winning games is tough when you can't score with the extra man.
Hershey Bears
record ~ 34-17-1-3 72 points
standings ~ 2nd in East Division
most recent game ~ 3-2 Loss @ Rochester, 2/18
last 5 games ~ 2-3-0-0
home record ~ 17-9-0-2
goals for ~ 186
goals against ~ 135
home power play ~ 23.1% (3rd)
home penalty kill ~ 87.3% (3rd)
Bridgeport Sound Tigers
record ~ 19-28-3-4 45 points
standings ~ Last in Atlantic Division
most recent game ~ 4-3 SO Loss @ Springfield, 2/16
last 5 games ~ 0-4-0-1
road record ~ 6-17-0-3
goals for ~ 144
goals against ~ 179
road power play ~ 19.4% (8th)
road penalty kill ~ 78.7% (24th)
last time teams met - This is the first of two meetings between the teams this season. They last met during the 1st round of the 09-10 Calder Cup Playoffs where the Bears won the series 4 games to 1 on their way to the Calder Cup.
Hershey:
C Keith Aucoin (11) - He averages an absurd 1.42 points per game but has only 1 point in his last 4. F Brian Willsie (37) - Still the team leader in goals (23) but he also leads the team, and the league, in power play goals with 14. Only has 2 goals and 1 assist since Gordon left the lineup.
C Jay Beagle (21) - Came on last night scoring a goal and assisting on the other. He is going to need to continue his sharp play to help the Bears win.
Bridgeport:
LW Eric Castonguay (45) - Has spent most of the season with Reading of the ECHL but has played in 4 games (the last 3) for the Sound Tigers and has 3 goals and 1 assist in those 4 games. 2 goals and 1 assist in the last 3.
LW Justin DiBenedetto (9) - Leads the team in goals with 13 despite only playing in only 34 games this season. 8 of those goals have come during their losing streak so you know he is playing hard.
RW Rhett Rhakshani (10) - Leads the team in points with 34 and is 3rd on the team with 10 goals. But he hasn't been performing of late with only 5 assists (no goals) in his last 12 games.
LET'S GO BEARS!!!
Monday, April 19, 2010
Bears get 9 shots over 2 periods and lose 4-1
Just when everyone thought things were going back to normal and the Bears were back to scoring at will came a game in which they could only muster 9 shots through 2 periods.
Those were (surprisingly) the first 2 periods of yesterdays game. All series Hershey has struggled in the first period. In every game but game 3 they were done after the first period as well.
Yesterday it was 1-0 after the first period thanks to a power play goal from Bridgeport. Okay, 1-0 isn't so bad, they could come back from that.
Well more penalties resulted in 2 more power play goals and then a late even strength goal made the score 4-0 Sound Tigers after 2 periods of play.
Hershey managed 5 shots in the 1st period and a whopping 4 in the 2nd. They also managed 20 penalty minutes over the first 40 minutes which probably explains a little bit.
Now obviously I wasn't there watching but you have to wonder how the officiating was as Bridgeport converted 3 of their 9 power plays compared to Hershey's 3 power plays. Either a couple missed calls happened or it was just an absolute poorly played game for Hershey.
Hershey ended up playing very well in the third producing a goal and 18 shots but it was too little way too late as Bridgeport totaled 28 shots and heads back to Hershey down 3 games to 1.
Goaltending was surely a story last night too. At least from a non-viewing fans point of view. Bridgeport started their 3rd goaltender of the series last night Mikko Koskinen while Hershey started wonder kid Braden Holtby.
I would expect to see Koskinen again Wednesday night but I don't think you will see Braden the rest of the postseason barring injury to Neuvirth (quick, knock on wood). Holtby has not looked very good in his two playoff starts to date. Obviously if your team gives up 9 power plays you are going to struggle but you still have to be there making stops to help your guys.
In two games Braden has allowed 7 goals and has about a 3.5 goals against average and is stopping an unimpressive .865% of his shots.
As I said....expect to see a lot more Michal Neuvirth going forward.
Now, obviously all is not lost for the Bears. They return home with 2 days off before Wednesday's game 5 still up 3 games to 1. But you have to be a little concerned now about their lack of offensive output.
But as I said yesterday I wouldn't be too upset with a loss. Although I would rather have seen a 3-2 loss after a lucky shot or something like that instead of a 4-1 dominating defeat.
Although my reasoning for being okay with a loss was somewhat eliminated last night as Albany won in Wilkes Barre to take a 3 games to none lead in that series with game 4 tonight in Northeast PA. Game 5 of that series would also come Wednesday if necessary.
So basically what we need to see Wednesday is...
LET'S GO BEARS!!!!
Those were (surprisingly) the first 2 periods of yesterdays game. All series Hershey has struggled in the first period. In every game but game 3 they were done after the first period as well.
Yesterday it was 1-0 after the first period thanks to a power play goal from Bridgeport. Okay, 1-0 isn't so bad, they could come back from that.
Well more penalties resulted in 2 more power play goals and then a late even strength goal made the score 4-0 Sound Tigers after 2 periods of play.
Hershey managed 5 shots in the 1st period and a whopping 4 in the 2nd. They also managed 20 penalty minutes over the first 40 minutes which probably explains a little bit.
Now obviously I wasn't there watching but you have to wonder how the officiating was as Bridgeport converted 3 of their 9 power plays compared to Hershey's 3 power plays. Either a couple missed calls happened or it was just an absolute poorly played game for Hershey.
Hershey ended up playing very well in the third producing a goal and 18 shots but it was too little way too late as Bridgeport totaled 28 shots and heads back to Hershey down 3 games to 1.
Goaltending was surely a story last night too. At least from a non-viewing fans point of view. Bridgeport started their 3rd goaltender of the series last night Mikko Koskinen while Hershey started wonder kid Braden Holtby.
I would expect to see Koskinen again Wednesday night but I don't think you will see Braden the rest of the postseason barring injury to Neuvirth (quick, knock on wood). Holtby has not looked very good in his two playoff starts to date. Obviously if your team gives up 9 power plays you are going to struggle but you still have to be there making stops to help your guys.
In two games Braden has allowed 7 goals and has about a 3.5 goals against average and is stopping an unimpressive .865% of his shots.
As I said....expect to see a lot more Michal Neuvirth going forward.
Now, obviously all is not lost for the Bears. They return home with 2 days off before Wednesday's game 5 still up 3 games to 1. But you have to be a little concerned now about their lack of offensive output.
But as I said yesterday I wouldn't be too upset with a loss. Although I would rather have seen a 3-2 loss after a lucky shot or something like that instead of a 4-1 dominating defeat.
Although my reasoning for being okay with a loss was somewhat eliminated last night as Albany won in Wilkes Barre to take a 3 games to none lead in that series with game 4 tonight in Northeast PA. Game 5 of that series would also come Wednesday if necessary.
So basically what we need to see Wednesday is...
- Neuvy in goal
- More offense
- More shots....and
- More discipline
LET'S GO BEARS!!!!
Sunday, April 18, 2010
Bears score 6 in 2nd, up 3-0 in series
After getting handled for much of the first 2 games and in the first period last night Hershey erupted for 6 second period goals on their way to a 7-2 win and a 3-0 series lead.
Alexandre Giroux scored 3 goals, Andrew Gordon added 2, and Kyle Wilson and Steve Pinizzotto also scored for Hershey. All but Wilson's goal came in a monster 2nd period for the Bears.
While Bridgeport has pretty much dominated the 1st period in all 3 games to date they couldn't get a goal in the first last night. Which allowed Hershey to gain confidence and showcase their talents in the 2nd without Bridgeport hanging back protecting a lead.
Bridgeport goalie Scott Munroe was pulled after Pinner's goal (5-0 at the time) and replaced with Mikko Koskinen, who was filling in for the injured Nathan Lawson. Neither Bridgeport goalie had much luck last night though as Hershey scored 7 on only 24 total shots.
Michal Neuvirth got the start for Hershey and could start again this afternoon if he feels up to it according to Coach Mark French. Neuvy was great again last night making 32 saves for his 2nd straight victory. Overall now Neuvy is 18-6 in the playoffs for Hershey.
Hershey can complete the sweep and win the series at 3 this afternoon. But is that the best thing for them to do?
First of all let me say that I hope they win as I would rather just see it end right away and not have to play any extra games.
BUT let me also say that if they do win today they could be sitting around for a while waiting to play again. If the Wilkes-Barre/Albany series goes the distance (Albany up 2-0 with game 3 this afternoon) then Hershey wouldn't even know their second round opponent until next Sunday and likely wouldn't play for 10 days.
Now I don't care how good a team you have or how deep they are but if you are off for 10 days you are going to be rusty the next time you play.
However, I would still rather just see them win it today. No more games, no more risks for injury (Patty McNeill went down last night), and plenty of time to rest and get healthy.
So basically it is like this....
LET'S GO BEARS!! and
LET'S GO ALBANY because if they can sweep the Pens then worrying about a long layoff wouldn't be necessary.
Alexandre Giroux scored 3 goals, Andrew Gordon added 2, and Kyle Wilson and Steve Pinizzotto also scored for Hershey. All but Wilson's goal came in a monster 2nd period for the Bears.
While Bridgeport has pretty much dominated the 1st period in all 3 games to date they couldn't get a goal in the first last night. Which allowed Hershey to gain confidence and showcase their talents in the 2nd without Bridgeport hanging back protecting a lead.
Bridgeport goalie Scott Munroe was pulled after Pinner's goal (5-0 at the time) and replaced with Mikko Koskinen, who was filling in for the injured Nathan Lawson. Neither Bridgeport goalie had much luck last night though as Hershey scored 7 on only 24 total shots.
Michal Neuvirth got the start for Hershey and could start again this afternoon if he feels up to it according to Coach Mark French. Neuvy was great again last night making 32 saves for his 2nd straight victory. Overall now Neuvy is 18-6 in the playoffs for Hershey.
Hershey can complete the sweep and win the series at 3 this afternoon. But is that the best thing for them to do?
First of all let me say that I hope they win as I would rather just see it end right away and not have to play any extra games.
BUT let me also say that if they do win today they could be sitting around for a while waiting to play again. If the Wilkes-Barre/Albany series goes the distance (Albany up 2-0 with game 3 this afternoon) then Hershey wouldn't even know their second round opponent until next Sunday and likely wouldn't play for 10 days.
Now I don't care how good a team you have or how deep they are but if you are off for 10 days you are going to be rusty the next time you play.
However, I would still rather just see them win it today. No more games, no more risks for injury (Patty McNeill went down last night), and plenty of time to rest and get healthy.
So basically it is like this....
LET'S GO BEARS!! and
LET'S GO ALBANY because if they can sweep the Pens then worrying about a long layoff wouldn't be necessary.
Saturday, April 17, 2010
Bears come from behind again
Well maybe it isn't so much complacency as much as Bridgeport is just playing excellent hockey right now because the Bears once again had to rally to beat the Sound Tigers last night in Hershey.
Thankfully the Tigers don't have much in the way of goal scorers or Hershey might be in trouble here. The Bridgeport defense has been outstanding and the goaltending has been very solid as well for the Tigers.
Hershey has scored 7 goals in 2 games but it sure doesn't seem like it. It has been tough just to get decent shots on the opposing netminders. Bridgeport has blocked a lot of shots in the first 2 games and yet they are still down 2 games to none heading into tonight's game 3.
Without more scoring Bridgeport will be in trouble because even with great defense the Bears are still scoring enough to win. 60% of the Sound Tigers goals have been scored by defensemen, which would be great if they had scored a bunch of goals but they have only scored 5 so far.
In both games so far Bridgeport seems to have gotten worn down late in games while Hershey still has plenty left. This is one of Hershey's biggest strengths and tonight and tomorrow it should definitely pay dividends.
Both teams left immediately after last night's game for the 4 hour bus ride to Bridgeport in preparation for tonight's game at 7pm. Then both teams turn around and play game 4 Sunday afternoon at 3.
That is not easy for any team but Hershey will be able to handle it better due to their ability to skate 4 lines all game long. Many teams short shift their 3rd line and don't even use their 4th line late in the game. Hershey uses their 4th line in overtime as evidenced by Andrew Joudrey's game winner Wednesday night.
Michal Neuvirth got the start in goal and looked excellent on his way to 23 saves and his 17th career playoff victory. It will be interesting to see how Coach French decides to play his goalies tonight and tomorrow. Neuvirth is obviously the #1 but considering he has only played about 2 games in the last month you might not want to play him back to back.
I would actually expect to see Braden Holtby get the start tonight with Neuvy back in net tomorrow for the afternoon game. It just seems like too much of a risk to play Neuvy in back to back and maybe 3 in 3 after having so many injury problems of late. Maybe you would if Hershey was down or even tied in the series but considering Holtby's skill and the fact that the Bears are up 2 games to none I think Braden gets a chance to prove himself again.
For Bridgeport it is a tougher call potentially. Scott Munroe got the start Wednesday and looked good for the first 45 minutes before allowing 3 goals over the next 20. Nathan Lawson got the start last night and was looking very good until he got hurt late in the 2nd and came out midway through the 3rd period. I would expect to see Munroe considering the late night bus ride and a very important game for the Sound Tigers.
Hershey has the opportunity to use their depth to put away Bridgeport without having to come back to Hershey in this series. That would complete step 1 on their way to an 11th Calder Cup!
Thankfully the Tigers don't have much in the way of goal scorers or Hershey might be in trouble here. The Bridgeport defense has been outstanding and the goaltending has been very solid as well for the Tigers.
Hershey has scored 7 goals in 2 games but it sure doesn't seem like it. It has been tough just to get decent shots on the opposing netminders. Bridgeport has blocked a lot of shots in the first 2 games and yet they are still down 2 games to none heading into tonight's game 3.
Without more scoring Bridgeport will be in trouble because even with great defense the Bears are still scoring enough to win. 60% of the Sound Tigers goals have been scored by defensemen, which would be great if they had scored a bunch of goals but they have only scored 5 so far.
In both games so far Bridgeport seems to have gotten worn down late in games while Hershey still has plenty left. This is one of Hershey's biggest strengths and tonight and tomorrow it should definitely pay dividends.
Both teams left immediately after last night's game for the 4 hour bus ride to Bridgeport in preparation for tonight's game at 7pm. Then both teams turn around and play game 4 Sunday afternoon at 3.
That is not easy for any team but Hershey will be able to handle it better due to their ability to skate 4 lines all game long. Many teams short shift their 3rd line and don't even use their 4th line late in the game. Hershey uses their 4th line in overtime as evidenced by Andrew Joudrey's game winner Wednesday night.
Michal Neuvirth got the start in goal and looked excellent on his way to 23 saves and his 17th career playoff victory. It will be interesting to see how Coach French decides to play his goalies tonight and tomorrow. Neuvirth is obviously the #1 but considering he has only played about 2 games in the last month you might not want to play him back to back.
I would actually expect to see Braden Holtby get the start tonight with Neuvy back in net tomorrow for the afternoon game. It just seems like too much of a risk to play Neuvy in back to back and maybe 3 in 3 after having so many injury problems of late. Maybe you would if Hershey was down or even tied in the series but considering Holtby's skill and the fact that the Bears are up 2 games to none I think Braden gets a chance to prove himself again.
For Bridgeport it is a tougher call potentially. Scott Munroe got the start Wednesday and looked good for the first 45 minutes before allowing 3 goals over the next 20. Nathan Lawson got the start last night and was looking very good until he got hurt late in the 2nd and came out midway through the 3rd period. I would expect to see Munroe considering the late night bus ride and a very important game for the Sound Tigers.
Hershey has the opportunity to use their depth to put away Bridgeport without having to come back to Hershey in this series. That would complete step 1 on their way to an 11th Calder Cup!
Friday, April 16, 2010
Bears/Tigers game 2
I saw a replay of the Perreault goal from Wednesday night and I can only say one thing...WOW! Not sure how many of you saw it but it was an obvious high stick and it is shocking that not one of the officials either saw it or called it.
If that had been flipped with Bridgeport getting a goal like that we surely would have heard a certain arena chant!
But that's neither here nor there as the call was made, the Bears are up 1 game to none with 3 games in the next 3 days this series could be over before some other series get to game 3.
After a very weak first period Wednesday, I am expecting a much better performance from the Bears in period 1 tonight. It seemed as though they suffered from a bit of complacency on Wednesday night. They made up for it with a high intensity offensive push for the final 40 minutes which got them the win.
Tonight expect the Bears to dominate the Sound Tigers. From the slow start Wednesday to the horrible call at the end the Bears got fortunate in Game 1. But the Sound Tigers have to be somewhat frustrated already and I think it shows in Game 2.
It all adds up to (in my opinion) an awakening from the Bears from here on in this series. With the veteran leadership and last years playoff experience on this team I can't see 2 straight games where they struggle with their focus.
In goal, Michal Neuvirth will likely take his rightful place between the pipes tonight as Braden Holtby struggled in his first career playoff start. Last seasons Calder Cup MVP will likely get the starts going forward assuming he is in shape AND stays healthy. With a 3 in 3 this weekend you might see Braden back in net but I wouldn't be surprised to see Neuvy from here until the end.
This series already reminds me a little bit of the Eastern Conference Finals last season against Providence. Hershey was the prohibitive favorite there but came out flat at home against the Bruins in Hershey for game 1. They ended up losing that game as they couldn't beat Tuuka Rask but won the next 4 games including 3 on the road.
Coming out flat in game 1 is a problem for many top seeds. Although many teams don't so much come out flat as the lower seeded team comes out flying because they have nothing to lose. Just look at the NHL this season. Both #1 seeds lose game 1 and a #2 loses game 1. It happens.
It almost happened to the Bears...will it wake them up or does it show a possible weakness?
Personally....I think they have awoken and Bridgeport should be concerned.
If that had been flipped with Bridgeport getting a goal like that we surely would have heard a certain arena chant!
But that's neither here nor there as the call was made, the Bears are up 1 game to none with 3 games in the next 3 days this series could be over before some other series get to game 3.
After a very weak first period Wednesday, I am expecting a much better performance from the Bears in period 1 tonight. It seemed as though they suffered from a bit of complacency on Wednesday night. They made up for it with a high intensity offensive push for the final 40 minutes which got them the win.
Tonight expect the Bears to dominate the Sound Tigers. From the slow start Wednesday to the horrible call at the end the Bears got fortunate in Game 1. But the Sound Tigers have to be somewhat frustrated already and I think it shows in Game 2.
It all adds up to (in my opinion) an awakening from the Bears from here on in this series. With the veteran leadership and last years playoff experience on this team I can't see 2 straight games where they struggle with their focus.
In goal, Michal Neuvirth will likely take his rightful place between the pipes tonight as Braden Holtby struggled in his first career playoff start. Last seasons Calder Cup MVP will likely get the starts going forward assuming he is in shape AND stays healthy. With a 3 in 3 this weekend you might see Braden back in net but I wouldn't be surprised to see Neuvy from here until the end.
This series already reminds me a little bit of the Eastern Conference Finals last season against Providence. Hershey was the prohibitive favorite there but came out flat at home against the Bruins in Hershey for game 1. They ended up losing that game as they couldn't beat Tuuka Rask but won the next 4 games including 3 on the road.
Coming out flat in game 1 is a problem for many top seeds. Although many teams don't so much come out flat as the lower seeded team comes out flying because they have nothing to lose. Just look at the NHL this season. Both #1 seeds lose game 1 and a #2 loses game 1. It happens.
It almost happened to the Bears...will it wake them up or does it show a possible weakness?
Personally....I think they have awoken and Bridgeport should be concerned.
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Bears overcome 2 goal deficits to win in OT
Well so much for not facing any adversity!
Thanks to a sloppy sluggish first period the Bears had to come from 2 goals down to win in overtime to take a 1 game to none lead in the best of 7 series.
Hershey managed to get outshot 9-3 in the first period and faced a 2-0 deficit by the time the period ended. But they managed to get one back 5 minutes into the second period thanks to Alexandre Giroux's first of the playoffs before yet again facing a 2 goal deficit after allowing a last second goal in the 2nd period.
Thats when the fun began. For 20 minutes in the 3rd period Hershey threw everything they could at Scott Munroe and the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. But for the first 14 nothing would go in. Then Francois Bouchard broke the ice and got the Bears within 1 at 3-2.
From then on the Bears really controlled the play and with about one minute to go they got a break. Mathieu Perreault scored the tying goal even though it appeared he hit the puck with a high stick. After some brief discussion the officials determined that the goal was good and the game was tied.
Perry's goal came with the goalie pulled and an ambitious lineup on the ice. 6 forwards took to the ice for the restart, Giroux, Perry, Bouch, Keith Aucoin, Andrew Gordon, and Chris Bourque.
That is called...going for it!
And then to overtime where the Bears 'unsung' hero became THE hero as Andrew Joudrey scored only his 2nd career playoff goal about 4 minutes into sudden death.
What a game, what a comeback, what a statement.
Recently I said that Bridgeport scared me due to them getting help from the New York Islanders in the way of blueline players. And for most of the game tonight it appeared as though the Sound Tigers defense might just win the game. Eventually though the talented (and deep) Hershey team made the most of their chances.
Hershey was lucky to get out of this game with a W but they should absolutely be ready for game 2 on Friday night.
After a long hibernation it would appear as though the Sound Tigers have awoken the Bears!
Thanks to a sloppy sluggish first period the Bears had to come from 2 goals down to win in overtime to take a 1 game to none lead in the best of 7 series.
Hershey managed to get outshot 9-3 in the first period and faced a 2-0 deficit by the time the period ended. But they managed to get one back 5 minutes into the second period thanks to Alexandre Giroux's first of the playoffs before yet again facing a 2 goal deficit after allowing a last second goal in the 2nd period.
Thats when the fun began. For 20 minutes in the 3rd period Hershey threw everything they could at Scott Munroe and the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. But for the first 14 nothing would go in. Then Francois Bouchard broke the ice and got the Bears within 1 at 3-2.
From then on the Bears really controlled the play and with about one minute to go they got a break. Mathieu Perreault scored the tying goal even though it appeared he hit the puck with a high stick. After some brief discussion the officials determined that the goal was good and the game was tied.
Perry's goal came with the goalie pulled and an ambitious lineup on the ice. 6 forwards took to the ice for the restart, Giroux, Perry, Bouch, Keith Aucoin, Andrew Gordon, and Chris Bourque.
That is called...going for it!
And then to overtime where the Bears 'unsung' hero became THE hero as Andrew Joudrey scored only his 2nd career playoff goal about 4 minutes into sudden death.
What a game, what a comeback, what a statement.
Recently I said that Bridgeport scared me due to them getting help from the New York Islanders in the way of blueline players. And for most of the game tonight it appeared as though the Sound Tigers defense might just win the game. Eventually though the talented (and deep) Hershey team made the most of their chances.
Hershey was lucky to get out of this game with a W but they should absolutely be ready for game 2 on Friday night.
After a long hibernation it would appear as though the Sound Tigers have awoken the Bears!
Wednesday, April 14, 2010
Cup defense begins tonight
Now that the warmup season is over the real season and real games begin tonight for the defending Calder Cup Champion Hershey Bears.
Tonight and Friday Hershey will host their first round opponent, the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. After that Hershey turns around and heads immediately to Connecticut for games Saturday and Sunday in Bridgeport.
During the season they faced off 2 times with Hershey winning both games, quite handily actually. But the playoffs are a different animal.
Only 1 #1 overall seed in the last 8 years or so have managed to win the Calder Cup. Hershey was last the #1 overall seed in 06-07 which was the year of Carey Price that many of us still have nightmares about.
Bryan Helmer understands this situation all too well. In 95-96 his Albany team was coming off a Calder Cup and went into the playoffs as the #1 overall seed and the prohibitive favorite to win another Cup. They lost in the first round!
17 of the current players played on last years Calder Cup winning team so the experience is there. But this team faced minimal (if any at all) adversity during the regular season. They jumped out to a big lead in the first few weeks, set numerous records along the way, and won the division with weeks left in the season.
It was a phenomenal season but the question is...are they ready for the playoffs? Every player on the team will tell you that the playoffs are different, the regular season doesn't mean anything, and that the pressure is much greater.
Are the Bears ready? If they aren't ready, can they adjust quickly?
Personally I think with last year's experience in their minds they should be okay but I am definitely not just assuming they are going to run through the playoffs on their way to the Cup.
It is human nature to be overly confident at this point. They have to be feeling pretty good about themselves right now.
Last year's team had to deal with multiple issues in goal, tons defensive callups, and an incredibly tight divisional race. They were battle tested. They had faced the adversity and were ready for the playoffs. The regular season mattered more to them than it usually does. They learned alot.
This team now has to hit the reset button and start all over. The regular season means nothing this season. Nothing during the 'warmup' season translates this year. This team must call on their experiences from last Spring.
I think they will. I believe.
------------------------------------------
Bridgeport Sound Tigers:
record...................38-32-4-6
home record..........21-15-1-3
road record............17-17-3-3
goals for.................201
goals against..........220
last 10 games..........5-5-0-0
power play..............15.0 (25th)
home power play....14.6 (26th)
road power play......15.4 (19th)
penalty kill..............82.7 (15th)
home penalty kill....82.7 (21st)
road penalty kill......82.7 (10th)
Top Scorers:
Top Goalies:
Tonight and Friday Hershey will host their first round opponent, the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. After that Hershey turns around and heads immediately to Connecticut for games Saturday and Sunday in Bridgeport.
During the season they faced off 2 times with Hershey winning both games, quite handily actually. But the playoffs are a different animal.
Only 1 #1 overall seed in the last 8 years or so have managed to win the Calder Cup. Hershey was last the #1 overall seed in 06-07 which was the year of Carey Price that many of us still have nightmares about.
Bryan Helmer understands this situation all too well. In 95-96 his Albany team was coming off a Calder Cup and went into the playoffs as the #1 overall seed and the prohibitive favorite to win another Cup. They lost in the first round!
17 of the current players played on last years Calder Cup winning team so the experience is there. But this team faced minimal (if any at all) adversity during the regular season. They jumped out to a big lead in the first few weeks, set numerous records along the way, and won the division with weeks left in the season.
It was a phenomenal season but the question is...are they ready for the playoffs? Every player on the team will tell you that the playoffs are different, the regular season doesn't mean anything, and that the pressure is much greater.
Are the Bears ready? If they aren't ready, can they adjust quickly?
Personally I think with last year's experience in their minds they should be okay but I am definitely not just assuming they are going to run through the playoffs on their way to the Cup.
It is human nature to be overly confident at this point. They have to be feeling pretty good about themselves right now.
Last year's team had to deal with multiple issues in goal, tons defensive callups, and an incredibly tight divisional race. They were battle tested. They had faced the adversity and were ready for the playoffs. The regular season mattered more to them than it usually does. They learned alot.
This team now has to hit the reset button and start all over. The regular season means nothing this season. Nothing during the 'warmup' season translates this year. This team must call on their experiences from last Spring.
I think they will. I believe.
------------------------------------------
Bridgeport Sound Tigers:
record...................38-32-4-6
home record..........21-15-1-3
road record............17-17-3-3
goals for.................201
goals against..........220
last 10 games..........5-5-0-0
power play..............15.0 (25th)
home power play....14.6 (26th)
road power play......15.4 (19th)
penalty kill..............82.7 (15th)
home penalty kill....82.7 (21st)
road penalty kill......82.7 (10th)
Top Scorers:
- LW | Greg Mauldin | 20 - 25g, 29a, 54pts
- LW | Jesse Joensuu | 6 - 14g, 34a, 48pts
- LW | Trevor Smith | 23 - 21g, 26a, 47pts
- LW | Sean Bentivoglio | 14 - 19g, 26a, 45pts
Top Goalies:
- Nathan Lawson | 52 - 16-16-3, 1 so, 2.52 gaa, .922 save%
- Scott Munroe | 33 - 19-16-3, 3 so, 2.52 gaa, .920 save%
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Who will Hershey play in round 1?
Hershey's loss to Syracuse Tuesday night is really insignificant as far as first round opponents go. But with Norfolk's win over Wilkes Barre it really creates even more problems in determining the Bears first round opponent.
There are 4 possible matchups, Wilkes Barre, Norfolk, Lowell, or Bridgeport. With the remaining schedules I would say Norfolk has the toughest road, while the Pens probably have the easiest. Lowell and Bridgeport have tough schedules but they are manageable.
Let's take a look at the 4 possible matchups:
Norfolk Admirals
Currently sitting in 4th in the East with 82 points and 2 games to play. The remaining two games are in Norfolk against the Bears. While they are currently tied with Bridgeport for the final spot they have one fewer game than the Sound Tigers.
Sitting 4th in the East would usually be a good place to be but with the Atlantic having 8 teams the 5th place team from that division would make the playoffs. With 1 fewer game remaining than the other teams they will likely need to win both games to have a shot.
This season the Bears have dominated Norfolk. They are 7-1 against Norfolk and have outscored the Ads 34-20 in those 8 games with 2 games yet to play.
Offensively they have only one 20 game scorer (Brandon Bochenski would make 2 but he is in Tampa) and only 6 scorers even in double digits. Their top point producer, Ryan Craig, has a whopping 43 points. Not exactly an offensive juggernaut here.
Defensively and goaltending would appear to be somewhat weak as well. Although Jaroslav Janus does have solid numbers in net in his 13 games, 2.07 gaa and a .922 save percentage. But he is only 7-6 which means the offense just isn't producing enough.
Norfolk does not appear to be getting much help from Tampa Bay either. Bochenski would be a big addition but he does not appear on their clear day roster so I am unsure if he is even able to be sent down.
The Admirals would be a favorable matchup for the Bears in the first round but in order for that to happen Hershey likely has to lose their last 2 games to them AND get help from the Atlantic division.
Wilkes Barre/Scranton Penguins
Currently positioned as the 3 seed in the East division, but just one point ahead of Norfolk. 3 games remain for the Baby Pens, home for Albany Friday night, at Binghamton Saturday, and home for the Sens on Sunday.
Hershey and the Pens squared off 12 times this season with Hershey winning 10 of those games. Overall the Pens were outscored 48-29 in those 12 games.
While this years Pens aren't quite the offensive force of last years team they can still score goals. They have 3 20 goal scorers and 7 players with double digit goals. Dustin Jeffrey leads the team in goals and points with 23 and 70.
Neither of their goaltenders, John Curry or Brad Thiessen, have had good years. Neither is below 2.50 in goals against and Thiessen is barely above .900 in save percentage while Curry is actually below that mark.
Even if the Pittsburgh Penguins were to lose early in the playoffs there likely isn't much help coming down to Wilkes Barre. There are no players currently in Pittsburgh that appear on the Baby Pens clear day roster.
I would be surprised to see the Pens fall to 4th in the East. They would have to lose a couple games and then have to see the Bears fall twice to Norfolk. Can it happen? Sure. Will it happen? Not likely.
Bridgeport Sound Tigers
Last year the Bears and Tigers met many times while playing in the same division. This year the Tigers were moved to the Atlantic and Hershey only saw them twice. And those games weren't exactly competitive with the Bears winning both games, 9-2 and 6-3.
The Tigers currently sit in the final playoff spot in the Eastern Conference. Tied in points with Norfolk (ahead in winning percentage) and 2 points behind Lowell for the 4th spot in the Atlantic. Hartford is 5 points back and while mathematically alive it isn't going to be a problem.
They are a deeper offensive team than Norfolk with 8 players on the active roster having double digit goals and 1 more player, Mark Flood, likely to return with 10 goals as well. Their top point producer is Greg Mauldin with 51 points. They have 4 players with more points than the leading point getter for Norfolk. But at the same time they are still tied for second fewest goals scored in the AHL this season.
There have been a few goaltenders through the roster this year for the Tigers but it will be either Scott Munroe or Nathan Lawson in the postseason and neither is overly wonderful. Both have goals against averages over 2.5.
Unlike Norfolk and Wilkes Barre though, the Sound Tigers are going to get at least 4 players back from the Islanders. 4 defensemen as well which should definitely help them out. Mark Flood, Dustin Kohn, Dylan Reese, and Andrew MacDonald are all on Bridgeport's clear day roster and all will surely be returning once the NHL regular season ends.
While the Bears dominated the 2 games against Bridgeport so far I would not be excited to see them in the first round considering the players returning from New York. Still though the Bears offensive firepower is probably too great for the goaltending it would make the situation a slight bit tenser.
Lowell Devils
Lowell is more than likely in the playoffs. They are 2 points ahead of Norfolk with a game in hand so barring a collapse in their final 3 games they will be in but it could still be as the 5th place Atlantic division team.
The Bears and Devils faced off twice this season with the Bears winning both games 5-2.
Their schedule is favorable but not easy. Starting Friday they host Lowell, then a trip to Portland on Saturday, and then they host Providence Sunday. Honestly if they win Friday they likely wrap up the 4 seed in the Atlantic division and will face the division winner in the first round.
Offensively they are the deepest of any Bears first round opponent there are 11 players with double digit goals. Their top point producer is Ben Walter with 20 goals and 53 points. He is second in goals and first in assists with 33. The problem with Lowell is the depth, with no true #1 scorer they have 10 players with at least 30 points. Compared to the Bears this is no depth at all but compared to the other potential opponents this is a higher number.
Mike McKenna is likely the #1 goaltender for the playoffs and while he hasn't been exceptional he has been steady and strong enough. He has gone 23-16-6 this season with a 2.42 goals against and a save percentage over .920.
Like Wilkes Barre, Lowell is unlikely to see help from the NHL for the playoffs. There are no players on their clear day roster currently in the NHL. In addition to that the NHL Devils aren't likely to be headed for a quick playoff exit.
Overall I would prefer to see Norfolk in the first round but unless the Bears lose their final 2 against them there is no chance of that happening. So considering that I would say Bridgeport is an okay opponent although the return of 4 defenseman is a concern.
Either way it will be interesting to see how the Bears perform in the postseason. This season has been very uneventful as far as the standings goes. Last year the division race came down to the final weekend, this year it was over in October.
Hershey has yet to face significant adversity and the playoffs always bring that. Luckily much of last season's team is still here so they should be able to pull from that experience and be ready to go.
2 meaningless games (for Hershey anyway) Friday and Saturday before the prep for Wednesday's first playoff game begins this weekend. A win Friday combined with a Wilkes Barre win and a Bridgeport win would eliminate the Pens and Admirals from first round consideration.
LET'S GO BEARS!!
Saturday, February 27, 2010
Bears welcome former East division foe tonight
Wow...what an Olympics tournament so far! I will be honest with you...I haven't watched a Bears game in a couple weeks as I have been 1) very busy and 2) watching as much Olympic hockey and events as possible.
The men's tournament is coming down to the game the NHL, NBC, and Canada wanted. But lets be honest....the US didn't want this game. Canada is out to make a statement tomorrow afternoon and Ryan Miller is going to have to be HUGE yet again if the USA has any chance to win this game.
Even beyond the hockey matches though the Olympics have gained my attention and I have tried to watch most of the events. Unfortunately (as any regular readers will now) that means that I haven't been posting on here as much. But the Olympics are about done and the AHL stretch run and playoffs are coming up.
I have been paying attention though and it would seem as though the Bears are struggling a bit offensively. Again I haven't watched any games so I can't speak to what they do that doesn't show up on the scoreboard but you can find out a lot by looking at guys stats.
Keith Aucoin hasn't scored a goal since January and he has only 5 assists in 10 February games. Not too good considering his dominance in the first 3.5 months. In January he recorded a point in EVERY game and ended the month with 12 goals and 23 assists. He needs to pick it up going forward and find a little balance between his 5 point month and his 35 point month.
Alexandre Giroux is not doing much either. He also scored in every January game finishing the month with 14 goals and 17 assists but has struggled mightily in February. He has 3 goals and 3 assists in 9 February games and has only recorded a point in 3 games.
Andrew Gordon wasn't near as spectacular in January as the previous two but he has also struggled a bit in February with only 4 goals and 2 assists in 10 games.
No offense to Andrew Joudrey but when he is your leading scorer in any given month you are struggling a bit to put the puck in the net. He is tied for the team lead in goals (5) in February with Francois Bouchard and tied for the team lead in points (9) with Mathieu Perreault.
Heck Boyd Kane hasn't recorded a point yet this month and Kyle Wilson hasn't scored a goal either.
Just the fact that Hershey has a winning record with all those players struggling is a testament to the teams depth and talent level. To date in February the Bears are 7-3 with 30 goals scored and 29 goals against.
I will say it again....the fact that Hershey is 7-3 so far in February is impressive by itself. But they need to work through their problems and get back to scoring goals.
They have time though and honestly this will help them going forward. This is the adversity that teams generally go through every season that up to this point Hershey hasn't faced.
Playing at home they are still the best team in the league with 20 straight wins but the road is becoming another problem spot for them as they have lost 3 of 4 on the road with the only win coming against a weak Lake Erie team in a shootout.
Tonight the Bears host the Bridgeport Sound Tigers for the first and only time this season. Last year Bridgeport was in the East division and gave Hershey some fits during the season...but now they are in the Atlantic division and fighting for their playoff lives right now.
Tomorrow the Bears head up 81 to Wilkes Barre to face off against another team fighting for a playoff spot in the Baby Pens.
How many of you are truly going to watch/listen to the Pens game??? I mean honestly...it starts at 3pm...the same time as USA vs Canada for the gold medal! Any other year and I would be sitting in front of the computer watching Hershey vs Wilkes Barre but getting to see the USA against (hockey's Dream Team) Canada for the gold medal....I will watch the game that happens once every 4 years at best.
Hershey Bears
record ~ 44-12-0-2 90 points
standings ~ 1st in East Division
most recent game ~ 3-2 Loss @ Toronto, 2/25
last 5 games ~ 3-2-0-0
home record ~ 25-3-0-2
goals for ~ 246
goals against ~141
power play ~ 21.7% (1st)
penalty kill ~ 88.5% (1st)
Bridgeport Sound Tigers
record ~ 27-25-3-6 63 points
standings ~ 5th in Atlantic Division
most recent game ~ 3-2 Loss vs Abbotsford, 2/24
last 5 games ~ 3-2-0-0
road record ~ 11-13-3-3
goals for ~ 147
goals against ~ 164
power play ~ 14.7% (25th)
penalty kill ~ 82.9% (12th)
last time teams met - First meeting this season. Hershey will visit Bridgeport on Tuesday.
Players to watch:
Hershey:
LW Chris Bourque (17)- In only 31 games this season he has managed to get to 4th in scoring for the Bears with 17 goals and 27 assists. Been somewhat productive in February with 3 goals and 5 assists in 8 games.
RW Francois Bouchard (22) - Having a solid month with 5 goals and 2 assists gives him 16 goals and 25 assists on the season...good for 5th on the team and MIGHT put him in position for a top line spot next season.
C Andrew Joudrey (23) - Definitely showing what he can do this month scoring 5 goals and 4 assists which ties him for the month's lead in both goals and points. Has already tied his career high in goals (11) and is only 2 off his career high in points (27 last season).
Sound Tigers:
LW Greg Mauldin (20) - He is the team leader in goals (20) and in points (44). Riding a hot streak as well with 4 goals and 10 assists in his last 10 games.
LW Jesse Joensuu (6) - Second on the team in points (37) and leading the team in assists (27) he has had a solid February with 8 assists in 7 games.
LW Trevor Smith (23) - Second on the team in goals (17) and third on the team in points (35) he has 3 goals and 4 assists in his last 10 games.
LET'S GO BEARS!!!
The men's tournament is coming down to the game the NHL, NBC, and Canada wanted. But lets be honest....the US didn't want this game. Canada is out to make a statement tomorrow afternoon and Ryan Miller is going to have to be HUGE yet again if the USA has any chance to win this game.
Even beyond the hockey matches though the Olympics have gained my attention and I have tried to watch most of the events. Unfortunately (as any regular readers will now) that means that I haven't been posting on here as much. But the Olympics are about done and the AHL stretch run and playoffs are coming up.
I have been paying attention though and it would seem as though the Bears are struggling a bit offensively. Again I haven't watched any games so I can't speak to what they do that doesn't show up on the scoreboard but you can find out a lot by looking at guys stats.
Keith Aucoin hasn't scored a goal since January and he has only 5 assists in 10 February games. Not too good considering his dominance in the first 3.5 months. In January he recorded a point in EVERY game and ended the month with 12 goals and 23 assists. He needs to pick it up going forward and find a little balance between his 5 point month and his 35 point month.
Alexandre Giroux is not doing much either. He also scored in every January game finishing the month with 14 goals and 17 assists but has struggled mightily in February. He has 3 goals and 3 assists in 9 February games and has only recorded a point in 3 games.
Andrew Gordon wasn't near as spectacular in January as the previous two but he has also struggled a bit in February with only 4 goals and 2 assists in 10 games.
No offense to Andrew Joudrey but when he is your leading scorer in any given month you are struggling a bit to put the puck in the net. He is tied for the team lead in goals (5) in February with Francois Bouchard and tied for the team lead in points (9) with Mathieu Perreault.
Heck Boyd Kane hasn't recorded a point yet this month and Kyle Wilson hasn't scored a goal either.
Just the fact that Hershey has a winning record with all those players struggling is a testament to the teams depth and talent level. To date in February the Bears are 7-3 with 30 goals scored and 29 goals against.
I will say it again....the fact that Hershey is 7-3 so far in February is impressive by itself. But they need to work through their problems and get back to scoring goals.
They have time though and honestly this will help them going forward. This is the adversity that teams generally go through every season that up to this point Hershey hasn't faced.
Playing at home they are still the best team in the league with 20 straight wins but the road is becoming another problem spot for them as they have lost 3 of 4 on the road with the only win coming against a weak Lake Erie team in a shootout.
Tonight the Bears host the Bridgeport Sound Tigers for the first and only time this season. Last year Bridgeport was in the East division and gave Hershey some fits during the season...but now they are in the Atlantic division and fighting for their playoff lives right now.
Tomorrow the Bears head up 81 to Wilkes Barre to face off against another team fighting for a playoff spot in the Baby Pens.
How many of you are truly going to watch/listen to the Pens game??? I mean honestly...it starts at 3pm...the same time as USA vs Canada for the gold medal! Any other year and I would be sitting in front of the computer watching Hershey vs Wilkes Barre but getting to see the USA against (hockey's Dream Team) Canada for the gold medal....I will watch the game that happens once every 4 years at best.
Hershey Bears
record ~ 44-12-0-2 90 points
standings ~ 1st in East Division
most recent game ~ 3-2 Loss @ Toronto, 2/25
last 5 games ~ 3-2-0-0
home record ~ 25-3-0-2
goals for ~ 246
goals against ~141
power play ~ 21.7% (1st)
penalty kill ~ 88.5% (1st)
Bridgeport Sound Tigers
record ~ 27-25-3-6 63 points
standings ~ 5th in Atlantic Division
most recent game ~ 3-2 Loss vs Abbotsford, 2/24
last 5 games ~ 3-2-0-0
road record ~ 11-13-3-3
goals for ~ 147
goals against ~ 164
power play ~ 14.7% (25th)
penalty kill ~ 82.9% (12th)
last time teams met - First meeting this season. Hershey will visit Bridgeport on Tuesday.
Players to watch:
Hershey:
LW Chris Bourque (17)- In only 31 games this season he has managed to get to 4th in scoring for the Bears with 17 goals and 27 assists. Been somewhat productive in February with 3 goals and 5 assists in 8 games.
RW Francois Bouchard (22) - Having a solid month with 5 goals and 2 assists gives him 16 goals and 25 assists on the season...good for 5th on the team and MIGHT put him in position for a top line spot next season.
C Andrew Joudrey (23) - Definitely showing what he can do this month scoring 5 goals and 4 assists which ties him for the month's lead in both goals and points. Has already tied his career high in goals (11) and is only 2 off his career high in points (27 last season).
Sound Tigers:
LW Greg Mauldin (20) - He is the team leader in goals (20) and in points (44). Riding a hot streak as well with 4 goals and 10 assists in his last 10 games.
LW Jesse Joensuu (6) - Second on the team in points (37) and leading the team in assists (27) he has had a solid February with 8 assists in 7 games.
LW Trevor Smith (23) - Second on the team in goals (17) and third on the team in points (35) he has 3 goals and 4 assists in his last 10 games.
LET'S GO BEARS!!!
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Last Night Couldn't Have Gone Worse
Okay that statement isn't entirely true....Manitoba could have won too. Other than that every team that Hershey wanted to see lose....won. Bridgeport, Wilkes-Barre, Norfolk, and Milwaukee all won.
And worst of all Philly won.
Not sure what happened there but the cards were stacked against the Bears I think.
First you had the (potentially) last game at the Spectrum....
Second the Phantoms were fighting for their playoff lives....
Third you had a little pregame ceremony that takes a little out of you...
Fourth is was the biggest crowd Hershey has seen in a LONG time....
and Fifth Philly has been playing great of late.
Hershey definitely came out flat in the first but not terrible. They just didn't want to shoot...everyone wanted to make the extra pass which isn't a terrible thing but eventually someone has to shoot and no one was.
Michal Neuvirth looked human in goal for the first time in weeks and he let in one (the 4th goal) that absolutely should have been stopped.
Personally I blame the defense for at least 2 of the first 3....specifically the 2 power play goals allowed. Dean Arsene and Tyler Sloan both missed guys/assignments that led to goals. Not saying it was just on them but they were the two main pieces.
The Bears looked much better in the 2nd and 3rd periods and would say that they out hustled the Phantoms for most of the game but they couldn't get shots on net. The other problem I saw was a lot of missed passes and bouncing pucks that jumped over many Hershey sticks.
There was not a single Bear that played great last night and many looked lost amongst the atmosphere. Even in Hershey the Bears only ever see 11,000 so to see (supposedly) 17,000 probably affected them in some fashion.
*side note - there is no way there was 17,000 there...I would say closer to 15,000 as there were plenty of empty seats*
Hopefully the Bears come back tonight and play great. Philly has little to play for at this point after clinching a playoff spot last night. They can not improve their position so they might even rest some players tonight.
Hershey on the other hand now has a fight on their hands. They still control their playoff fate but it is a much harder road. A win (or loss for that matter) tonight coupled with a Penguins win would set up a very important game tomorrow night. IF the Pens lose tonight and the Bears win Hershey would clinch the division.
Other than that Hershey is still in line for the overall #1 seed but they might have to win both games to get it.
So with that, let's see what the schedule looks like tonight:
Lowell @ Bridgeport 7:00
Norfolk @ Wilkes Barre/Scranton 7:05
Manitoba @ Lake Erie 7:30
**I will have more on last night's game earlier this week as it was an interesting night in my opinion.
And worst of all Philly won.
Not sure what happened there but the cards were stacked against the Bears I think.
First you had the (potentially) last game at the Spectrum....
Second the Phantoms were fighting for their playoff lives....
Third you had a little pregame ceremony that takes a little out of you...
Fourth is was the biggest crowd Hershey has seen in a LONG time....
and Fifth Philly has been playing great of late.
Hershey definitely came out flat in the first but not terrible. They just didn't want to shoot...everyone wanted to make the extra pass which isn't a terrible thing but eventually someone has to shoot and no one was.
Michal Neuvirth looked human in goal for the first time in weeks and he let in one (the 4th goal) that absolutely should have been stopped.
Personally I blame the defense for at least 2 of the first 3....specifically the 2 power play goals allowed. Dean Arsene and Tyler Sloan both missed guys/assignments that led to goals. Not saying it was just on them but they were the two main pieces.
The Bears looked much better in the 2nd and 3rd periods and would say that they out hustled the Phantoms for most of the game but they couldn't get shots on net. The other problem I saw was a lot of missed passes and bouncing pucks that jumped over many Hershey sticks.
There was not a single Bear that played great last night and many looked lost amongst the atmosphere. Even in Hershey the Bears only ever see 11,000 so to see (supposedly) 17,000 probably affected them in some fashion.
*side note - there is no way there was 17,000 there...I would say closer to 15,000 as there were plenty of empty seats*
Hopefully the Bears come back tonight and play great. Philly has little to play for at this point after clinching a playoff spot last night. They can not improve their position so they might even rest some players tonight.
Hershey on the other hand now has a fight on their hands. They still control their playoff fate but it is a much harder road. A win (or loss for that matter) tonight coupled with a Penguins win would set up a very important game tomorrow night. IF the Pens lose tonight and the Bears win Hershey would clinch the division.
Other than that Hershey is still in line for the overall #1 seed but they might have to win both games to get it.
So with that, let's see what the schedule looks like tonight:
Lowell @ Bridgeport 7:00
Norfolk @ Wilkes Barre/Scranton 7:05
Manitoba @ Lake Erie 7:30
**I will have more on last night's game earlier this week as it was an interesting night in my opinion.
Friday, April 10, 2009
Bears/Phantoms and Scoreboard Watching
I am heading to Philly in about 7 hours to see the (hopefully) final game at the Spectrum. Tonight the Bears get to move one step closer to clinching the division. With a little help from Springfield (@ BPort) and Albany (@ WBS) the Bears could clinch the division with a win.
And furthermore with a little help from Toronto (vs Manitoba) and Chicago (@ Milwaukee) the Bears could all but clinch the overall number 1 seed for the playoffs. They would be 2 points ahead of Manitoba with 2 games to go.
Personally I am also rooting for Bingo to beat Norfolk tonight to even further hurt Philly's chances at making the postseason.
But either way I am most excited about this game tonight. I will be in section 311a and am hoping to be surrounded by Bears fans. If you are going leave a comment and let me know.
Hershey has dominated Philly this season going 7-1-0-2 against them. Here is hoping to finishing the season series 9-1-0-2!!
Scoreboard Watching:
Springfield @ Bridgeport 7:00
Albany @ Wilkes Barre 7:05
Norfolk @ Binghamton 7:05
Manitoba @ Toronto 7:00
Chicago @ Milwaukee 8:00
If you want to see the current standings you can find them at the AHL's website here.
LET'S GO BEARS!!!
And furthermore with a little help from Toronto (vs Manitoba) and Chicago (@ Milwaukee) the Bears could all but clinch the overall number 1 seed for the playoffs. They would be 2 points ahead of Manitoba with 2 games to go.
Personally I am also rooting for Bingo to beat Norfolk tonight to even further hurt Philly's chances at making the postseason.
But either way I am most excited about this game tonight. I will be in section 311a and am hoping to be surrounded by Bears fans. If you are going leave a comment and let me know.
Hershey has dominated Philly this season going 7-1-0-2 against them. Here is hoping to finishing the season series 9-1-0-2!!
Scoreboard Watching:
Springfield @ Bridgeport 7:00
Albany @ Wilkes Barre 7:05
Norfolk @ Binghamton 7:05
Manitoba @ Toronto 7:00
Chicago @ Milwaukee 8:00
If you want to see the current standings you can find them at the AHL's website here.
LET'S GO BEARS!!!
Thursday, April 9, 2009
Bears Can Get Home Ice This Weekend
If the Bears win out this weekend they will clinch home ice advantage for the ENTIRE playoffs. The other teams in position for that honor are Manitoba and Milwaukee. Manitoba is tied with Hershey with 104 points with only 2 games to go while Milwaukee is at 105 but only 1 game remaining.
And thanks to some help from other places last night the Bears magic number in the division is 3. All they need is a win and overtime or shootout loss and they clinch the division. Obviously we are hoping for more but that is the minimum.
Wilkes Barre-Scranton lost last night in overtime and are 4 points back with 3 to go and Bridgeport is 2 back with 2 to go.
The fourth place race also heated up last night as Philly lost in a shootout while Bingo won in overtime. They are now tied for 4th and each team has 2 games remaining.
Now Hershey's games against Philly this weekend are even more critical for both teams. Hershey needs the wins to get home ice throughout and Philly needs to win just to make the playoffs.
IF Hershey can win both over the Phantoms then in order for Philly to make the playoffs they would have to see Bingo lose both their remaining games as Philly holds the tiebreakers.
How exciting is this final weekend shaping up to be? I am pumped and it is only Thursday!!
LET'S GO BEARS!!!!
WOOOOOOHOOOOOO!!!!!!
And thanks to some help from other places last night the Bears magic number in the division is 3. All they need is a win and overtime or shootout loss and they clinch the division. Obviously we are hoping for more but that is the minimum.
Wilkes Barre-Scranton lost last night in overtime and are 4 points back with 3 to go and Bridgeport is 2 back with 2 to go.
The fourth place race also heated up last night as Philly lost in a shootout while Bingo won in overtime. They are now tied for 4th and each team has 2 games remaining.
Now Hershey's games against Philly this weekend are even more critical for both teams. Hershey needs the wins to get home ice throughout and Philly needs to win just to make the playoffs.
IF Hershey can win both over the Phantoms then in order for Philly to make the playoffs they would have to see Bingo lose both their remaining games as Philly holds the tiebreakers.
How exciting is this final weekend shaping up to be? I am pumped and it is only Thursday!!
LET'S GO BEARS!!!!
WOOOOOOHOOOOOO!!!!!!
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Who Should The Bears Hope To Play
The Bears are in an interesting position right now. They could conceivably play any of the other 4 teams currently fighting for the playoffs. If they win the division they will play either Binghamton or Philadelphia. If they slip to 2nd or 3rd they would play either Bridgeport or Wilkes-Barre.
So who should they want to play...or who will probably put up the least resistance?
Let's look at it team by team.
Bridgeport Sound Tigers:
They are playing pretty well as they have won 3 straight and finish with games against Springfield and Lowell this weekend.
So far this season the Bears are 4-1-1-0 against the Tigers so they have fared well against them so far.
The thing with the Tigers is that they are getting more help then any of the other teams after Sunday. Kurtis McLean, Jesse Joensuu, Blake Comeau, and Jack Hillen will all be returning from the Islanders after the Isles final game this weekend. That is one defenseman short of an entire line. Now McLean and Joensuu spent most of the season in Bridgeport so it isn't too bad but still that is some nice help to get.
Wilkes Barre/Scranton Penguins:
They have won 4 of their last 5 but have 4 games to go. They will be tired after this weekend as they have a 4 in 5 to close out the season and they visit Hershey Sunday for their season finale.
Hershey has only gone 3-4-0-2 against the Baby Pens this season but they have won 2 of the past 3. Most of the games have been very close with only 2 games (1 win for each) that was decided by more than a goal.
As of now there is not a single player on the Pittsburgh roster that will be heading back to Wilkes Barre when their season ends. According to their clear day roster all of the players eligible to play for the Baby Pens are already there.
Still though they have a very formidable lineup and are second in the league in scoring this season (trailing only Hershey). And for the first 2/3 of the season they seemed to have Hershey's number. Has that changed?
Philadelphia Phantoms:
Philly is the hottest team in the division right now. They have won 6 straight and are currently in position to make the playoffs. They have three games left starting tonight in Albany and then 2 games against Hershey this weekend.
Hershey has dominated the season series this year going 7-1-0-2 so far. With two games to go Philly can make that a little more respectable though.
I was surprised that Claude Giroux was NOT on the clear day roster for the Phantoms. Although it probably wouldn't matter since the Flyers are in the playoffs but I thought he would be an option. When (not if) the Flyers are eliminated from the playoffs Andreas Nodl, Darrell Powe, and Ryan Parent will join the Phantoms if they are still alive.
If the Bears play Philly it would be in the first round so none of those pieces are really in play.
Binghamton Senators:
Bingo is playing poorly at the wrong time. They have lost 4 of their last 6 and are now on the outside looking in on the playoffs. They do have 3 games remaining and it is an easier schedule then the Phantoms have with games against Syracuse and Albany on the road and Norfolk at home but they might need to win all three.
Hershey dominated the first part of the season but have since only won once in the last 4 or 5 games. Overall the season series is 4-2-1-1 in favor of the Bears but most of those losses have come in the past couple months.
Another surprise for the Senators organization was Brian Elliott not being on the clear day roster. So that is one good thing because Ottawa will be sending players to Bingo after this weekend. But only 2. Brendan Bell and Brian Lee are on the clear day roster but being that both play defense it really won't help their scoring too much. Ryan Shannon is another that I thought would be on the clear day roster but he isn't.
They are still a dangerous team but not nearly as much as they could have been.
So who should we root for?
My vote goes to Binghamton to be honest. Originally I would have said Philly because I assumed Bingo was going to get a few pieces back but after looking at their clear day roster I am not too worried.
**let me say this though...I am NOT an expert on AHL roster moves so I do not know if there are exceptions that would allow other players to return from Ottawa**
I think Philly is very dangerous right now too. They are playing great and the games with the Bears are usually pretty close. That is why I vote for Bingo over Philly.
Now if the Bears lose the division crown I would rather see Bridgeport. Sure they have been good all season and are playing pretty well but Hershey has managed to beat them more times than not.
The team I least want to see at all in the playoffs is Wilkes Barre. Mainly because they have controlled the Bears this season and have looked very good each time the two teams play.
So really I am just rooting for Hershey to win all 3 games this weekend, clinch first place, and help get Bingo into the playoffs. If that happens I will be very happy.
But if it doesn't, I am still confident in this team and I truly believe that in a 7 game series the veterans on this team can beat any other team in this league!
Who do you want to see in Round 1? Vote on the poll to the right and tell me why in the comments.
GO BEARS!!!!
So who should they want to play...or who will probably put up the least resistance?
Let's look at it team by team.
Bridgeport Sound Tigers:
They are playing pretty well as they have won 3 straight and finish with games against Springfield and Lowell this weekend.
So far this season the Bears are 4-1-1-0 against the Tigers so they have fared well against them so far.
The thing with the Tigers is that they are getting more help then any of the other teams after Sunday. Kurtis McLean, Jesse Joensuu, Blake Comeau, and Jack Hillen will all be returning from the Islanders after the Isles final game this weekend. That is one defenseman short of an entire line. Now McLean and Joensuu spent most of the season in Bridgeport so it isn't too bad but still that is some nice help to get.
Wilkes Barre/Scranton Penguins:
They have won 4 of their last 5 but have 4 games to go. They will be tired after this weekend as they have a 4 in 5 to close out the season and they visit Hershey Sunday for their season finale.
Hershey has only gone 3-4-0-2 against the Baby Pens this season but they have won 2 of the past 3. Most of the games have been very close with only 2 games (1 win for each) that was decided by more than a goal.
As of now there is not a single player on the Pittsburgh roster that will be heading back to Wilkes Barre when their season ends. According to their clear day roster all of the players eligible to play for the Baby Pens are already there.
Still though they have a very formidable lineup and are second in the league in scoring this season (trailing only Hershey). And for the first 2/3 of the season they seemed to have Hershey's number. Has that changed?
Philadelphia Phantoms:
Philly is the hottest team in the division right now. They have won 6 straight and are currently in position to make the playoffs. They have three games left starting tonight in Albany and then 2 games against Hershey this weekend.
Hershey has dominated the season series this year going 7-1-0-2 so far. With two games to go Philly can make that a little more respectable though.
I was surprised that Claude Giroux was NOT on the clear day roster for the Phantoms. Although it probably wouldn't matter since the Flyers are in the playoffs but I thought he would be an option. When (not if) the Flyers are eliminated from the playoffs Andreas Nodl, Darrell Powe, and Ryan Parent will join the Phantoms if they are still alive.
If the Bears play Philly it would be in the first round so none of those pieces are really in play.
Binghamton Senators:
Bingo is playing poorly at the wrong time. They have lost 4 of their last 6 and are now on the outside looking in on the playoffs. They do have 3 games remaining and it is an easier schedule then the Phantoms have with games against Syracuse and Albany on the road and Norfolk at home but they might need to win all three.
Hershey dominated the first part of the season but have since only won once in the last 4 or 5 games. Overall the season series is 4-2-1-1 in favor of the Bears but most of those losses have come in the past couple months.
Another surprise for the Senators organization was Brian Elliott not being on the clear day roster. So that is one good thing because Ottawa will be sending players to Bingo after this weekend. But only 2. Brendan Bell and Brian Lee are on the clear day roster but being that both play defense it really won't help their scoring too much. Ryan Shannon is another that I thought would be on the clear day roster but he isn't.
They are still a dangerous team but not nearly as much as they could have been.
So who should we root for?
My vote goes to Binghamton to be honest. Originally I would have said Philly because I assumed Bingo was going to get a few pieces back but after looking at their clear day roster I am not too worried.
**let me say this though...I am NOT an expert on AHL roster moves so I do not know if there are exceptions that would allow other players to return from Ottawa**
I think Philly is very dangerous right now too. They are playing great and the games with the Bears are usually pretty close. That is why I vote for Bingo over Philly.
Now if the Bears lose the division crown I would rather see Bridgeport. Sure they have been good all season and are playing pretty well but Hershey has managed to beat them more times than not.
The team I least want to see at all in the playoffs is Wilkes Barre. Mainly because they have controlled the Bears this season and have looked very good each time the two teams play.
So really I am just rooting for Hershey to win all 3 games this weekend, clinch first place, and help get Bingo into the playoffs. If that happens I will be very happy.
But if it doesn't, I am still confident in this team and I truly believe that in a 7 game series the veterans on this team can beat any other team in this league!
Who do you want to see in Round 1? Vote on the poll to the right and tell me why in the comments.
GO BEARS!!!!
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