Bears earn 5 points in 3 games

Hershey entered the weekend 11 points behind the league leading Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in the East division.

They complete the weekend only 6 points back with a game in hand.

Bears fans...we have a division battle on our hands!

Playing in front of goalie Todd Ford all weekend Hershey managed a win over Albany, a shootout loss over Manitoba on Saturday, and a handling of those same Moose on Sunday at Giant Center.

If you subtract the last 24 minutes from Saturday's game the Bears outscored the opposition 14-5.  Unfortunately you can't erase those 24 minutes when Hershey allowed 3 Manitoba goals. 

For some reason Hershey took their foot off the gas and stopped playing at both ends of the ice on Saturday night.  They didn't protect their goaltender and they couldn't keep their emotions in check.  Sure there some questionable calls (and no calls) by referee Chris Cozzan but Hershey can't let the referee affect the outcome.

Otherwise Hershey played very well all weekend.  They protected Ford and cleared rebounds and played with plenty of intensity.

And they finished well.  Very well. 

Sunday afternoon Hershey and Manitoba entered the 3rd period tied 1-1.  Both teams felt like they had a chance.  Then the Hershey offense showed up.  4 goals over the next 14 minutes and it was over.  And the Moose knew it. 

First 106 minutes of action between the teams = 48 penalty minutes...
Last 6 minutes = 44 penalty minutes.

Not a bad way to finish a back to back against another top team in the league. 

Now Hershey enters a brutal stretch of games.  Beginning Wednesday Hershey plays 20 games over the next 33 games.  13 of the games are on the road including 5 of the next 6.  And they aren't easy road trips.

This week Hershey travels to Manchester on Wednesday (7hrs, 430 miles), Providence on Friday (2 more hours, 100 miles), back to Hershey on Saturday (6 hours, 350 miles), Wilkes Barre on Sunday for a 3:00 game (almost 2 hours, 100 miles), and then they head to Norfolk for a Tuesday game (almost 7 hours, 650 miles).

Total time on the bus...24 hours.  1350 miles.  Over 7 days. 

That's rather brutal.  Throwing that home game in on Saturday was just mean spirited by the AHL.  If they had no game no Saturday it wouldn't be that bad a trip but a 4 in 5 followed by a Tuesday game, 5 of them on the road...that's tough.

Hershey's depth will be tested this upcoming week.  Andrew Joudrey, Andrew Gordon, Maxime Lacroix, Lawrence Nycholat, and Braden Holtby were all scratched last night due to injury.  With as tough a stretch as Hershey has coming up it will be imperative that some of those guys are ready to go. 

Hershey is 6 points back.  The Baby Pens also play 5 times in 7 days beginning tonight.  The Bears MUST come away with at minimum 6-7 points if they hope to keep pace with the Pens for the division lead.

Can the new goalies hold up?  Will DeMichiel even get to play?  Will Holtby be back?  What about Gordon? 

Plenty of questions...not a lot of time.

LET'S GO BEARS!!!!

Bears come home from Winnipeg with 3 points

Friday night saw Andrew Gordon return to the scoresheet in a big way as the Bears leading scorer came away with 2 goals including the game winner with less than 30 seconds remaining. Hershey won the game 4-3.

Saturday night was a different kind of test.

Playing without arguably their 3 best penalty killers (Jay Beagle, Andrew Joudrey, and Boyd Kane) the Bears gave the Moose 12 power plays. Of which they converted 3 of them. I know from watching part of the game on AHLlive.com that some Hershey fans weren't pleased with the job referee Andy Thiessen did last night.

They questioned many of the calls including the call on Sean Collins for tripping at 4:19 of overtime. In my personal opinion the calls weren't that bad. I missed the first period so not including those 5 I would say that of the other 7, 6 were warranted. The only one I truly question was the call on Francois Bouchard midway through the 2nd.

The calls on Collins (slashing and tripping) were dead on. The penalty on Holtby was necessary. As an official you have to make those calls. If those plays had happened TO the Bears we all would have been screaming for calls to be made.

Hershey just didn't seem all there last night. On the Collins call that led to the winning goal I would say that Sean was left out to dry. I am not certain who was on the ice with him but they were not in position and Desbians got behind the defense and was skating in alone. Collins made an attempt to get the puck and almost did so but took down the Moose player instead. A call had to be made.

BUT if the rest of his linemates were paying attention and where they were supposed to be the situation would not have presented itself.

All in all it wasn't a bad game...we have seen much worse this season. But it wasn't what we have to come to expect recently.

Manitoba had to have this game. They had lost 6 straight to Hershey coming in and needed to keep pace with Hamilton in the North. They wanted this one more than the Bears and it showed.

Holtby made some huge saves but the offense never really found their rhythm. The Moose outshot Hershey 34-24 in the game and had more shots in every single period. Dmitri Kugryshev led the Bears with 4 shots. No offense to #15 but if he is leading the Bears in shots than the offense is not playing up to par in that game.

Much of the credit goes to Manitoba. They came out hungry and stopped the Bears offensively and held on for the win.

Overall it was a good weekend for Hershey. 3 points in 2 road games is a solid outcome. That other point would have been nice but there is still plenty of hockey to come. Hershey still sits in 4th place in the East division, 14 points out of first. But with Norfolk and Charlotte tied for 2nd with 47 points the Bears trail them by only 1.

As I mentioned before...there is still plenty of hockey to play. 43 games to be exact.

Hershey now has 5 full days with no games. Many players are surely fighting injuries (Joudrey didn't make the trip due to an injury) and this will give them the chance to heal up and be ready for back to back 3 in 3 weekends.

Next up...the surging (kind of) Adirondack Phantoms. More on them later this week.

LET'S GO BEARS!!!!

Bears visit Moose in Winnipeg

Hopefully every one's passports were in order as the Bears left Central PA today for the flight to Winnipeg, Manitoba to take on the Moose this weekend.

Hershey heads to Canada winners of 5 of 6 and playing as well as they have all season. This week gives Hershey something it hasn't had much of this season...a decent break. The Bears last played on Sunday evening, which makes 4 full days with no hockey. They play twice this weekend (tonight and tomorrow) before getting 5 full days off before they face the Phantoms next Friday in New York.

All in all a good time for some guys to heal up a bit and get ready for the season's second half. As of today the Bears are 13 points out of first but only 2 points out of 2nd in the East division. Wilkes-Barre is the only team in the league with single digit losses (8). And yes I know Norfolk only has 9 regulation losses but those last 2 categories in the standings also mean losses which gives them 17 losses on the year.

The Pens...no overtime or shootout losses. They have legitimately only lost 8 times this year.

But we saw last week that they are beatable and while 13 points seems like a lot it is really just 6.5 wins. With 45 games to play the Bears definitely are still in the running for the division. And there are still 10 points available between the teams. If Hershey can sweep (difficult but not impossible) then they would only need 3 more points to get to the top of the division.

The end of the season is still a ways off though. Let's take a look at the Moose for the immediate future.

Manitoba comes into the weekend having won 8 of their last 9 games including 5 of 6 at home. They have closed the gap in the North division to just one point as they chase the Hamilton Bulldogs for the lead.

And looking at those 9 games makes it obvious that the Moose are definitely playing well at both ends of the ice right now. In those 9 games they have given up just 12 goals. Yes, 12...just over 1 per game. And they have scored 30. 30-12 in their last 9. 2 shutouts and 4 games with one goal allowed. That's an impressive run for any team.

Last year these teams met as well. 2 here in Hershey and 2 in Canada. The Bears won all 4. And overall it wasn't close as Hershey outscored the Moose a combined 21-8. But the 2 games in Winnipeg were close with Hershey winning 2-1 in a shootout for the first and 3-2 in the 2nd meeting.

So the Moose are likely looking for a different outcome this year. The last 5 games against Hershey have not exactly gone as planned. The 4 games last year were bad enough but remember that these teams also met in June of 2009...with Hershey winning the last game that season, game 6 to clinch the Cup!

Completely off topic but here is a fun stat for you....

Keith Aucoin has registered a point in 16 of his 18 games this season. That is seriously consistent. Overall he has 10 goals and 19 assists in 18 games.

He would be leading the Moose in points. In almost half the games of their leading scorer. How awesome is that?!

LET'S GO BEARS!!!!

a few more notes....

Hershey Bears
record ~ 21-13-0-1 41 points
standings ~ 4th in East Division
most recent game ~ 2-0 Win vs Norfolk, 1/2
last 5 games ~ 4-1-0-0
road record ~ 10-5-0-1
goals for ~ 119
goals against ~ 85
power play ~ 20.4% (9th)
penalty kill ~ 83.6% (13th)


Manitoba Moose
record ~ 20-11-0-4 44 points
standings ~ 2nd in North Division
most recent game ~ 2-1 OT Win @ Abbotsford, 1/4
last 5 games ~ 4-1-0-0
home record ~ 11-5-0-0
goals for ~ 102
goals against ~ 87
power play ~ 14.2% (26th)
penalty kill ~ 86.9% (3rd)


last time teams met - First two meetings of four this season. Manitoba visits Hershey on Super Bowl weekend for game Saturday and Sunday. Hershey has won 5 straight against the Moose.


Players to watch:

Hershey:

F Brian Willsie (18) - Nothing flashy but he gets the job done...no matter what it is. He won't finish 1st in goals or assists but he will draws, kill penalties, and contribute where needed. Currently third in goals (12) and tied for second in points (31).
C Keith Aucoin (11) - Above mentioned stat is impressive but more to the point he has recorded a point in 5 straight games (5g, 5a)
LW Kyle Greentree (37) - Still scoring with 5 goals and 2 assists in his last 6 games. Overall he is 2nd on the team in goals (15) and points (31).


Manitoba:

RW Sergei Shirikov (52) - Leading the team in goals (13) and points (28). He has been on a tear of late with points in 8 straight. 7 goals and 3 assists to be exact.
RW Guillaume Desbiens (41) - Not an offensive juggernaut (career high 21 goals in 08-09) but was reassigned to Manitoba on Dec 17. Since then they Moose are 7-1. Coincidence?
LW Bill Sweatt (42) - The rookie is 2nd on the team in points with 23 and 3rd on the team in goals with 8.

Bears again score 8 against Moose

I don't even know what to say anymore. I mean for the second straight game the Bears scored 8 goals in a completely dominating performance.

It all started when Manitoba got an early goal (about 1 minute in). Hershey did not take that well and decided to drop the hammer on the Moose. From then on the game was not in question. It was almost like the Moose players were standing still on half the plays.

This team is playing with extreme confidence and there is nothing that can derail them right now except themselves. Over confidence would be a worry for many teams but there are 2 reasons that I see to prevent that from being an issue....

One is the veteran leadership on this team. Add to that the fact that they all played together last season when they did hit some slumps. They know how it can fall apart and they seem to be fighting against it.

The second reason is the depth. Even if a line like Gordon, Giroux, and Aucoin were to come out and struggle for a few minutes there are 3 more lines to pick up the slack. The Bourque, Perreault, and Bouchard line is humming along playing exceptionally as are the other two lines with guys like Beagle, Wilson, Kane, Pinizzotto, Joudrey, and Osala.

And then there is the defense and goaltending. No offense to Daren Machesney but last season he was a liability for Hershey. When he was in net the defense couldn't rely on him. Braden Holtby however is a goalie that you can rely on. He makes every stop he can, gets in the opposing forwards faces, and is always ready to play.

Honestly I have been following this team very closely over the past 3 seasons since I started this blog and there is no way that at any point in that time they were playing this good. It is just phenomenal to watch the play at both ends. I mean it literally looks like the opposing players are just standing there and watching.

Last night on a power play, not sure the period but I think the second, I watched Giroux (I think it was him) skate complete circles around the offensive zone with no Moose players catching him before he found a place to shoot or pass from.

The passing last night was ridiculous. You aren't supposed to be able to do what they did against that level of competition. Yet the Bears did it and they made it look easy.

This is not a team that you can knock out early with an opening minute goal. That only fires them up even more. This is a team that thrives on another teams intensity. The more the other team is ready to play the better Hershey seems to play.

14 straight home wins. Multiple players getting ready to tie or break career bests in scoring. 4 of the last 5 games have seen 7+ goals. They have won 17 of their last 18 games.

And all this without the goalie that started the season as the reigning playoff MVP and the Bears #1, Michal Neuvirth.

How can you stop a team this balanced? Last year the defense and goaltending were known weaknesses. Teams were able to exploit them on occasion and get some wins. Last years team went through a couple patches where the top line was the only line to score.

This year...none of that.

Last year Giroux had 97 points while Aucoin had 96. This year both are on pace to break 100 points, Aucoin would get 116 while Giroux would get 110 if they play in all the remaining games and average the same points per game they have now.

To another franchise looking in here it can't even seem fair. You aren't supposed to be this good in the minor leagues. And it isn't like there are loads of veterans and a shortage of prospects on this team. Gordon, Bouchard, Bourque, Perreault, Wilson, Osala, Pinner, Carlson, McNeill, Beagle....they can all be considered legitimate prospects. Sure you have guys like Aucoin, Giroux, Kane, and Helmer but that isn't that many big time AHL free agents. And while Aucoin has had lots of scoring success elsewhere (a 99 points season for Albany) most of the others have had their best seasons with Hershey.

I don't know. The one thing I am sure of is enjoy it while its here. Enjoy another playoff run, enjoy the records that will fall this spring. Because eventually all teams have down years and all teams break up or fall apart. Many of the current team are free agents after the season including Aucoin, Giroux, Wilson, Beagle, Bourque, Gordon, Kane, and surely others are all either unrestricted or restricted free agents.

Will they leave? I don't know. But guys like Gordon, Aucoin, and Giroux are going to want another shot at the NHL I would think...I mean wouldn't you? Bourque got a taste of it this year and he might get a shot elsewhere although who knows.

Either way, enjoy this team now because there are no guarantees that they will be together next season. Last night the attendance figures were a new regular season record for Hershey. I encourage everyone to help break that record again this season. This team is definitely worth the price of admission.


Last nights game....

Hershey lit up former Bear goaltender Daren Machesney for 8 goals after ringing up 8 against Manitoba's #1 Cory Schneider on Friday night.

Hershey got goals from Keith Aucoin (24th and 25th of the season), Oskar Osala (12), Jay Beagle (9), John Carlson (2), Andrew Gordon (21), Chris Bourque (13), and Boyd Kane (16).

Braden Holtby made 31 saves on 33 shots to pick up yet another win.

As for the stars of the game....

the whole team to be honest. One of the most complete hockey games I have seen from any Bears team. With the exception of the first minute and a half they played phenomenally all game.

As for grading the performance....

A+ for all. Absolutely dominating performance of a team that absolutely wanted to beat Hershey in the worst way. Completely devastated the Moose confidence last night by scoring 3 times in a 5 minute span after Manitoba scored the first goal.

All aspects of the game showed up and performed last night....exceptional.

Bears put 8 on the board against Moose

Well Hershey started out a little sluggish as they turned the puck over numerous times yet still managed to escape the 1st period with a 2-1 lead on goals by Andrew Joudrey (6th of season) and Keith Aucoin (23).

Manitoba couldn't take advantage of Hershey's sloppy play as they played somewhat sloppy in the first as well. Both teams were coming off extended breaks due to the all star game but only one team had to travel.

And in the end it seemed to take its toll. Hershey scored 2 more times in the second on goals from Chris Bourque (12) and Steve Pinizzotto (8) while Manitoba got 1 to make it 4-2 after 2 periods.

Manitoba started out the 3rd with a goal from Marco Rosa to close the gap to 1 at 4-3. Then Hershey erupted scoring 4 times against goaltender Cory Schneider to take a 8-3 lead and victory.

It was the most goals Manitoba has given up this season and from what I can find it has been a long time since they gave up that many goals. It hasn't happened in the last 5 seasons. Although there was some sign of this as the Moose have now given up 6 or more goals in 3 straight games after only allowing more than 5 once before this.

Could Daren Machesney get the start tonight in goal for the Moose? I don't see why he wouldn't, Schneider isn't playing well enough to get wins right now but neither is the defense. It would be good to see Cheese make a start back in Hershey.

Hershey's 4 goals in the 3rd were scored by Andrew Gordon (20), Oskar Osala (11), Kyle Wilson (17), and Jay Beagle (8). Alexander Giroux had 2 assists while Aucoin had a goal and an assist as both extended their point streaks to 12 games while Wilson extended his goal scoring streak to 5 games.

Braden Holtby made the start in goal and made some huge saves early in the game when the Bears were putting him in bad spots. He finished the game with 22 saves on 25 shots. Not a great night but it was definitely enough.

These teams meet again tonight. Hershey has now won 13 straight home games with hopes to make that 14 tonight. Manitoba has now lost 3 straight and 5 of their last 7 so they will be desperately looking for a win as they have 4 more road games after tonight before heading home.

Tonights game will serve as a test for both teams. Hershey just dominated this team, can they get up and be ready for another game or will over confidence take control? Manitoba has hit a rough slide, can their defense and goaltending step up against the AHL's premier offense?

Manitoba will bring everything they have tonight as they try to avoid a 4th straight loss overall and a 5th straight defeat to Hershey. The Bears have to be ready.


My Three Stars of the Game:

1. Keith Aucoin - a goal and an assist to extend his points streak to 12 games
2. Jay Beagle - a shorthanded goal and 2 assists
3. Marco Rosa - only Moose player who seemed to show up as he scored twice

Grading the Performance:

• Offense A It wasn't a complete performance as they didn't even have a shot until about 7 minutes into the game and only had 8 shots in the first period. But they made the most of their shots all game scoring on over 20% of their shots. As the game went on the got better and better and eventually they broke through.
• Defense B Definitely not the best performance this unit has had. They struggled mightily in the first, relying on Holtby multiple times after defensive letdowns. Managed to get involved offensively while shutting down the Moose enough to get an impressive W.
• Goaltending B Like the defense it wasn't the most impressive performance but in the end it was enough. He has put the bar so high that when he lets in a goal you are somewhat shocked and question why he didn't have it.
• Power Play B+ 25% on the power play last night....another impressive performance. But considering how the Moose were playing this should have been about 50%.
• Penalty Kill B+ Got caught kind of standing around on the first Moose power play and it cost them a goal. Picked up the play and killed off the remaining attempts.
• Overall B+ When you score 8 goals and only allow 3 you are doing something right but the first period left a lot to be desired. Once they got their legs under them and started really playing they dominated what is fast becoming a lesser opponent.

Moose visit Hershey for 2 games this weekend

Nothing like coming back from the all star break to play against the team you defeated in last seasons Calder Cup finals.

Manitoba is in town for 2 games this weekend, tonight and tomorrow. Hershey has won 12 straight at home and defeated Manitoba 2 times a couple weeks ago in Manitoba.

The Moose have not spent much time on the road recently. These games will be only their 3rd and 4th road games in over a month. Fortunately for them they won both those road games, in Abbotsford.

Coming off the all star break is tough for all players. The players that were in the game this past Tuesday have at least been practicing and playing recently but that was entirely different than preparing for a regular season game against a true opponent.

As for the players that weren't in the game, they haven't been doing as much this past week. Sure some, maybe all, probably took some time to skate and keep moving and playing but again they were without their coaches and were just going through the motions.

Because of this I would expect the Bears to come out sluggish in the first period as they get their legs back underneath of them.

But you know what would make all this even worse...having to travel 1500 miles to play 2 games!

That is Manitoba's task this weekend. While they did not have as many players in the All Star game their remaining players were surely given some time off. And now they have to make the long trek to Hershey for 2 games against the best team in the AHL.

To even it up for them though Hershey might go with Jason Bacashihua in net tonight. Coach French would like to start Braden Holtby but he just returned from the ECHL All Star game in California.

Yes you read that correctly...the East Coast Hockey League had their All Star game in a place called Ontario, California. Ok I know the league is more than just a regional league but I was surprised at the location.

Either way Holtby made the cross country flight and could still start tonight but you have to wonder if his legs might be a little tired. I would think starting Cash might be the best move for the Bears tonight with Holtby going tomorrow night after he has had time to stretch out.

Looking forward to the games this weekend and for the Bears to extend their record home winning streak to 13 and then 14 games.

**something else for you...I just got done with the information below this point and was amazed at how much deeper Hershey is than the Moose.

• Hershey has 8 players with 10+ goals, Manitoba has 2
• Hershey has 10 players with 20+ points, Manitoba has 3
• Hershey has 5 players with 20+ assists, Manitoba has 0
• Hershey has 4 players averaging OVER a point per game, Manitoba has 0
• Hershey has 15 players that are a +10 or better, Manitoba has 0

I would imagine that comparing Hershey to just about any other team in the league would bring similar results but still....how impressive is that???**


Hershey Bears
record ~ 32-9-0-2 64 points
standings ~ 1st in East Division
most recent game ~ 4-3 Win vs Syracuse, 1/17
last 5 games ~ 4-1-0-0
home record ~ 17-3-0-2
goals for ~ 173
goals against ~93
power play ~ 20.2% (3rd)
penalty kill ~ 91.2% (1st)


Manitoba Moose
record ~ 23-17-4-1 51 points
standings ~ 3rd in North Division
most recent game ~ 6-2 Loss vs Milwaukee, 1/16
last 5 games ~ 2-3-0-0
road record ~ 9-8-2-0
goals for ~ 108
goals against ~ 123
power play ~ 13.3% (25th)
penalty kill ~ 83.8% (12th)

last time teams met - Hershey won a shootout 2-1 on January 8 and won the next night 3-2. Both games in Manitoba. These are the final meetings of the season between the teams.


Players to watch:

Hershey:

RW Andrew Gordon (10)- Third on the team in goals (19) and points (43). He scored a goal in each of the previous games against the Moose and has 4 goals and 4 assists in the last 8 games.
G Braden Holtby (1) - He was stellar in the 2 games north of the border a couple weeks ago. He will likely be called upon again for at least one game this weekend.
LW Alexander Giroux and C Keith Aucoin (12,11) - These two are almost tied at the hip it seems. Both are on 11 game point streaks, both are AVERAGING over 1.5 points per game this season, both just played in the All Star game, and combined they have over 100 points this season. During the last 11 games alone they have combined for 17 goals and 24 assists.

Manitoba:

RW Sergei Shirikov (52) - The rookie leads the Moose in goals (14) and points (31). He scored 1 goal in the two games against Hershey earlier this month and has 3 goals and 5 assists in his last 7 games.
C Marco Rosa (29) - Second on the team in goals (11) and points (29). Also had 1 goal against the Bears and has 5 goals and 3 assists in his last 8 games.
G Cory Schneider (35) - Probably the only reason Manitoba even remained in the games at home earlier this month. Schneider has been solid all season, 19-11-1 with 2.40 gaa and a .919 save percentage. But he has been weaker this month going 2-3-1 with a 3.11 gaa and a .901 save percentage. He will have to be playing his best for Moose to win this weekend.


LET'S GO BEARS!!!

Wilson makes it 12 straight

Kyle Wilson scored his 11th goal of the season with just over 3 minutes remaining in the 3rd period to give the Hershey Bears their 12th straight victory, a new franchise record.

Coming into the 3rd period the Bears were trailing 2-1 after 2 second period goals by the Moose. Chris Bourque scored his 9th on a nice play from Mathieu Perreault to tie the game at 2-2 before Wilson's heroics.

It wasn't easy after that though as referee Kyle Rehman started calling penalties on the Bears. With about a minute and a half left in the game he made a too many men call against the Bears and during the call he also dismissed Boyd Kane from the game. Not sure what Kane said or did but apparently he insulted Rehman in some fashion. And just to make it clear...the penalty for too many men was a good call. Beagle was damn near still in the offensive zone when his replacement jumped over the boards.

The penalties didn't end there though as John Carlson was called for a cross checking penalty with only 5 seconds remaining. Again it was the correct call. And just a note...another too many men call was missed by the officials at about the one minute mark. For a good 2-3 seconds the Bears were playing the penalty kill with 5 guys. So while Rehman might have made some questionable calls there were still others that he missed.

This game started the same way Friday nights game went, a defensive goaltending battle between Braden Holtby and Cory Schneider. Andrew Gordon scored his 18th of the season about halfway through the first period and then a Moose breakaway led to their first goal, scored by Sergei Shirokov shorthanded. The Bears had gone with 5 forwards during a 5 on 3 and they turned the puck over and Shirokov beat Holtby through the 5 hole.

After that the offenses seemed to pick up the pace a bit. Later in the 2nd Marco Rosa converted a beautiful feed by Guillaume Desbians for the Moose's second goal and first lead of the weekend.

They carried that lead into the 3rd before the Bears came back and won in the closing minutes. Hershey will return home tomorrow before heading down to Norfolk for a game Wednesday night. It was a successful weekend yet again and the 09-10 Bears are now franchise record holders with 12 straight wins.


My Three Stars of the Game:

1. Kyle Wilson - game winning goal on a nice individual play
2. Andrew Gordon - scored another goal this weekend
3. Braden Holtby - stopped 33 of 35 shots to pick up yet another win for the rookie

Grading the Performance:

• Offense | B | Actually took less shots than Friday night, 26, but I thought they were more meaningful. They got Schneider moving side to side and managed to get some good looks. I would like to see Perreault shoot a bit more as he was open a couple times and elected to make questionable passes instead. Lots of one-timers and solid movement in the offensive zone.
• Defense | B | There were some poor plays including John Carlson not tying up Rosa as he scored the 2nd goal of the game for the Moose. I thought Zach Miscovic and Sean Collins had very solid games at both ends although Collins did make a poor decision in the 3rd period when he made a pass towards the Hershey bench as they were making a line change...which resulted in the first of 2 too many men calls.
• Goaltending | B | I think Holtby's weakness is definitive now....5 hole. Fortunately this does not usually affect him during game play as breakaways are not super common (although the Moose had a few in 2 games) but Holtby needs to figure out how to block the huge opening he leaves when he goes side to side. Otherwise...how the hell can this guy not stay in Hershey this season??
• Power Play | F | That was one of the worst 5 on 3 power plays I have ever seen. From miscommunication to giving up a shortie that power play was piss poor. The Moose do a good job in front of their own net but you have to be able to get shots on net during power plays if you want to win.
• Penalty Kill | A | They killed off everything they needed to including a 6 on 4 for the final minute and a half in regulation. Just like they have done all season.
• Overall | B | Another solid performance that could have been better. Long road trip to face an out of conference opponent can take a lot out of a team but the Bears managed to win 2 in 2 nights against a formidable opponent.

Congrats Bears on a new franchise record....let's see you extend it Wednesday night.

Bears win in Manitoba, tie franchise record

Last season the Hershey Bears won 11 in a row during the regular season. That was a new franchise record that many thought would stand a while.

Well if the Bears win tonight that record will fall.

Last night in a defensive goaltending battle in Winnipeg the Bears got the win in a shootout to extend their winning streak to 11 games, tying the record.

Both goalies, Braden Holtby of the Bears and Cory Schneider of the Moose, were spectacular....during regulation and overtime anyway. Once the shootout started it seemed that both goalies were a little under prepared. Each team scored 3 times in their first 4 shots before the goalies seemed to catch up and started making saves. Hershey won in the 7th round with a goal from Andrew Gordon and a stop by Holtby on Matt Pope.

Neither team offered overwhelming offensive play during regulation and overtime as both defenses seemed to lock down their zones. Gordon scored his 17th of the season 13 seconds into the 2nd period and Matt Pettinger beat the Bears defense and Holtby for his 7th of the season.

The only other real chance for either team came via a penalty shot for Mathieu Perreault of the Bears. It was a questionable call by referee Kyle Rehman as Perry was barely clear on the breakaway AND got off a shot on Schneider. Typically if a player gets the shot off they do not award a penalty shot, maybe a penalty but typically not a penalty shot. In the end neither hurt the Moose as Schneider made the save on both the breakaway and the penalty shot and the game remained tied at 1-1.

The shootout loss for the Moose was their first of the season. Coming into the game they were 6-0 in shootouts including winning 2 of their last 3 games in that fashion. For the Bears it was only their 4th overtime game of the season and it was their first shootout win. Prior to last night Hershey was 0-2 in shootouts this season.

Tonight the two teams will again face off as Holtby gets another start in net and Manitoba is expected to go with former Bear Daren Machesney in goal. Cheese is having a rough year so far. He is 4-9 with a 2.97 goals against average and a .903 save percentage. It would be good to see Cheese have a little success tonight but at the same time I would love to see a 5-0 dominating performance from the Bears.


My Three Stars of the Game:

1. Braden Holtby - made 30 of 31 saves during play and made the important stops in the shootout.
2. Cory Schneider - stopped 33 of 34 shots but couldn't make the biggest saves in the shootout.
3. Andrew Gordon - scored Hershey's lone goal during the game and scored the game winner in the shootout.

Grading the Performance:

• Offense B- Nothing spectacular although they did end up with 34 shots. Many of those shots were without traffic in front and were awfully easy saves for Schneider. They didn't seem to get Schneider moving all that much and he seemed to see just about everything.
• Defense B+ There were a couple instances of players getting caught up ice or not quite getting their feet moving quick enough to get back but overall they kept Holtby clean in net. Bryan Helmer in particular looked somewhat slow at times but he was surely not the only one, Zach Miscovic and Patty McNeill also struggled at times.
• Goaltending A Another excellent performance by Holtby although a weakness might have been found. Every goal that beat him last night (1 in regulation, 3 in shootout) seemed to go 5 hole. Pettinger's goal in the 2nd period looked easy as he got Holtby going sideways and beat him.
• Power Play ? Really no way to judge one power play chance but they did get some pressure and had a shot or two. Nothing special.
• Penalty Kill A They killed off all 3 chances and looked pretty good doing so. Kept the puck out of the zone and kept the Moose chasing each other during their chances.
• Overall B They did enough to win but didn't do enough to dominate. This is the kind of game you see in the playoffs and it was great to see the Bears win but they had their chances but couldn't seem to convert them.

Bears visit Manitoba for 2 games this weekend

Well the Bears are back in Winnipeg for the first time since June. And what a wonderful time it was then. Hershey clinched the Calder Cup the last time they were there.

The stakes aren't as high tonight and tomorrow, as the Bears play 2 there this weekend, but all the games are still important. Hershey enters tonight's contest with a 10 game winning streak. The franchise record is 11, set last season, and the team can tie and break that in Manitoba.

This is not the same team Hershey saw last June. Of the 10 leading scorers for the Moose in the 2009 season and playoffs only 3 players are in the top 1o again this season, Mike Keane, Guillaume Desbians, and Michael Grabner. Even beyond the top scorers the team is much different.

On this years team you have players with NHL experience such as Mathieu Schneider, who was just assigned to Manitoba, and Matt Pettinger, a longtime Cap. As well as some former Bears including Daren Machesney, Lawrence Nycholat, and Tom Maxwell.

While they aren't the same team they are still good. Currently sitting in 3rd in the North division they are 7 points out of 1st and are on a 4 game winning streak. They aren't as dangerous in the offensive end as they are tied for 3rd lowest in the league in goals scored. Defensively they are solid but not quite as good as last year.

Even still with the long road trip the games will be difficult this weekend. If the Bears can manage to win both games they will return to Hershey with a new franchise record winning streak.

There is no reason to think the Bears won't be ready to show that they are still the class of the league by beating the team they went through for the Cup last Spring.


Hershey Bears
record ~ 27-8-0-2 56 points
standings ~ 1st in East Division
most recent game ~ 4-1 Win vs Adirondack, 1/3
last 5 games ~ 5-0-0-0
road record ~ 12-5-0-0
goals for ~ 144
goals against ~81
power play ~ 18.8% (6th)
penalty kill ~ 91.0% (1st)


Manitoba Moose
record ~ 21-14-4-0 46 points
standings ~ 3rd in North Division
most recent game ~ 5-4 SO Win vs Texas, 1/2
last 5 games ~ 4-1-0-0
home record ~ 14-6-2-0
goals for ~ 94
goals against ~ 102
power play ~ 12.1% (27th)
penalty kill ~ 82.8% (15th)

last time teams met - Bears clinched their 10th Calder Cup in June of 2009. This is the first of 4 meetings this season. Manitoba visits Hershey at the end of the month.


Players to watch:

Hershey:

C Keith Aucoin (11)- The league leader in goals with 19 he also has a 5 game point streak. Has been on fire all season. 5 goals and 6 assists in his last 5 games.
LW Oskar Osala (36) - He has been a little less consistent this season with his points coming in little streaks. Has 4 goals and 3 assists in his last 6 games.
G Braden Holtby (1) - Absolutely ridiculous this season. He hasn't lost in regulation since October 11th or at all since November 21. Overall he is 9-1-1 with a 1.45 goals against average and a .949 save percentage. Phenomenal numbers.

Moose:

RW Sergei Shirokov (52) - The rookie leads the team in goals (12) and points (26). Scored a goal and 2 assists in their last game but only had 2 assists in his previous 5 games.
LW Michael Grabner (40) - Has only played in 9 games for the Moose this season as he has spent some time in the NHL but he has 7 goals and 3 assists in his 9 games.
LW Matt Pettinger (18) - Former Capital spent parts of 5 seasons with Washington. He has 6 goals and 6 assists in 20 games with the Moose this season.


LET'S GO BEARS!!!

Bears Win 10th Cup!!!

Well how about that? Hershey never gave the Moose a chance in game 6 and is now the only team in AHL HISTORY with 10 Calder Cup Championships.

WOOOOOOO!!!!!!

Just over 11 minutes into the game and the Bears were already up 3-0 and the Moose were struggling to find any offensive pressure at all. And when they did find some offense Michal Neuvirth was there to shut the door on them.

After a 2nd period goal from Manitoba and an empty net goal from Keith Aucoin Hershey locked up the win 4-1.

It was a special celebration for any and all the players but some like Aucoin, Quintin Laing, Alexandre Giroux, and captain Bryan Helmer it meant that much more. Aucoin, Laing, and Giroux were titleless coming into this season and Helmer hadn't won the title since his 2nd year in the league...14 years ago. In what might have been the final game of his career Helmer was able to lift the Calder Cup above his head one more time.

Neuvirth was named playoff MVP after recording 16 wins, 4 shutouts, and just incredible numbers throughout the postseason. Without his play Hershey would not have won the Cup. He was absolutely the most deserving player on the ice for this award.

Tonight at 7 the Bears will celebrate with the fans before taking a well deserved break and spending quality time with family and friends.

Congrats to all the players who made this possible and to the coaches and management who put this incredible group on the ice for us to see!!

LET'S GO BEARS!!!!

Must Win for Hershey??

I guess it isn't technically a must win for the Bears tonight but it kind of feels that way. If Manitoba is somehow able to pull out the W then the Bears would have to play a game 7 against a team with a lot of confidence and momentum at their home rink. I am not sure I would be able to sit down for any of that game.

Hell I might not sit down for tonight's game!

Coach Woods made mention of it the other day in the newspaper....the pressure has shifted to the Moose. Tuesday's game 6 had all the pressure on the Bears. Manitoba was able to come out and leave everything on the ice without really worrying about if they would win or not. Sure if they lost they would be done but they weren't expected to win and it wouldn't have surprised anyone if they would have lost.

When you are down 3-1 or 3-0 there is not much hope for you. Most people figure it is just a matter of time but when you are down 3-2 everyone starts to do the math....only 2 games left...we have won 2 games in a row many times. Add to that the games being in Manitoba and the Moose are almost expected to win the next 2.

They were the higher seed, best defensive team in the league during the season, have 2 home games remaining, and won the last game in Hershey.

Hershey still has the pressure of being up and this game can clinch but I think being down by 1 game like the Moose are will cause them to push a little harder and possibly make some mistakes.

Either way it will be a very good game tonight in Winnipeg. If you are heading down to the GC to watch the game enjoy yourselves. I will be at a friends house with food and drink watching to see if Hershey can claim their 10th Calder Cup.


LET'S GO BEARS!!!!

WOOOOOOO!!!!!

2 More Chances

Wouldn't it have been incredible had they been able to tie the game at the end??? The Giant Center might not have a roof right now if they had!

Here are a few quick thoughts:

• It seemed as though the ice was very choppy last night. With the warm weather, almost 11,000 fans, and the high humidity definitely had an effect. Both teams struggled controlling the puck as it was bouncing around like crazy all night long. Passes would get through and then seemed to give players fits when it got to them.
• Cory Schneider was easily the best player on the ice last night. Hershey threw everything they could at him in the first 2 periods but couldn't beat him.
• The refereeing was interesting for lack of a better word. He let a lot of stuff go including some very obvious calls. But as long as it is the same for both teams I don't think anyone can complain. I doubt the AHL is looking for a officiating job like that though as it was NOTHING like any other game this season.
• Andrew Gordon, Chris Bourque, and Steve Pinizzotto were the best Bears on the ice. I was unimpressed with the MAG line last night as they seemed to fight the puck more than anyone else.

The pressure now shifts to the shoulders of the Moose in my opinion. I think being up 3-0 or 3-1 makes the clinching game the hardest to win because the team trailing is leaving everything on the ice. And Manitoba surely did that last night. They left everything on the ice and no the question is...do they have enough left for Friday?

Hershey had so much pressure on them last night that I was actually expecting to see an early Manitoba goal but even with the pressure Hershey outplayed Manitoba for most of the game. If it wasn't for a 1 minute stretch in the second the outcome likely would have been different.


I have to say this...I have said a few things about the fans on here and while there are always going to be fans that think they know what the players should be doing I have to give everyone some credit.....

Anytime you watch a game for any sport and the visiting team scores you typically here the crowd get very quiet....except in Hershey. It was very encouraging to see (hear) the Let's Go Bears chant right after the goals. Even after the 2nd goal the crowd stayed behind the team. It was a very impressive act in my opinion.


In case you haven't heard Game 6 will be televised by WHTM 27. However it will NOT be on their main channel so many of us will not get the game on TV. Personally I live in York County and do not have Comcast or Verizon which means that I do not get the game.

But as luck would have it we have options...

Giant Center WILL show the game on the scoreboard screens Friday night. If you are a season ticket holder you can get in at 715 and choose your seats and if you are a non season ticket fan you can get in at 730. Parking is free, admission is free, and some concession stands WILL be open.

Bears 1 Win Away

Michal Neuvirth was again a savior for the Bears last night as the Moose threw everything they could at him and he stopped all but 1 of their shots. He faced 31 shots and made 30 saves as he actually improved his already impressive numbers this postseason.

Kyle Wilson and Keith Aucoin managed to score the 2 goals necessary to get a Bears victory which sets up an opportunity on Tuesday night that Hershey hasn't seen since 1980....a Calder Cup clinching win on home ice!

For the second night in a row Hershey outplayed Manitoba in just about every aspect of the game. They finished every check (causing 2 Moose players to seek medical attention after the game), got to every loose puck, killed off any and all penalties, and made terrific passes in the offensive and defensive zones.

The only thing that seemed to trouble Hershey was the Moose penalty kill. I made the comment earlier this weekend that the lack of pressure from the Moose PK unit was benefiting the Bears power play. And that was true until last night. Last night marked a change in strategy for the Moose PK unit as they looked more like the Providence PK then they did the team Hershey saw in games 1-3. If you were one of the hundreds of fans yelling 'SHOOT' while Hershey was on the power play then maybe this will help you....they weren't facing the same PK unit as they did in games 1-3.

Obviously if you had watched the games the past 2 nights though you would be pretty confident that Hershey doesn't need their power play to score to be successful to win. Playing at even strength Hershey controlled Manitoba for much of the game. But a power play goal or two would be fine with me Tuesday night.

But let's keep this in mind too....it isn't over yet. Remember the Capitals were down 3-1 against the Rangers and won the series...and Hershey was down 3-2 after losing 3 straight to the Pens before they won 2 straight. With all the leadership and desire on this Bears team I would be really surprised if there was even a minor let down Tuesday night but Manitoba is playing for their season and they won't be put away easily.

An early goal or some huge saves from Neuvy and you will probably see some frustration take over for the Moose.


My Three Stars of the Game

1. Michal Neuvirth - 30 saves on 31 shots was again HUGE for Hershey
2. Cory Schneider - If Manitoba scores another goal he could have be the 1st star
3. Steve Pinizzotto - Great hustle and disruption from the 4th line pest...great game Pinner

Grading the Performance

• Offense - A - 2 goals is obviously not enough but 33 shots on goal is an improvement. Good passing and good pressure all game long led to many good chances. They had the Manitoba defense confused and flustered most of the game.
• Defense - B+ - Tyler Sloan and Karl Alzner deserve a lot of credit for their discipline and positioning. Sloan hustled every time he needed to and Alzner always seems to make the right decision. The only problem from this unit was really the few times Hershey couldn't get the puck out of their own zone but that wasn't terrible either.
• Goaltending - A+ - Excellent game again making big save after big save. Get a good look at him now because he MIGHT not be back next season...maybe a Cap.
• Power Play - C - As I said above this unit was pressured heavily and it showed in their performance. The lone PP goal was a 5 on 3 and even that was lucky and sloppy. I don't think they were ready for the pressure Manitoba put on them.
• Penalty Kill - A - 5 chances and 5 kills. Excellent job again from everyone involved no matter how many guys they were down.
• Overall - B+ - Very good game and almost perfect but it was a little too close for comfort at the end. They dominated similarly to the Saturday night game but unfortunately it was a much closer game.

LET'S GO BEARS....1 MORE TO GO!!!!

14 Down....2 To Go!

That game last night reminded me of games 6 and 7 against Wilkes Barre. Manitoba had their chances but between the defense and Michal Neuvirth they didn't get any goals.

Neuvirth has now recorded 4 shutouts this playoff season which is 1 off the franchise record of 5. ALL of his shutouts have come at home including 2 in clinching games. But that only tells part of the story...check out his stats at home:

win/lose - 8-1
save % - .959
gaa - 1.11

That is ridiculous and in all respect to Alexandre Giroux and his 25 points in the playoffs...right now Neuvirth IS your playoff MVP.

Neuvy was spectacular again last night as he made save after save and managed to stop everything whether he saw it or not. The 5 on 3 penalty kill in the second was great for momentum and it solidified Neuvirth (in my mind anyway) as the MVP of this team right now.

The defense was great too though. They took the body, cleared the puck, blocked numerous shots, and just played sound positionally hockey. The being in position part is critical against a team like Manitoba too. The Moose are good and they WILL take advantage of mistakes but last night Hershey didn't make many and the ones they did make were masked by the play of Neuvy.

Secondary scoring is still a problem in my eyes. Yes Graham Mink and Quintin Laing scored last night but Laing's was an empty net goal so that barely counts. BUT even though I consider this a problem the fact remains you only have to score more than the other team...it doesn't matter how you do it or who does it...if you score more you win.

I do have to give credit to one player in particular last night who I thought played as well as anyone on the ice...Chris Bourque. Lots of fans have a problem with him and they are paying so that is their right BUT last night you have to acknowledge that he played an incredible game. The penalty he took WAS a penalty (one should have been called on the Moose too though) but I don't think it was a terrible penalty as far as what was going on. He hustled all night, moved the puck as well as anyone, and played every aspect of the game as well as it can be played.

Now onto tonight's game. IF Hershey is too win tonight they better be ready in the first period. Manitoba is up against it now...they do not want to go down 3-1 in this series and will come out firing. There was some extra curricular activities after the final whistle last night and players like Steve Pinizzotto and Dean Arsene need to keep their heads on in the early stages of tonight's game. NO BAD PENALTIES!! The Moose will probably bring the physical game early and see if they can force some penalties on the 'hotheads' on Hershey's bench. If they do it will make for an interesting game.

Great job last night Bears.....2 to go!! Let's get 1 tonight!!


My Three Stars of the Game:

1. Michal Neuvirth - 28 saves to record the previously mentioned shutout
2. Graham Mink - game winner (first goal of game) by going to the net hard
3. Chris Bourque - best player on the ice in my opinion

Grading the Performance:

• Offense - B+ - Should have been more in my opinion. I know Coiner missed an open net and a couple other guys did to as the puck seemed to bounce at bad times. Still only 24 shots on a goalie of Schneider's caliber is not enough. But they made good use of the shots they took and if they do it again they will win again.
• Defense - A - The entire unit did great. Karl Alzner played for the first time since game 4 against the Pens and he was great last night. Very steady...very heady play from the kid...he will be missed next season as he moves to the Caps. Tyler Sloan was also VERY good last night. He has definitely taken some heat this season but last night he showed why the Caps have so much faith in him.
• Goaltending - A+ - What else can I say? Amazing!
• Power Play - A - They only had 3 opportunities as Koharski elected to let NUMEROUS calls for BOTH teams go last night but they converted on 2 of the 3. Excellent job moving the puck. It is nice to see a team not pressure as much as Providence or Wilkes Barre as it gives our guys time to set up.
• Penalty Kill - A - While Manitoba has done well on the power play this series most of those have come with 5 on 3 advantages. Seeing them kill off a 5 on 3 was great for the team and for momentum. Awesome game from this unit...GREAT HUSTLE to get pucks out of the zone.
• Overall - A - I said at the beginning that this reminded me off the last 2 of the Wilkes Barre series...those were some of the most complete games I have seen all season from this team. Tim Leone said the other day that this team was playing as well as they have all season and I would have disagreed with him then...but now....absolutely. Great game all around and if they can do it 2 more times in the next 3 days we will get to see the Cup in Hershey!!

LET'S GO BEARS!!!!

Bears Need 'Great Depth' To Help

I have been reading all about Hershey's supreme depth over the past few days as one reason why they will beat the Moose. While I agree that during the season and in previous rounds their depth was a big plus I haven't seen it yet in this series.

In Game 2 the Bears looked tired at the end of the game. You could see it in the way some of them were skating and how they weren't giving it their all at the end of the game. So the depth really didn't play into the game too much in that game.

The other BIG problem with the so called depth is there is currently no scoring help for Giroux. The Bears have scored 6 goals in the series and he has 4 of them. And Osala has the other 2 so I wouldn't say there is any scoring depth right now.

Guys like Bourque, Gordon, Mink, and Wilson need to start producing soon because Giroux can not win this series by himself.

That being said I am giving you 2 players to watch for Hershey tonight. I feel like they are going to produce and I think tonight is the night.

• Chris Bourque - has played very well just hasn't gotten the puck in the net as of yet. He has been close though and I think a goal is coming tonight....at least 1.
• Keith Aucoin - in each of the first two games Coiner actually shot the puck on odd man rushes which is a big change from the usual. I think he is due to put on in the back of the net...let's hope it comes tonight.

Just a thought here....in 07 the Bears had home ice against Hamilton and lost game 1 but won game 2 before losing 3 straight on the road as the fighting Carey Price's won the cup that year. Sure there isn't a dominant goalie this season like then but Manitoba lost game 1, won game 2, could they lose the next 3 on the road to the fighting Giroux's??

I sure hope so!

LET'S GO BEARS!!!!

Bears and Moose Tied at 1 Game Each

Well Hershey definitely came out firing last night. They played possibly their best 1st period in the past few weeks but it wasn't enough. After firing on all cylinders for the first 20 minutes they struggled to get any shots in the 2nd and then they appeared tired late in the 3rd period.

It ended up biting them when they gave up the winning goal with less then a minute to go in the game. It was a shot from Jason Jaffray that went off of Bryan Helmer's stick that got by Michal Neuvirth with only 46 seconds left to go.

Personally I think this was the 2nd best outcome for the Bears last night. Obviously the best option would be winning but here are my reasons why this could have been worse:

• If they make it to overtime and lose they are just giving a team that has struggled in OT some confidence for the next time,
• If they get blown out they obviously doubt themselves and the Moose then have the confidence and momentum,
• If they trail all game they also allow the Moose to gain confidence and the momentum,
• If they would have given up a bigger lead and lost it would have caused the same as the two above choices.

By losing late in the game on a deflected shot they still have the confidence and neither team has momentum. Sure the Moose gained some confidence but more than anything they are just glad they didn't lose both their home games. Where as Hershey is surely disappointed that they didn't win a very winnable game but they still achieved their main goal...win 1 of the first 2 in Winnipeg.

Some notes and observations from the game last night:

• For the first time in a long time Hershey looked tired at the end of the game. Guys weren't skating hard and while they outshot the Moose in the 3rd they still didn't look their best.
• Someone other than Alexander Giroux better step up and score some goals or it is going to be a long series.
• Guys need to stop slashing opponents. ALL season 2 players have continuously gotten slashing calls called on them for being stupid with their sticks....Keith Aucoin and Chris Bourque. And Aucoin did it again last night. He actually got called twice (the 2nd call was bogus) but still the first penalty was well deserved and a stupid play.
• Surprised to see Patty McNeill in the lineup last night. After getting burned multiple times in game 1 I thought he would be sitting again. I still think he should sit as he got burned a couple more times last night.
• Good to see Greg Amadio in the lineup though. Not sure what happened with Carlson. He made a couple errors in game 1 so maybe it was a way to get his focus back.
• The series appears to be gaining some animosity and physicality as multiple players needed to be separated at the end of the game last night....including Ammo and Arsene.

Game 3 is very important as teams that are tied 1-1 after 2 games the winner of game 3 wins the series 71% of the time. Hershey obviously has an advantage playing at home so hopefully they can take advantage and pull ahead 2 games to 1.


My Three Stars of the Game:

1. Jason Jaffray - scored all 3 goals for the Moose
2. Cory Schneider - not great but good enough with 27 saves
3. Michal Neuvirth - 28 saves in the loss

Grading the Performance:

• Offense - B - Good chances but they couldn't solve Schneider last night. 1 goal is not going to win against this team very often so players not nicknamed Rooster have to start scoring. The 4th line is getting as many chances as any of the other lines and while that is great for the depth it raises questions about the other lines effectiveness.
• Defense - B - Not bad...McNeill got caught a couple times and Helmer shouldn't have tried to block the shot (although I understand why he did it) but other than that the defense was solid but not spectacular.
• Goaltending - B+ - If Helmer doesn't tip that shot I really think Neuvy stops it and the Bears go to overtime. Neuvirth played very good all night and only got beat on a couple bad bounces again.
• Power Play - B - They got a few chances but didn't have as good a game as in game 1. Setting up was a problem and getting shots on goal was a struggle. Could have been better but definitely better than in other games.
• Penalty Kill - B - Technically they gave up 2 power play goals but one was an empty netter late in the game and the first one was a lucky bounce right to Jaffray in front. This unit has played much better so far in this series.
• Overall - B - Not a bad game by any means but obviously not enough to get the win. More players need to step up their game to help Giroux. Mink, Bourque, Gordon, Wilson, and others really need to start scoring more.

LET'S GO BEARS!!! GET A WIN AT HOME!!

Bears and Moose Need Game 2

Game 2 is almost upon us and I for one am getting excited! Game 1 was an incredible roller coaster ride of a game and I think the entire series could go this way.

There has been some debate on the forum about whether or not Hershey is that much better or if Manitoba has yet to give their best stuff.

Personally I think all the talk of Hershey's scoring depth is moot at this point until someone else scores. So far 2 players have scored goals and a few of those goals were lucky. I mean how many times are you going to bank a shot in off a defenseman that is a good 6 feet away from the goal?

That being said I have already commented that all of Manitoba's goals were on special plays, 2 of them on 5v3 power plays and 2 more on poor defensive plays that led to breakaways. Can they score when Hershey is not taking penalties and playing good defense? Time will tell...assuming Hershey can stop taking bad penalties.

With all that said I now say this....

Neither team has played their best yet. After not playing each other in the regular season both teams spent game 1 getting a feel for each other. Early in the game the Bears were struggling with the Manitoba speed, throughout the game Manitoba struggled with Hershey's strength, and late in the game Manitoba again struggled with the Bears hustle and depth.

Game 2 figures to be a pretty big game in the series. Both teams need the win in my opinion. Sure Hershey now has home ice advantage and they don't have to go back to Manitoba if they can win their games at home. But if Manitoba comes out and wins they will gain a lot of confidence and momentum and they proved in 2008 that they can win in Hershey.

Hershey is going to have to come out much better then they have since the Wilkes Barre series if they want to take a 2-0 lead back to Hershey.

Can they get up for the start of a game when they already achieved their main goal of winning 1 in Manitoba?

Let's hope so.

LET'S GO BEARS!!!

Bears Are 3 Wins Away

That was about as bad a start to the game as you can have.

And that was about as good a start to the series as you can have.

Both starts attributed to the same team...your HERSHEY BEARS!!!!

The Bears escaped game 1 with a 5-4 OT victory on the shoulders of Alexander Giroux last night. Giroux scored 3 times including the game winning goal late in the first overtime to give the Bears a 1-0 lead in the series. Oskar Osala added 2 more and Michal Neuvirth made 26 saves to help Giroux.

It was a hell of a game with both teams catching breaks and bounces that you probably won't see again. I mean how many 5 on 3 power plays is one team going to get in a game? How many gratuitous bounces can the other team get in a game? And how many times will the defense either be caught flat-footed or too deep in the offensive zone in one game?

Look at all those instances.

Manitoba scored twice on 5 on 3 power plays but did not score once with the standard 5 on 4. Not saying they can't but they couldn't last night.

Then they scored on two breakaways. One of which saw Michael Grabner skate right by Patrick McNeill (which happened 2 other times too) and right in on Neuvy for a goal. The other breakaway happened because John Carlson and Staffon Kronwall decided they wanted to play forward and got caught INSIDE THE FACE OFF DOTS trying to score.

Defense....MOVE YOUR FEET and PLAY YOUR POSITION!

Hershey got some good bounces too. The shot the tied the game at 3 went of Manitoba defenseman Nolan Baumgartner and into the net. There were also some fortunate bounces that ended on the sticks of Bear forwards.

So both teams got some favorable bounces and plays to score their goals.

But Hershey also had to contend with the referee.

Referee Kyle Rehman whistled the Bears for 11 penalties including a terrible boarding call, a questionable delay of game call, and another TERRIBLE too many men call. The boarding call in my opinion was flat out wrong as Pinizzotto got to the side of the player and did NOT hit him from behind into the boards. BUT a little later Mink did board a guy and it wasn't called so it was pretty even at that point.

The delay of game call that I had a problem with was the one on Aucoin. The puck was shot in and he slapped at it and it bounced at the last second and went over the boards. This rule is ridiculous when that happens. There was no intention to hit the puck over the boards, it was just a fluke deflection.

The too many men call gave Manitoba another short 5 on 3. All in all the Moose had 10 power plays and scored on 2 of them. Hershey had half as many but also scored on 2 of theirs.

Obviously the refs did not influence the outcome of the game but they definitely played a role in the way it was played. The penalties at the end of regulation were unarguable as were most of the calls when goals were scored.


Some things I learned about Manitoba:

• Not a terribly physical team, they had some big hits but not as many as Hershey.
• Fast. At least it appeared that way when Patty was getting burned on multiple occasions.
• Disciplined. There really weren't many (if any) missed calls against the Moose. They seem to know how to stay out of the box.
• Goalie play....Schneider might be as big as Rask but he plays MUCH smaller in the crease. He goes down earlier and doesn't use his size to protect the net well.
• Penalty Kill....unlike Providence they are not very aggressive. They play much like the Bears as they stay in their box and do not push the puck much.
• Deep...this team was running 4 lines most the game just like Hershey. I don't think they played as much as the Joudrey line but they did play some.
• Manitoba has 3 lines that can truly score. Hershey has not seen that in a while (and not in the playoffs) so they need to be ready no matter who is on the ice.
• The teams are built similarly on the blue line with more athletic puck movers on defense which does 2 things...helps you score and leaves you susceptible in your own end.

A few notes on Hershey's play:

• Hershey needs to start better. Again they let the opposition jump out to a two goal lead before the halfway point. Sure they came back but they need to stay in games from the start.
• Hershey's depth seemed to help late in the game again. Even though Manitoba skated 4 lines they were not as energized late in the third and in overtime.
• Neuvirth has been shaky lately. Last night he had trouble gaining control of the puck which causes more scrambling by the defense then should be necessary.
• Expect to see at least 1 new defenseman for game 2. Patty McNeill was not playing towards the end of the game (Carlson wasn't either) because he couldn't keep up with the Moose forwards. I would expect to see either Collins or Amadio get in to game 2 for McNeill.

My Three Stars of the Game:

1. Alexander Giroux - new AHL record with 72 goals in the season + playoffs after a hat trick last night
2. Michael Grabner - scored 2 and assisted on another kept Manitoba in this game
3. Oskar Osala - 2 goals to help Giroux get the Bears a victory

Grading the Performance:

• Offense - B+ - Good play by the unit as a whole but I have one complaint....more puck possession down low is going to be needed. The only line that was able to keep the puck in low was Perrault, Beagle, and Bourque and that was mainly because Perrault is a magician behind the net and Beagle is strong on the puck. No other line could sustain pressure in the corners with a cycle.
• Defense - D - This unit was out of position multiple times, bad line changing led to a Penalty Shot, and guys standing around led (eventually) to the first goal when Bourque had to take a penalty because the defense was left flat-footed on the blue line. AND would someone please teach the defense how to move the puck behind the net. You can't play with it back there all time!
• Goaltending - B - He was really left out to dry on some of the goals but he did make some big saves including the penalty shot try. Personally I think he could have had at least one of the breakaway goals by Grabner but won't hold it against him that he didn't....those are tough to stop.
• Power Play - A - I thought this unit was terrific. They got into the zone, passed well, and got shots on net. Pretty sure that they were able to generate pressure on every power play. They did add 2 goals on 5 chances to end with a pretty good 40%.
• Penalty Kill - B+ - I actually think this unit played very well after the first 5 on 3 goal. That was piss poor in my opinion because the Moose tried the EXACT SAME PASS a minute before the goal and the PK didn't see it coming the second time. But other than that I think they played very well and didn't allow a 5 on 4 goal.
• Overall - B - They did enough to win which is good but they went to extremes yet again to get there. Fighting back from 2 down and fighting through some questionable penalty calls proved they can get it done. But once I would like to see them come out and dominate in the first and second period and get their own 2 or 3 goal lead. Either way it happens though they are now only 3 WINS AWAY FROM THE CUP!!! If they can pull out a victory in game 2 they are going to be in pretty good shape heading home.

LET'S GO BEARS!!!

Take the Bears in.....

It was a weird feeling making it to the Calder Cup finals this season. I basically expected it so it wasn't as big of a thing as it should have been. Following this team as closely as I did this year gave me the feeling that this team was getting this far. Sure there were some touch and go moments but even during the worst times of the season I always thought that this team would get to this point.

I never really doubted it from the moment they made the key signings last offseason. And then when the rookies showed their ability it just made my confidence grow stronger.

And now...Game 1 is almost here!

The team is in Manitoba already getting ready to face the #1 overall seed in the playoffs. This game might be the most important of the series. And in my opinion it is set up okay for the Bears. All of the pressure is on Manitoba in this game. For the first time in the postseason the Bears will not have the pressure on them in game 1.

In my personal opinion this team will shine when the pressure isn't on. There will be enough pressure to keep them focused and honest but not as much as what will be on the Moose. Because of 15,000 fans, home ice, and being the #1 seed. I mean really on paper you would have to say the Moose are the favorites to win this series. So Hershey finally gets to see what the underdog role feels like.

Personally I think they thrive!

Someone made mention on the forum that the Moose have not faced a team like Hershey yet in the playoffs and they are spot on. To get to this point the Moose have beaten a #4 seed, a #3 seed, and another #3 seed. I am not saying that those weren't good teams but they weren't the caliber of the teams Hershey played.

And I know the Bears played a 4, 3, and 2 seed (which isn't much better) but when that #3 seed is the second best offensive team in the league and a team that dominated you in the regular season it is a little more impressive.

The goalies that Manitoba went up against were not quite the caliber of what the Bears faced either. Most of the goaltenders (with the exception of Matt Climie of the Aeros who played 2 against Manitoba) didn't have a save percentage over .900. Compared to Adam Berkhoel and Tuukka Rask not too many goalies are in the same league.

Now all that being said I still think this is a very tough series for the Bears. I am going to make a pick here but I have to add to it.

I will officially take Hershey in 6.

BUT if the Bears win game 1....it could be over in 5. If they lose game 1 it won't end before game 6.

So there. Enjoy game 1. I know I will.

If you want some more info on the two teams check out this link:

Bears/Moose Preview - AHL.com

A Look At The Manitoba Moose

Who are the Manitoba Moose?

The Moose are the AHL affiliate of the Vancouver Canucks. They finished #1 in the North division, Western Conference, and the AHL. They play their home games in the 15,015 seat MTS Centre in downtown Winnipeg. And they are expecting sellouts for the first 2 games in the series.

How did they get here?

As mentioned they entered the playoffs as the #1 overall seed in the AHL. They actually started the playoffs on a low note losing game 1 against Toronto and then they lost game 3 before winning their next 10 playoff games.

They played against #3 seed Grand Rapids in the North division final and the Griffins did not put up too much of a fight as the Moose swept the series 4 games to none. While all the games were close the Griffins couldn't quite pull out a victory.

Next up were the Houston Aeros who looked like they were going to go the way of the Griffins before pulling out 2 overtime victories in games 4 and 5. But in the end they too were no match for the Moose as Manitoba won in 6.

A couple postseason facts for you....

• They are 12-4 in the postseason
• They are 7-1 at home
• They are 5-3 on the road
• 9 of their 16 games have been decided by 1 goal
• They are 5-4 in 1 goal games
• Have NOT shutout an opposing team in the postseason
• They are 0-3 in overtime

Statistically:

Very similar to Hershey statistically. Both teams have gone 12-4 to date. Both teams are 7-1 at home and 5-3 on the road. Both teams have scored52 goals in the playoffs. One of the few differences is that Hershey has allowed 35 goals to Manitoba's 33...not much of a difference.

The Moose are 6th in power play percentage at 19% and 3rd in penalty killing at 87.3%.

They have 15 different goal scorers and all but 2 of them have scored more than 1 goal.


Goalie Preview:

Cory Schneider was the AHL's goaltender of the year after going 28-10-1 with a .928 save percentage during the regular season. So he is definitely no slouch.

During the postseason he is 12-3 (got pulled in game 4 of Houston series after giving up 3 goals int he first period) with a .924 save percentage and a 2.03 goals against average.

Schneider is good. He is the #2 prospect in the Canucks organization according to Hockey's Future. He can win a series on his own if needed. He is actually a bigger goalie than Tuukka Rask of the Bruins. They are both 6'2" but Schneider is a good 25lbs heavier (weighing 195) than Rask.

Keep your eye on Schneider because his play will make or break this series. He hasn't faced an offensive team as prolific as the Bears this postseason.


6 Players to Watch:

1. C Jason Krog (10) - He was with the Chicago Wolves last season and won the Calder Cup and was named playoff MVP. He was the team leader with 86 points in the regular season and is the team leader in the postseason with 18 points in 16 games.
2. LW Jason Jaffray (15) - He is second on the team with 14 points in the playoffs. (6 goals and 8 assists)
3. RW Michael Grabner (40) - Has really upped his production so far this postseason and is averaging almost a point a game with 7 goals and 5 assists in 14 playoff games. Also the team leader with 3 power play goals.
4. D Nolan Baumgartner (5) - One of the top defensemen in the league he has not been an offensive force in the postseason but he is solid.
5. C Cody Hodgson (18) - The #1 prospect in the Canucks organization he had 92 points in 53 regular season games and 31 points in 21 playoff games for his junior team. Has only played 6 games in the AHL and has 1 goal and 2 assists so far.
6. C Alexandre Bolduc (49) - 5 goals and 4 assists in 10 games including 2 shorthanded goals. Has not played in a few games...injured? Not sure but if he plays watch out in the offensive end.

Saturday morning I will have my game preview along with my pick. Be sure to check it out. I am absolutely psyched for the games to start.
LET'S GO BEARS!!!!