Friday December 31, 2004 vs. Philadelphia (Posted Saturday 1:45 A.M. EST.)

Bears complete comeback, "Ph-inish" 2004 in grand fashion

The Hershey Bears, down 3-1 with fewer than 4 minutes remaining in regulation, came back with a vengeance to down the Philadelphia Phantoms 4-3 in a shootout before 7,846 fans Friday evening at the Giant Center in Hershey, PA. Mathieu Darche led the way on offense, netting all 3 regulation goals, while Peter Budaj notched his 5th consecutive victory for the Bears. Hershey (16-17-1, 33 points), who has now won a season-high 3 straight games, claimed sole possession of 5th place in the East Division, as the Bridgeport Sound Tigers dropped a 5-1 decision to Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. For the Phantoms (21-6-2-3, 47 points), it was their 5th consecutive loss, and 2nd straight defeat to Hershey after claiming the previous 16 meetings.

Need to Know: Nearing the end of the 1st period, Todd Fedoruk, who fought Hershey's Dennis Bonvie earlier in the period, put the Phantoms on the scoreboard first, blasting a shot from the top of the right circle at 18:28.

With Philly's David Printz serving a holding penalty, Mathieu Darche would notch his first of 3 goals on the night for Hershey, sweeping a shot past Phantoms goaltender Antero Niittymaki at the 10:00 mark of the 2nd period, tying the contest at 1-1.

Philadelphia would assume a 2-1 lead at the 3:54 mark of the 3rd period, with Patrick Sharp poking in his team-leading 13th goal of the season---a power play tally---past Bears netminder Peter Budaj. Jon Sim would make it 3-1 Phantoms with 10:30 remaining in the 3rd frame, picking up a R.J. Umberger shot that hit the left post, and punching in his 8th of the season. The Bears would begin their rally at 16:03 of the 3rd, with Darche netting his 2nd score of the game, courtesy of a Nick Naumenko assist. Shortly thereafter, at 17:52, Darche would complete the hat trick, pumping in a wrister stick-side of Niittymaki and tying the contest at 3-3.

After both teams were unable to light the lamp in the 5 minute overtime period, Hershey and Philadelphia embarked in their 1st-ever, head-to-head shootout. Phantoms Head Coach and former Bear John Stevens would summon Sim as his 1st shooter, but his glove-side attempt on Budaj failed. As his 1st shooter, Bears Head Coach Paul Fixter would call on C Marek Svatos, who had converted 2 of his 3 previous tries in shootouts this season.

Svatos would put Hershey up 1-0 in the shootout, beating Niittymaki stick-side on a backhand shot. Patrick Sharp, who had netted a power play goal for Philadelphia in the 3rd period, went second, but missed on a high shot on Budaj. Riding high on his hat trick, Darche would get the call to go second for Hershey, but could not tuck in a stick-side attempt. As Philly's 3rd shooter, defenseman Joni Pitkanen would miss wide left on Budaj. Eric Perrin, who has been successful in 2 of his 3 prior shootout attempts this season, gave Hershey a 2-0 shootout lead when he beat Niittymaki high on the glove side. The Phantoms' last hope was rookie C R.J. Umberger, but his high attempt on Budaj was stonewalled, giving Hershey a 4-3 victory to close out the calendar year of 2004.

Misc. Game Notes: Budaj (10-9) ended the contest with 37 saves, and has now earned 3 of Hershey's 4 shootout wins this season. Niittymaki (14-6), who also suffered the loss to Hershey on December 10th, finished with 28 saves, earning his 3rd shootout loss of the season…Hershey's Dennis Bonvie and Philly's Todd Fedoruk dropped the gloves only 6 seconds into the 1st period. Fedoruk landed a haymaker early in the scrap, but lost his balance and fell after trying to land a big right on Bonvie, who managed get off a couple minor punches. The two tangled again at the 15:15 mark of the 2nd period, with both landing a few shots in a bout that last longer than their earlier matchup…play was halted for several minutes after Darche's 3rd goal, as fans littered the ice with top hats, which were given away to the first 3,000 men through the gates…Hershey has converted 6 of 30 man advantages against Philadelphia this season (20%)…the Bears donned special New Year's-themed jerseys for the game, with the following shirts fetching the highest bids: David Masse ($4,600), Perrin ($3,100), Bonvie ($2,400), Budaj ($2,000), and Andre Savage ($1,600).

Et Cetera: It was the 100th regular season meeting between the 2 teams, with Philadelphia holding a 53-33-8-6 all-time record over Hershey…the Bears improved to 4-0 in shootout play in 04/05, and are 1 of 2 teams (Bridgeport being the other) this season that have not lost in a shootout…Hershey finished with a 9-5 December record. The last time they finished with 9+ wins in December was during the 1987/88 season, when the eventual Calder Cup Champions posted an 11-2 mark in December…coming into the game, Philadelphia was unbeaten (8-0) this season when leading after the 1st period…Hershey has now won 5 of their last 6 games…the Bears now sport a 15-9-5 all-time record in New Year's Eve games…Although it's not the case this season, the Bears last played a New Year's Day game on 1/1/96. That night, Bill Barber's Bears defeated the Saint John Flames 4-1 on the road. The last time Hershey played a New Year's Day game at home was 10 years prior (on 1/1/86), when John Paddock's Bears dropped a 6-4 decision to the Sherbrooke Canadiens at Hershey Park Arena.

Coming Up: The Bears kick off 2005 by hosting the Worcester IceCats Sunday evening at 5 PM at the Giant Center. It will mark the final time the IceCats will visit Chocolatetown, as the St. Louis Blues will farm out their AHL prospects to Peoria, IL beginning next season. Also, the Bears will try to make it 6-1 to wrap up their current 7-game homestand.

Hershey's Dennis Bonvie (left) and Philadelphia's Todd Fedoruk battle during their fight 6 seconds into the 1st period.

Hershey's Andre Savage (left) has this attempt stopped by Phantoms goalie Antero Niittymaki (right) during 1st period action. Also pictured is Phantoms defenseman John Slaney.

The Bears' Mathieu Darche has this 2nd period shot turned aside by Phantoms netminder Antero Niittymaki.

Dennis Bonvie (left) gets ready to throw a right during his 2nd period rematch with Todd Fedoruk, as linesman Scott Adams (right) looks on.

Referee Francois St. Laurent signals a goal as Philadelphia's Ryan Ready (#14) celebrates Patrick Sharp's (far right) 3rd period power play score.

Mathieu Darche (left) watches as this shot gets past Phantoms goalie Antero Niittymaki, giving him a hat trick, and giving the Bears a 3-3 tie with 2:08 remaining in regulation. Also pictured are Philadelphia's Jon Sim (bottom), with David Printz and John Slaney sandwiching Hershey's Carl Corazzini.

Top hats line the Giant Center ice surface after Mathieu Darche netted the 2nd Bears hat trick of the 2004/05 season.

Phantoms goaltender Antero Niittymaki reacts as Eric Perrin's goal gives Hershey a 2-0 lead in the shootout.

Bears goalie Peter Budaj makes a shootout save on Philadelphia's R.J. Umberger, sealing the come-from-behind victory for Hershey.

Pictured are the New Year's-themed game worn jerseys of the contests' 1st & 2nd Stars of the Game, Mathieu Darche (left) and Peter Budaj. The Darche jersey fetched $1,400, while the Budaj commanded a high bid of $2,000 during the post-game auction.

The 7641 Sports' News 'N Notes team can be contacted via e-mail at: nnn@7641.com

Wednesday December 29, 2004 vs. Binghamton (Posted Thursday 2:12 A.M. EST.)

De-Sens-itized

The Hershey Bears continued their offensive onslaught on Wednesday night, trouncing the Binghamton Senators 7-3 before 9,278 fans at the Giant Center in Hershey, PA. Hershey's Eric Perrin led the way in the scoring department, collecting 2 goals and 2 assists, while Andre Savage (1 goal, 2 assists) and Chris Bala (2 goals) added to the Bears' highest goal output this season. With the win, Hershey (15-17-1, 31 points) moves into a tie with the Bridgeport Sound Tigers for 5th place in the East Division. Binghamton (17-13-3-2, 39 points), which saw its 4-game winning streak come to an end, now shares 2nd place in the East Division with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, who defeated the Portland Pirates 1-0 on Wednesday evening.

Need to know: For the second straight contest, the Bears would waste little time lighting the lamp. After Jeff Ulmer's shot from the point went wide left and hit the end boards, Chris Bala would pick up the rebound and wrist a shot past Senators goaltender Ray Emery at the 1:40 mark of the 1st period, giving Hershey a 1-0 lead. At 8:46 of the same period, Eric Perrin would make it 2-0 Hershey, taking a Jamie Rivers feed just shy of the red line, going in alone and deeking Emery before depositing his 8th of the season. Shortly thereafter (at 11:17), Andre Savage would provide Hershey with a 3-goal lead, backhanding a shot past Emery's stick side for his 4th goal of the season.

Just 35 seconds later though, Binghamton would respond, with Pat Kavanagh's 4th of the season from the left circle beating Hershey goalie Peter Budaj stick-side, cutting the Bears lead down to 3-1 going into the 1st intermission.

4:15 into the 2nd period, David Masse would make it 4-1 Hershey, picking up his own rebound and putting the eventual game-winner over Emery's glove for his 10th goal of the season. With assists from D Jeff Finger and RW Dennis Bonvie, Bala would collect his 2nd tally of the game (and 5th overall) at the 12:56 mark of the middle frame, giving the Bears a 5-1 advantage that would stand after 2 periods. Standing at the Bears doorstep, Binghamton's Brian McGrattan---the AHL's leader in penalty minutes---would take a Chris Kelly helper and punch in his 3rd of the season at 6:51 of the 3rd period, making it a 5-2 contest. Under 1 ½ minutes later (at 8:18) Hershey would counter right back, with Perrin picking up a rebound from behind the net and backhanding his 2nd score of the game past Emery, giving the Bears a 6-2 lead. After Budaj made a torso save on a Christoph Schubert shot, former Bear Charlie Stephens would pick up the rebound and tuck in his 5th of the season at 11:28, cutting the Bears lead in half at 6-3. After he intercepted a Binghamton turnover in the Sens zone, Marek Svatos lasered a shot from the left circle---his 6th of the season---at 14:52, giving Hershey a 7-3 lead that would hold for the remaining portion of the game.

Misc. Game Notes: Hershey's Budaj evened his record to 9-9 on the season, winning his 4th straight contest and finishing with 32 saves. Emery (9-11-2) absorbed the loss for Binghamton, ending with 32 saves…Masse finished with 1 goal and 1 assist for the Bears…Hershey defensemen Nick Naumenko & Jamie Rivers each finished with a team individual season-high +4…Savage has earned 3 points in each of the last 2 games (1 goal, 5 assists)…Savage's goal was his first since 11/12 vs Providence, while Bala's was his first since 11/24 against Springfield…Senators C Jason Spezza, currently 2nd in the AHL scoring race, was held off the scoresheet, finishing -5, tying an AHL season-high…Perrin finished with 8 shots in the game, tied with Masse (on 12/17 vs Albany) for the most in 1 contest this season…in what seems to be an ever-revolving rotation, Svatos sported an alternate captain's "A" in the game…the 10 goals combined in 1 game were a season high for Hershey…it took 17 tries, but after Hershey finally amassed at least 6 goals in 1 home game, Bears fans will be able to take advantage of a promotion for 10 free wings from Hooters…faces in the crowd included legendary game show host Pat Sajak, the 3-time Emmy Award-winning emcee of Wheel of Fortune.

Coming Up: The Bears will look to make it 3 wins in a row with a 5 PM New Year's Eve home contest against their arch-rival Philadelphia Phantoms. It will be Hershey's 1st New Year's Eve home game since December 31st, 1993. That night, Jay Leach's Bears defeated Jacques Martin's Cornwall Aces 6-4 at Hershey Park Arena. Former Bears Head Coach Bob Hartley was an assistant coach with Cornwall during that season.

Eric Perrin puts the Bears up 2-0 with this 1st period goal past Senators goaltender Ray Emery.

Andre Savage prepares to give Hershey a 3-0 advantage with this backhand score at the 11:17 mark of the 1st period.

Pat Kavanagh's (right) shot from the left circle finds its mark, beating Bears goalie Peter Budaj and making it a 3-1 contest at 11:52 of the 1st period.

Hershey's Jamie Rivers (right) gets his stick up on Binghamton's Brandon Bochenski during 1st period action. Rivers was assessed a minor penalty for high-sticking.

Hershey's David Masse (#26) celebrates as Eric Perrin's 2nd goal of the game gives the Bears a 6-2 lead during 3rd period play.

Senators C Charlie Stephens reacts as his 5th goal of the season beats Budaj, cutting the Bears lead in half at 6-3 with 8:32 remaining in the 3rd period.

Binghamton goalie Ray Emery turns aside this 3rd period attempt by Bears C Eric Perrin.

The 7641 Sports' News 'N Notes team can be contacted via e-mail at: nnn@7641.com

Sunday December 26, 2004 vs. Norfolk (Posted Sunday 11:25 P.M. EST.)

Budaj, Bears Torpedo Admirals 5-0

Fresh off a week's vacation for the holidays, the Hershey Bears returned to action Sunday evening by sinking the Norfolk Admirals 5-0 before 6,917 fans at the Giant Center in Hershey, PA. Peter Budaj led the way for Hershey, stopping an AHL season-high 50 shots en route to his 2nd shutout of the season. In addition, Carl Corazzini netted 2 power play goals, while Andre Savage earned 3 assists for the victorious Bears. With the win, Hershey (14-17-1-0, 29 points), moved within 2 points of the East Division's 5th place Bridgeport Sound Tigers, while Norfolk (16-14-1-3, 36 points) slipped to 4th place in the East.

Need to Know: The Bears would waste little time getting on the scoreboard, with Eric Perrin pocketing his 7th goal of the season---the eventual game-winner---just 37 seconds into the opening period. At 4:56 of the 1st, Greg Barber would make it 2-0 Hershey, coming into the Norfolk zone and firing in a shot from the point past Norfolk goaltender Michael Leighton for his 1st goal of the season. With Shawn Thornton serving a holding penalty for the Admirals, Carl Corazzini would punch in his 5th goal of the season at the 17:08 mark of the 1st period. With 29 seconds remaining on a Matt Keith tripping infraction (at 14:25 of the 2nd period), Corazzini would make it a 4-goal Bears lead, collecting his second tally of the game on a shot that barely trickled past Leighton.

Jamie Rivers, who returned to the Bears lineup after missing the last 2 games, capped the game's offense, scoring his 3rd of the season---a power play tally---on a shot that beat Norfolk netminder Adam Munro from inside the left circle at the 16:31 mark of the 2nd stanza. Budaj would take it from there, stopping all 21 Admirals shots in the 3rd stanza, including 2 point-blank shots from Pavel Vorobiev with a little more than 12 minutes remaining in the period. With 38.7 seconds remaining in the final period, tempers came to a flare, with Dean Arsene and Norfolk's James Wisniewski grappling on the ice, while separate incidents occurred involving players on both benches. Hershey's Dennis Bonvie traded jabs with Norfolk's Mike Brown, who was on the Admirals bench, while Travis Moen mixed things up with several members of the Bears bench. Ultimately, referee Ryan Fraser handed out 2 roughing penalties, 4 fighting majors, and 4 game misconducts for the fracas.

Misc. Game Notes: With the shutout victory for Hershey, Budaj improved to 8-9 on the season, and has won his last 3 games in net. The 50 saves were his most since 1/2/04, when he stopped 52 of 54 Hartford Wolf Pack shots in a 4-2 Bears victory in Hartford. Leighton (5-10-1) suffered the loss for Norfolk, stopping 14 of 18 shots faced.

Munro, who replaced Leighton after the Bears went up 4-0, finished with 9 saves in mop-up duty…Arsene and Brown fought behind the Hershey net 3:44 into the 2nd period, with Brown being the more active of the 2 participants…it was the 1st time this season the Bears have scored 5 goals in 1 game…it was the largest margin of victory for Hershey in 04/05…the Admirals' 50 shots on goal were the highest Hershey has allowed this season…Norfolk leads the AHL with 1,007 penalty minutes…prior to Sunday, Norfolk was the last team the Bears shutout at home, with Phil Sauve turning aside all 37 Admirals shots en route to a 2-0 win on 3/13/04…Hershey improved to 2-3 against Norfolk this season…Bonvie, who returned to the lineup after an illness kept him out of action during last weekend's 3 home contests, earned an assist on Rivers' power play goal and took a 1st period faceoff in the Norfolk zone…Bears RW Jeff Ulmer sported an alternate captain's "A" in the game…Norfolk captain Ajay Baines did not make the trip, and missed his 1st game of the season.

Et Cetera: Earlier in the day, the Bears signed veteran defenseman Nick Naumenko to a pro tryout contract. Coming into the 04/05 season, Naumenko, 30, had played 491 career games between the AHL (Worcester, Portland, Utah), IHL (Utah, Las Vegas, Kansas City, Cleveland), and the German-based DEL (Mannheim), accumulating 292 points (70 goals, 222 assists). Just over 1 year ago, Hershey had actually signed Naumenko to an AHL contract, but, because he was returning from Europe and had to clear waivers, was claimed by the Utah Grizzlies before he could report to Chocolatetown…former Washington Capitals Head Coach Bruce Cassidy is currently serving as the Admirals bench boss as Trent Yawney continues to serve a 10-game suspension handed down by the AHL on December 13th. Yawney, suspended for taking part in a brawl against Lowell on December 12th, will be eligible to return behind the bench for Norfolk on January 8th, 2005 against Bridgeport.

Coming Up: The Bears enter the final week of 2004 with home contests on Wednesday (12/29) vs Binghamton, and a 5 PM New Year's Eve affair against the Philadelphia Phantoms on Friday.

Hershey's Eric Perrin (left) & Mathieu Darche (right) celebrate as Perrin's goal 37 seconds into the 1st period put the Bears up 1-0.

Norfolk goaltender Michael Leighton looks to his right, but Greg Barber's 1st career AHL goal has just made it 2-0 Hershey.

Hershey's Carl Corazzini (right) prepares to pocket his 1st of 2 power play goals in the game during 1st period action.

This power play shot by Jamie Rivers found its mark, beating Norfolk goalie Adam Munro and giving the Bears a 5-0 advantage at the 16:31 mark of the 2nd period.

Bears goaltender Peter Budaj, who earned his 2nd shutout of the season on Sunday, makes one of his 50 saves during 3rd period action.

Hershey's Dean Arsene (bottom) and Norfolk's James Wisniewski grapple towards the end of their 3rd period fight.

Current Bears Statistical Leaders (through 12-26-04)

Games: 32 (Johnny Boychuk, Mathieu Darche, Eric Perrin, Jeff Ulmer)
Goals: 11 (Mathieu Darche)
Assists: 19 (Brett Clark)
Points: 21 (Brett Clark & Eric Perrin)
PIMs: 185 (Dennis Bonvie)
+/-: +2 (Johnny Boychuk)
PPGs: 6 (David Masse)
SHGs: 1 (Jeff Ulmer & David Masse)
GWGs: 4 (Eric Perrin)
Shots: 116 (Mathieu Darche)

The 7641 Sports' News 'N Notes team can be contacted via e-mail at: nnn@7641.com

Thursday December 23, 2004 (Posted Thursday 11:35 P.M. EST.)

7641 Sports' 1st Annual All-Name Team

In the midst of the holiday season, we thought we'd stray from the normal Hershey Bears coverage for a day, giving readers a slice of humor to go along with their egg nog and fruitcake. We've spent countless hours scouring rosters from all across North America, from the AHL to the WHL; no stone was left unturned in our search for the best names in amateur, junior and professional hockey. So…Enjoy!

1st Team All-Stars

Wacey Rabbit F Saskatoon Blades, WHL

Yes, that is his real name. Of First Nations Indian heritage, he was named after a former World Champion bull rider named Wacey Cathy in 1986. And, he's poised to be selected in the early rounds of the 2005 NHL Entry Draft. The WHL is a hotbed for some of the coolest names in all of hockey, and Rabbit takes the (carrot) cake.

Bear Trapp F Melville Millionaires, SJHL

Ok, so we ended up finding something relating to the Bears…sort of. Searching through the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League rosters, we stumbled upon this gem. Doug is actually his first name, but goes by his middle name since his Dad's first name is also Doug. Anywho, here's hoping this current captain of the Millionaires makes it to the pro level…that name is pure gold!

Critter Nagurski F Augsburg College, NCAA Division 3

Adding to the animal/insect theme is Nagurski, a 6-2, 215 lb sophomore out of International Falls, MN. He's related to NFL Hall of Famer Bronco Nagurski, and, in an ironic twist, attended Falls High School in International Falls, where the team name is the Broncos.

Quade Lightbody D Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs, CHL

The only pro to crack the 1st Team, Lightbody is a 29-year old d-man who went from the OHL (4 seasons with Peterborough, Detroit, and Barrie) to Canadian University (3 seasons at St. Thomas) to the AHL (1 game with Saint John in 00/01), to the UHL (Port Huron & Kalamazoo), and finally, to the CHL, where he's spent the last 2 seasons with the Mudbugs.

Lenny Thunderchild D Lethbridge Hurricanes, WHL

A 6-2 physical defenseman, Thunderchild is currently in his 1st season in the WHL, cracking the lineup at a mere 16 years of age. His name sounds like a pro wrestler's ring name. Picture the ring announcer: "Coming down the aisle, hailing from Lloydminster, Alberta…weighing in at 200 pounds…Le-nny Thun-der-child!!!" Expect to hear quite a bit about this young d-man in the years to come, and not just because of his namesake.

Wylie Rogers G University of Alaska-Fairbanks, NCAA

The second member of the 1st Team to feature an adjective for a first name, the 19-year old freshman is the starting netminder for the Nanooks. He currently ranks among the CCHA's leaders in several goaltender categories, including G.A.A., Save Percentage, and minutes played.

2nd Team All-Stars

Colton Yellow Horn F Lethbridge Hurricanes, WHL

The second member of the Hurricanes to be selected, Yellow Horn was November's WHL Player of the Month award winner. The 5-7, 175 lb winger is eligible for the 2005 NHL Entry Draft, and has seen his stock rise this season. As of 12/23/04, he's tied for 1st in the WHL with 47 points.

Robin Big Snake F Owen Sound Attack, OHL

A fan-favorite, Big Snake spent 3 seasons in the WHL (with Vancouver, Moose Jaw, and Portland), piling up 545 penalty minutes in 157 games. This season, after almost cracking the Hartford Wolf Pack (AHL) roster, Big Snake returned to the 'Dub (WHL), where he was released by Portland, and later picked up by the OHL's Owen Sound Attack, where he's currently playing as an overage 20-year old.

Barnabas Birkeland D Lake Superior State University, NCAA

In his 2nd season with the Lakers, the sophomore blueliner makes the squad based on the fact that "Barnabas Birkeland" is fun to read, and fun to say. End of story.

Steve Whynot D Acadia University, CIS

Exactly. Why not?

Yutaka Fukufuji G Bakersfield Condors, ECHL

Rounding out the 2nd Team is the Japanese-born Fukufuji. In just his 2nd professional season, the 2004 LA Lings 8th round pick is among the ECHL's top-10 leaders in wins. He's also in rare company, not just because he's one of the few Japanese players in professional hockey, but because he's one of the few to play professionally before getting drafted (played for the ECHL's Cincinnati Cyclones for 9 games during the 2002/03 season).

The "Supercalifragilisticexpialidoceous Award"

Given annually to the player(s) with the longest surname

George Papachristopoulos G Bowdoin College, NCAA Division 3

Chris Defrancescantonio F Surrey Eagles, BCHL

With 17 letters in their respective surnames, Papachristopoulos & Defrancescantonio share the award with having the longest last names. Imagine the look of horror on the equipment managers' face when they were handed the list of jersey names. If those equipment workers played it smart, they'd make 1 easy-to-remove Velcro nameplate to alternate between those players' home and road jerseys.

The "Syllable Award"

Given annually to the player with the most syllables, combined first and last names

Pierre-Olivier Brodeur-Marcotte G Rouyn-Noranda, QMJHL

At 10 syllables, and 28 letters, the 17-year old Brodeur-Marcotte was a shoe-in for this award. Although inactive on the Huskies roster at this time, it is only a matter of time before announcers will cringe when they see his name on that night's lineup. Enjoy the "'Sylly" young man.

The "Ouchie Award"

Given annually to the player deemed worthy of the unluckiest name in hockey

B.J. Gaylord F University of Windsor, CIS

No need to analyze this one too long…it speaks for itself. I can't imagine the ribbing this guy's taken over his years of playing. So here's to you B.J. Gaylord…cheers, and enjoy the distinction!

Others receiving consideration (in alphabetical order):

Blue Bennefield RW Victoria Salmon Kings, ECHL
Phil Boots F Utica College, NCAA Division 3
Phil Butts LW Brockville Braves, CJHL
Bo Cheeseman RW, Lake Superior State, NCAA
Cal Clutterbuck RW Toronto St. Mike's Majors, OHL
Cam Cunning LW Kamloops Blazers, WHL
Ash Goldie F, Michigan State, NCAA
Fred Hatziioannou D York University, CIS
Billy & Brandon Irish-Baker F/D Canisius, NCAA Division 3
Harlan Kingfisher C Waywayseecappo Wolverines, MJHL
Robert Klinkhammer LW Lethbridge Hurricanes, WHL
Zenith Komarniski D Syracuse Crunch, AHL
Charlie Kronschnabel F University of Alaska-Anchorage, NCAA
Goose Lacroix F Plymouth State, NCAA Division 3
Jason Lawmaster D Muskegon Fury, UHL
Frank Littlejohn RW Adirondack Frostbite, UHL
Manu Mau'u F/D Curry College, NCAA Division 3
Ilkka Pikkarainen LW Albany River Rats, AHL
MacGregor Sharp F Camrose Kodiaks, AJHL
Craig Straightnose LW Yorktown Terriers, SJHL
Tim Whitehouse D Aurora Tigers, OHA
Zarley Zalapski D Kalamazoo Wings, UHL

Bonus! Holiday-themed All-Name Team

Boyd Kane F Philadelphia Phantoms, AHL
Robert Snowball F Toledo Storm, ECHL
Ozzie Toy F Wesleyan University, NCAA Division 3
Calvin Elfring, D Straubing EHC, Germany
Phil Youngclaus D University of Vermont Catamounts, NCAA
Tyler Chestnut G Pembroke Lumber Kings, CJHL
Claude Noel, Head Coach, Milwaukee Admirals, AHL

The 7641 Sports' News 'N Notes team can be contacted via e-mail at: nnn@7641.com

Sunday December 19, 2004 vs. Syracuse (Posted Sunday 10:35 P.M. EST.)

Rookie goalie plays Grinch as Syracuse shuts out Hershey 3-0

Before heading back north, the Syracuse Crunch left Chocolatetown by putting a 3-0 shutout in the Hershey Bears' stocking before 6,052 fans Sunday evening at the Giant Center in Hershey, PA. Syracuse goaltender Andrew Penner, making his AHL debut, turned aside all 30 shots faced, with newly-signed C Chris Ferraro netting 2 goals in the Crunch victory. Hershey (13-17-1-0, 27 points) remains in 6th place in the East Division, while Syracuse (11-11-3-3, 28 points) snapped a 4-game winless streak and leapfrogged over the Hamilton Bulldogs for 6th place in the Western Conference's North Division.

Need to Know: After both teams were held scoreless in the 1st period, Chris Ferraro would get Syracuse on the scoresheet first at the 11:55 mark of the 2nd stanza, firing a wrist shot from the slot past Bears goalie Tom Lawson for his 1st goal of the season. At 10:42 of the 3rd, Joe Motzko would make it 2-0 Syracuse, taking a feed from Brad Moran and wristing a shot from inside the left circle past Lawson. With Lawson pulled in favor of a 6th attacker, Chris Ferraro would wrap up the night's scoring, punching home an empty net goal with 1:12 remaining in the period, solidifying the win for Syracuse.

Misc. Game Notes: Lawson (6-9) took the loss for Hershey, finishing with 32 saves…at the 12:00 mark of the 2nd period, 5 seconds after Ferraro's goal made it 1-0 Syracuse, Bears LW Mike Souza fought Crunch RW Matthias Trattnig. Souza and Trattnig had been handed matching roughing minors only minutes beforehand (at 8:20). Just over a minute later (at 13:16 of the 2nd period), David Masse and Syracuse D Prestin Ryan fought along the boards near the Hershey bench. Masse, at the end of his shift, must have said something to incense Ryan, as he calmly removed and laid his helmet on the ice, inviting Masse to dance. Masse, normally known for punching in goals, appeared to be disinterested in throwing punches, opting to tie up Ryan, who threw numerous blows and was handed an instigator and 10 minute misconduct…speaking of fisticuffs, Syracuse RW Brandon Sugden, who is tied for the AHL lead in fighting majors (20), was scratched for the 1st time this season…it was the 4th time the Bears have been shutout this season, and 3rd time they've been shutout at home in 2004/05.

Coming Up: After Sunday's game, the Bears are off until next Sunday, December 26th, when they return from Christmas break to host the Norfolk Admirals at 5 PM.

From left to right, Syracuse's Jamie Pushor, Aaron Johnson, and G Andrew Penner, and Hershey's Marek Svatos and David Masse all have their eyes on the puck during 1st period action.

Syracuse goalie Andrew Penner (left), who earned the shutout in his 1st-ever AHL game, keeps a close eye on the action as Hershey LW Chris Bala stands at the doorstep during 2nd period play.

Bears LW Mike Souza (right) attempts to strip the helmet from Crunch RW Matthias Trattnig during their 2nd period fight.

Syracuse D Prestin Ryan (throwing punch) and Hershey LW David Masse tangle during their fight at the 13:16 mark of the 2nd period.

Crunch RW Joe Motzko fires his 8th goal of the season past Bears netminder Tom Lawson to give Syracuse a 2-0 lead with 9:18 remaining in the 3rd period.

Current Bears Statistical Leaders (through 12-19-04)

Games: 31 (Johnny Boychuk, Mathieu Darche, Eric Perrin, Jeff Ulmer)
Goals: 11 (Mathieu Darche)
Assists: 19 (Brett Clark)
Points: 21 (Brett Clark)
PIMs: 168 (Dennis Bonvie)
+/-: +1 (Johnny Boychuk & Carl Corazzini)
PPGs: 6 (David Masse)
SHGs: 1 (Jeff Ulmer & David Masse)
GWGs: 3 (Eric Perrin)
Shots: 116 (Mathieu Darche)

The 7641 Sports' News 'N Notes team can be contacted via e-mail at: nnn@7641.com

Saturday December 18, 2004 vs. Manchester (Posted Sunday 1:45 A.M. EST.)

Resiliency pays off as Bears dethrone Monarchs in OT

In dramatic fashion, the Hershey Bears topped the Manchester Monarchs 3-2 in overtime before 6,300 fans Saturday evening at the Giant Center in Hershey, PA. The Bears, down by a goal on 2 occasions in the game, won it on Eric Perrin's power play goal 1:05 into the overtime period. Carl Corazzini led the offense for Hershey, earning an assist on all 3 goals, while Yanick Lehoux paced Manchester with a goal and an assist. With the win, Hershey (13-16-1-0, 27 points) vaulted ahead of Albany, moving into 6th place in the East Division. Manchester (21-5-1-1, 44 points), who started the season 20-1-1-0, have now gone 1-3-1-1 over their last 6 games.

Need to Know: The Monarchs would kick off the night's offense, with Yanick Lehoux' 18th goal of the season, a power play blast from the slot, beating Bears goaltender Peter Budaj at the 10:43 mark of the 1st period. At 17:17 of the opening frame, Marek Svatos would get the Bears on the scoreboard, firing a wrister past Monarchs goalie Adam Hauser, tying the contest at 1-1. With Andre Savage serving a holding penalty for Hershey, Tom Kostopoulos would give the Monarchs their 2nd lead of the game at 17:24 of the 2nd period, netting his 15th goal of the season on a slapshot from the slot that beat Budaj on the stick side. The Bears would once again even the score, with Mathieu Darche netting the equalizer---his team-leading 11th goal of the season---at the 12:30 mark of the 3rd period. Carl Corazzini, cutting to the back of the Manchester net, left a drop pass for Darche, who then, on his back, slid the puck past Hauser. At 1:05 of the extra frame, Hershey would complete the upset, when Perrin's shot from inside the right circle beat Hauser high in the right-hand corner of the Manchester net.

Misc. Game Notes: Budaj (7-9) earned the victory for the second straight game, finishing with 26 saves. Hauser (7-2), who shutout the Bears 5-0 back on November 13th, suffered the defeat, ending with 26 saves as well…Monarchs C Michael Cammalleri, who earned an assist on Leroux' 1st period tally to add to his league-leading 44 points, left the game after taking a puck to the mouth with 5:44 remaining in the 2nd period…Manchester D Joe Rullier, who entered Saturday's game with an AHL-best +23, finished the contest -2…Lehoux' 41 points are 2nd only to Cammelleri among the AHL's scoring leaders this season…the Monarchs lead the AHL with 111 goals, as well as their 37 power play scores…Bears D Jeff Finger sported an alternate captain's "A" in the game…Hershey started the overtime period with 4 forwards (David Masse, Perrin, Darche, and Svatos).

Et Cetera: Hershey's Brett Clark (shoulder), Jamie Rivers (groin), Mike Amodeo (shoulder), and Dennis Bonvie (illness) were scratched from Saturday's lineup, while D Mikko Viitanen and RW Cail MacLean were recalled from the Reading Royals, and D J.F. David was summoned from the UHL's Danbury Trashers. Clark was injured Friday night when Albany's Teemu Kesa charged him into the dasher boards with under a minute remaining in the 1st period. For Viitanen and MacLean, it is their 2nd stint with the Bears this season, while David will make his 04/05 AHL debut after spending time with Hershey during this seasons' training camp. David and Bears LW Mike Amodeo played together last season with the Laredo Bucks of the Central Hockey League (CHL).

Coming Up: Hershey wraps up its 1st ever "3 in 3" weekend home series with a 5 PM Sunday matinee against the Syracuse Crunch. It will be the Crunch' 1st visit to Chocolatetown this season, after the Bears won in Syracuse 1-0 in a shootout back on October 29th.

Hershey goalie Peter Budaj looks to his left, but the puck from Yanick Lehoux' 1st period power play score has already found mesh.

Eric Perrin, who won Saturday's game with an overtime, power play score, prepares for a 2nd period faceoff.

Monarchs RW Dan Welch (left) introduces himself to the left post, while Hershey goaltender Peter Budaj and defenseman Johnny Boychuk pursue the puck during 3rd period action. Play was halted after the net was dislodged.

Bears LW Mathieu Darche (#18) has the best seat in the house as he watches his 3rd period goal pass Monarchs G Adam Hauser, tying the game at 2-2.

Monarchs D Joe Rullier (left), and Bears LW Mathieu Darche watch as Eric Perrin's power play blast over Hauser gives Hershey a 3-2 overtime win.

The 7641 Sports' News 'N Notes team can be contacted via e-mail at: nnn@7641.com

Friday December 17, 2004 vs. Albany (Posted Saturday 1:58 A.M. EST.)

Masse's 'Trick Traps Rats

On the strength of David Masse's 3 power play scores, the Hershey Bears bested the Albany River Rats 4-2 before 5,009 fans Friday night at the Giant Center in Hershey, PA. The win was Hershey's (12-16-1-0, 25 points) 4th straight over Albany (9-12-4-3, 25 points) this season, and moved them into a tie with the River Rats for 6th place in the East Division.

Need to Know: At 13:33 of the opening period with Hershey on the power play, Masse would get the Bears on the scoreboard first, notching his 7th goal of the season from a slapshot inside the right faceoff circle. Only 39 seconds into the middle frame, with the Bears on the man-advantage courtesy of Teemu Kesa late-1st period charging penalty, Masse would strike again, connecting on a shot that hit off of Albany goaltender Ari Ahonen's leg pad.

At 4:08 of the 2nd period, Masse would complete the natural hat trick, blasting the game-winner from the left faceoff circle past Ahonen, giving Hershey a 3-0 lead. Just 48 seconds later though (at 4:56), with Jeff Ulmer serving a double roughing minor for Hershey, Ahren Nittel would respond for Albany, netting his 3rd score of the season on a forehand shot from the right side of the Bears goal. At the 16:12 mark of the 3rd period, River Rats captain Pascal Rheaume would make it a 3-2 contest, executing a wrist shot in front of Bears goalie Peter Budaj. With Ahonen pulled in favor of a 6th Albany attacker, Jeff Ulmer would seal the victory for Hershey, tallying an unassisted, empty net goal from the seat of his pants at 19:36 of the 3rd.

Misc. Game Notes: Budaj (6-9) earned the win for Hershey, finishing with 38 saves. Ahonen (3-7-1) took the loss for the River Rats, ending the contest with 34 saves…Bears captain Brett Clark left the game after the 1st period with an apparent injury…Hershey D Jamie Rivers, who earned 2 assists in the game, did not see any ice time during the 3rd period…Albany uber-rookie Zach Parise, who entered the game as the AHL's leader in scoring amongst rookies, earned an assist on Nittel's 2nd period goal…River Rats RW Cam Janssen leads all AHL freshmen with 147 penalty minutes and 19 major penalties…Masse's 8 shots were a season high for 1 game by any Bears player this season…Hershey has won all 6 games this season in which they've scored 4 goals…Bears RW Dennis Bonvie was scratched due to illness, and missed his 1st game of the 2004/05 season. The Bears had 2 apparent goals waved off in Friday's game: Carl Corazzini's nifty attempt with 3:44 remaining in the 1st period was nullified by referee Brian Pochmara due to goaltender interference, while Marek Svatos early 2nd period tally was 86'ed due to a high stick.

Friday Night Fights: The game featured 4 fights: newcomer Mike Amodeo vs Ray Schultz at the 2:15 mark of the 1st period, Martin Wilde against Cam Janssen 8 seconds later (2:23), Dean Arsene & Aaron Voros 53 seconds into the 2nd period, and Amodeo and Janssen at the 7:57 mark of the 2nd period. Amodeo, who was signed by Hershey earlier in the day, wasted little time, fighting Schultz in his 1st shift of the game. The night's most entertaining donnybrook, which lasted a good 30 seconds, featured each combatant throwing several punches before getting separated, with Schultz bleeding from the mouth. In the second bout, Janssen landed the better shots to earn the win over Wilde. In the final fight, Amodeo ended up leaving the game with an apparent shoulder injury after his 2nd period scrap with Janssen.

Et Cetera: Former Bears defenseman Darren Rumble ('89-'92, 95/96, 03/04) announced his retirement on Friday. Rumble, who earned a Stanley Cup ring after spending last season with the Tampa Bay Lightning, accumulated 36 points in 184 career NHL games with Philadelphia, Ottawa, St. Louis, and Tampa Bay. His AHL career spanned 614 contests over 14 seasons, amassing 394 points with Hershey, New Haven, P.E.I., Philadelphia, Worcester, and Springfield. He will remain with the Falcons, assuming a new role as an assistant coach to Dirk Graham.

Coming Up: The Bears look to make it 2 in a row at the Giant Center with a Saturday night matchup against the AHL's top team, the Manchester Monarchs at 7 PM. Hershey dropped a 5-0 decision in Manchester back on November 13th, with Peter Budaj suffering the loss in net for the Bears.

Hershey 's Mike Amodeo (left), in his 1st shift in a Bears uniform, trades punches with Albany's Ray Schultz at the 2:15 mark of the 1st period.

River Rats RW Cam Janssen (left) takes a punch from Bears D Martin Wilde during their 1st period tussle.

Albany eyes are everywhere, but this puck off the stick of David Masse has its eyes on the back of the net, giving Hershey a 1-0 lead.

Hershey LW David Masse prepares to put the Bears up 2-0 during early 2nd period action.

Only 14 seconds after Masse put the Bears up 2-0, Dean Arsene and Albany RW Aaron Voros dropped the gloves in the Hershey zone.

Albany's Cam Janssen and Hershey's Mike Amodeo (#32) prepare to square off during their 2nd period fight. Amodeo left the game after suffering a shoulder injury during the fight.

The 7641 Sports' News 'N Notes team can be contacted via e-mail at: nnn@7641.com

Wednesday December 15, 2004 at Bridgeport (Posted 9:31 P.M. EST.)

Bridgeport sends Hershey home with a loss

On the strength of 3 goals within 5 minutes towards the end of the 2nd period, the Bridgeport Sound Tigers defeated the Hershey Bears 4-1 before 2,808 fans Wednesday night at the Arena at Harbor Yard in Bridgeport, CT. Rob Collins & Chris Campoli each netted a goal and an assist for Bridgeport, while goaltender Wade Dubielewicz turned aside 22 of 23 Hershey shots. The Sound Tigers (14-11-0-0, 28 points) moved within 1 point of the Binghamton Senators for 4th place in the East Division, while the Bears (11-16-1-0, 23 points) remain in last place.

Need to Know: At the 4:23 mark of the 1st period, Ryan Kraft's wrist shot from the blueline would hit Bears goaltender Tom Lawson's leg pad, going into the net and giving the Sound Tigers a 1-0 lead. Later that same period (at 13:09), Justin Papineau would pick up a rebound and fire the eventual game-winning goal past Lawson, giving Bridgeport a 2-0 advantage. Only 6 seconds into a Keith Aldridge holding penalty at 13:37 of the 2nd period, Hershey would cut Bridgeport's lead in half at 2-1, with Eric Perrin burying a power play tally---his 5th of the season---on an open net. Fewer than 3 minutes later though (at the 16:12), the Sound Tigers would regain a 2-goal lead, with Chris Campoli picking up a Jim Campbell rebound and netting his 2nd goal of the season. At the 18:30 mark of the middle period, Bridgeport leading scorer Rob Collins wrapped up the evening's scoring, picking up a Kevin Colley rebound and firing a shot that hit Lawson's leg pad en route to finding mesh.

Misc. Game Notes: Lawson (6-8) suffered the loss for Hershey, finishing with 32 saves. With his 22 saves, Dubielewicz improved to 9-6 on the season for Bridgeport…Bears RW Dennis Bonvie and Sound Tigers LW Graham Belak fought at the 2:27 mark of the 2nd period, with Bonvie bloodying the former Bear Belak…Bears D Jeff Finger finished -3 for the game, and did not see any ice time during the 3rd period…while Bridgeport is only 2-9 on the road this season, they are now 12-2 at home in 04/05…the Sound Tigers improved to 10-0-0-0 this season when leading after 2 periods…for the 2nd straight game, the Bears did not allow a power play opportunity.

Bears Alumni Notes: On Wednesday, the Philadelphia Phantoms announced that former Head Coach Bill Barber and former enforcer Frank "The Animal" Bialowas will be the first inductees into the teams' Hall of Fame. The ceremony will take place on Sunday, January 9th before the Phantoms host the Albany River Rats at the Wachovia Spectrum. Barber, who spent time as Head Coach of the Bears (84/85, 95/96), was the first-ever coach in Phantoms history, leading the team to the Calder Cup championship in only their 2nd season of existence (1997/98). Bialowas, who finished his AHL career with Hershey in 99/00, spent all or parts of 3 seasons in Philly, racking up 555 penalty minutes in 156 career games…the Portland Pirates have signed former Bears RW Brian Willsie ('98-'03)...former Bears goaltender Scott Fankhouser (01/02) was recalled by the Chicago Wolves on Wednesday, and took the loss that night as the Cinicinnati Mighty Ducks, down by 3 goals, stormed back with 3 scores in the 3rd period before Joel Perrault's game-winning, power play tally in overtime secured the victory for Cincy.

Coming Up: On Friday, the Bears will kick off a 7game homestand, including their 1st ever "3 in 3" home series; with home games on Friday (vs Albany), Saturday (Manchester), and Sunday (Syracuse). It will be the Bears' first Friday home game in the Giant Center, and their first Friday home contest since December 29th, 2000, when Hershey defeated the Syracuse Crunch 4-2 at Hershey Park Arena.

The 7641 Sports' News 'N Notes team can be contacted via e-mail at: nnn@7641.com

Sunday December 12, 2004 vs. Lowell (Posted 10:55 P.M. EST.)

Ward, Lowell Lock Out Bears in Shutout

The Lowell Lock Monsters, on the strength of goaltender Cam Ward's 36 saves, blanked the Hershey Bears 4-0 before 5,116 fans Sunday evening at the Giant Center in Hershey, PA. The Bears (11-15-1-0, 23 points) missed an opportunity to tie the idle Albany River Rats for 6th place in the East Division, while Lowell (14-8-1-1, 30 points) reeled off their 4th straight victory, and are now 1 point behind both the Worcester IceCats and Providence Bruins for 3rd place in the Atlantic Division.

Need to Know: After both teams were unable to light the lamp in the opening period, Craig MacDonald lifted the goose egg for Lowell, netting his 5th goal of the season---the eventual game-winner---at the 9:22 mark of the 2nd period. After Bears goalie Peter Budaj got a piece of MacDonald's shot, the puck was jarred loose, trickling into the net. Only 32 seconds into the middle frame, Mike Zigomanis would put Lowell up 2-0, converting a shot from inside the left circle that hit Budaj's shoulder, and fell into the Bears net. At 6:49 of the 3rd stanza, with both teams playing 4 on 4, Lynn Loyns' shot from the point found its mark, giving the Lock Monsters a 3-0 advantage. Former Bear Colin Forbes would wrap up the scoring at the 10:20 mark of the 3rd period, picking up an Eric Staal rebound and firing it past Budaj's glove hand for his 10th goal of the season.

Misc. Game Notes: Ward, the former 2002 Carolina Hurricanes 1st round pick, earned the win for Lowell, improving to 6-6-1 on the season. Budaj (5-9) suffered the loss for Hershey, finishing with 30 saves…Staal, the 2nd overall pick by Carolina in the 2003 NHL Entry Draft, saw his 3 game goal streak come to an end…it was the 3rd time the Bears have been shutout this season, and the 2nd time they have been held scoreless at home in 04/05...Bears RW Carl Corazzini sported an alternate captain's "A" in the game…both teams played a penalty-free 2nd period…Lowell did not have any power play opportunities in the game…Hershey's 2 penalty minutes served on Sunday were a season low…Hershey's Eric Perrin & Jamie Rivers finished the contest -3…In the wake of Saturday night's brawl in Norfolk, Lowell Head Coach Tom Rowe was suspended indefinitely by the American Hockey League, as has Lock Monsters defenseman Allan Rourke, who received a match penalty for head-butting Norfolk's Travis Moen. With Rowe suspended, Lowell Assistant Coach Scott Allen assumed the head coaching reigns, with Calgary Flames Assistant Coach Jim Playfair handling the assistant coach's duties.

Et Cetera: Lock Monsters RW Chuck Kobasew, the 14th overall pick in the 2001 NHL Entry Draft, won an NCAA Championship with Boston College in 2001, and was a member of the Calgary Flames' 2004 Stanley Cup Finals team…Lowell's Ryan Bayda and Mike Commodore were members of the University of North Dakota's 2000 NCAA Championship team…Lock Monsters D Brennan Evans won a Memorial Cup Championship with the Kootenay Ice (WHL) during the 2001/02 season…erstwhile Lowell pugilist Brantt Myhres, who was injured in Saturday night's melee in Norfolk, has played with 6 NHL (Tampa Bay, Philadelphia, San Jose, Nashville, Washington, Boston), 5 AHL (Philadelphia, Kentucky, Portland, Providence, Lowell), and even 3 IHL teams (Atlanta, San Antonio, Milwaukee).

6 Degrees of Separation: Bears Assistant Coach Paul Jerrard spent the 1998/99 season as the Lock Monsters Assistant Coach…Lowell LW Colin Forbes played 2 regular season & 4 playoff games with Hershey during the 95/96 season…'Monsters D Brennan Evans played with Bears C Marek Svatos for 2 seasons with the Kootenay Ice (WHL)…Lock Monsters G Brent Krahn was teammates with Bears D Johnny Boychuk for all or parts of 3 seasons with the Calgary Hitmen (WHL).

Coming Up: The Bears next head to Bridgeport, CT, where they'll take on the Sound Tigers Wednesday night at 7:05 PM. It will be Hershey's 1st visit to Bridgeport this season, as well as the Bears' final road contest this month. After Wednesday's game, the Bears will kick off a season-high 7 game homestand at the Giant Center.

Lowell goaltender Cam Ward, who earned his 1st pro shutout on Sunday, makes one of his 36 saves during 1st period action.

Hershey's Chris Bala (right) has his 2nd period penalty shot attempt stonewalled by Lock Monsters goalie Cam Ward.

Lowell D Mark Giordano (top) gets upended by Hershey RW Dennis Bonvie during 3rd period play.

Lock Monsters LW Lynn Loyns (#23) watches as his 3rd period shot makes its way past Bears goaltender Peter Budaj, giving Lowell a 3-0 lead.

Hershey's Peter Budaj (left) gets bested on this glove-side shot by former Bear Colin Forbes in the 3rd period, putting Lowell up 4-0.

Current Bears Statistical Leaders (through 12-12-04)

Goals: 10 (Mathieu Darche)
Assists: 18 (Brett Clark)
Points: 21 (Brett Clark)
PIMs: 163 (Dennis Bonvie)
+/-: +1 (Johnny Boychuk, Carl Corazzini, and Martin Wilde)
PPGs: 3 (Mathieu Darche & David Masse)
SHGs: 1 (Jeff Ulmer & David Masse)
GWGs: 2 (Mathieu Darche & Eric Perrin)
Shots: 101 (Mathieu Darche)

The 7641 Sports' News 'N Notes team can be contacted via e-mail at: nnn@7641.com

Sunday December 12, 2004 vs. Bridgeport (Posted 12:55 A.M. EST.)

Bears Power Plays Silence Sound Tigers

On the strength of a season-high 3 power play goals, 3 assists from Eric Perrin, and Tom Lawson's 35 saves, the Hershey Bears cruised to a 3-1 victory over the Bridgeport Sound Tigers before 7,261 fans Saturday night at the Giant Center in Hershey, PA. The Bears (11-14-1-0, 23 points) are now within 3 points of the 5th place East Division Sound Tigers (13-11-0-0, 26 points), who saw their 3 game winning streak come to an end.

Need to Know: With Bridgeport's Brett Nowak serving a 5 minute major for high-sticking (and bloodying) Chris Bala, Marek Svatos would give Hershey a 1-0 lead at the 8:28 mark of the 1st period. After an Eric Perrin shot was initially turned aside by Sound Tigers goalie Dieter Kochan, Svatos picked up the rebound in front of net, and punched in his 4th goal of the season---which then led to a deluge of teddy bears showering the Giant Center ice.

The Bears would get on the scoreboard again at the 8:36 mark of the 2nd period, with Mathieu Darche netting his team-leading 10th goal of the season---a power play tally that was the eventual game-winner--- courtesy of a Kevin Colley high-sticking infraction. With just under 1 minute remaining in the 2nd period (at the 19:15 mark), and Hershey on the man advantage, Jamie Rivers' 2nd goal of the season---a wrister from the top of the slot---gave the Bears a 3-0 cushion. Bridgeport would finally get on the scoresheet at the 3:04 mark of the 3rd period, with Sound Tigers leading scorer Rob Collins beating Tom Lawson stick-side for a power play tally. Later in the 3rd period, Greg Barber missed a chance to put the Bears up 4-1, leading a 2 on 1 rush and missing a forehand shot that was stopped glove-side by Kochan. From there, Lawson and company shut the door on the opposition, including a late-period, 5 on 3 short-handed situation.

Misc. Game Notes: Lawson (6-7) earned the win for Hershey, stopping 35 shots. His Bridgeport counterpart, Kochan (5-5), ended the contest with 27 saves…Hershey's Svatos and Rivers each finished with 1 goal and 1 assist…Hershey captain Brett Clark earned his team-leading, and AHL defensemen-leading 19th assist of the season…each of the games' 4 goals came on the power play…this season, Bridgeport sports an impressive 11-2 record at home, but a dismal 2-9 mark on the road…for the 1st time this season, the Bears have posted back-to-back games with multiple power play goals scored (2-6 Friday in Philadelphia, 3-5 Saturday vs Bridgeport).

Coming Up: The Bears finish their weekend with a Sunday matinee against the Lowell Lock Monsters, beginning at 5 PM at the Giant Center. It will be the first of two meetings between the teams this season, and the only time Lowell visits Chocolatetown in 04/05. Hershey was 1-1 against Lowell last season, and owns an all-time record of 3-3-0-1 vs the 'Monsters.

From left to right, Bridgeport's Dieter Kochan, Rob Collins, Ryan Kraft, and Jody Robinson, along with Hershey's Mathieu Darche react to Marek Svatos' 1st period goal.

Sound Tigers goaltender Dieter Kochan watches as Mathieu Darche's shot hits the cross bar, and falls into the net during 2nd period action.

Bridgeport RW Rob Collins pockets a 3rd period power play goal, as Hershey's Tom Lawson, Eric Perrin (#12), and Jamie Rivers look on.

Bears goaltender Tom Lawson, who finished the game with 35 saves, makes a 1st period stick save.

Bridgeport defenseman Cole Jarrett (bottom) has a front row seat as teammate Dieter Kochan stops a Hershey shot during 3rd period play.

Bears RW Dennis Bonvie escorts a fellow "Bear" off the ice after Svatos' 1st period goal led fans to toss teddy bears onto the ice surface.

A Hershey fan launches a super-sized teddy bear over the glass, and onto the ice during the 1st period teddy bear toss.

The 7641 Sports' News 'N Notes team can be contacted via e-mail at: nnn@7641.com

Friday December 10, 2004 at Philadelphia (Posted 9:55 P.M. EST.)

Bears End Nightmarish Streak, Defeat Phantoms

The Hershey Bears ended a 16-game losing streak against Philadelphia, coming back from a 2-goal deficit and defeating the Phantoms 4-3 Friday evening at the Wachovia Center in Philadelphia, PA. Carl Corazzini led the way for Hershey, netting 2 goals, including the game winner, en route to the Bears win. The Bears' (10-14-1-0, 21 points) victory was the first over Philadelphia (18-4-1-0, 37 points) since April 5, 2003, when Peter Budaj led Hershey to a 4-2 win.

Need to Know: Only 15 seconds into the game, after Mark Murphy picked off a Brett Clark pass attempt, Patrick Sharp would give the Phantoms an early 1-0 lead, firing the puck over Bears goalie Peter Budaj's right shoulder…thanks in-part to a Todd Fedoruk high-sticking penalty, Hershey's Carl Corazzini would tie the game at 9:26 of the 1st period, wristing a shot from the middle of the far dasher boards, and beating Philadelphia netminder Antero Niittymaki…at the 5:25 mark of the 2nd period, Ryan Ready would slip a power play shot under Budaj's pads, giving the Phantoms a 2-1 advantage…on the man-advantage, Hershey would even the score at 2-2 at the 14:39 mark of the 2nd period, with Mathieu Darche scoring his team-leading 9th goal of the season. Marek Svatos' first 2 shots were stopped by Niittymaki, but Darche found the loose puck in the crease, tucking it past the Philly keeper…but just 41 seconds later (at 15:20), Ben Stafford would redirect Todd Fedoruk's top right faceoff circle shot, once again giving the Phantoms a lead at 3-2…3:47 into the 3rd period, Ryan Steeves' tip-in gave Hershey a 3-3 tie. Chris Bala set up the score, throwing a pass from inside the left faceoff circle towards the net, with Steeves, in front of Niittymaki, poking in his 2nd score of the season…Carl Corazzini would give the Bears their first lead of the game at the 7:46 mark of the 3rd, putting his 2nd tally of the game---the game-winner---past Niittymaki, making it a 4-3 Hershey advantage. After Eric Perrin's initial shot was turned aside by Niittymaki, Corazzini, in a scramble in front of the Phantoms net, found the rebound, plugging it through the Philly goalie's glove side.

Misc. Game Notes: Budaj (5-8) earned the victory for Hershey, finishing with 29 saves…Niittymaki (13-5) suffered the loss for Philadelphia, ending with 31 saves…Hershey had not scored more than 3 goals in their last 17 contests against the Phantoms, dating back to last season…Hershey D Martin Wilde and Philly LW Jeff Smith fought at the 12:40 mark of the 1st period, with the 6'6'' Smith earning the decisive win with several unanswered lefts that found their mark…Svatos finished the contests with 2 assists for Hershey, while Murphy finished with 2 helpers for Philadelphia…David Masse had 5 of the Bears' 11, 1st period shots. He finished with 7 shots in the game, tied with Darche, Perrin, and Svatos for the most in 1 contest this season…the Bears had their first multi-power play goal game since a 4-3 home loss to Providence on November 7th…both teams were unable to capitalize on 2-man power play advantages: Philadelphia had a 5 on 3 for 45 seconds late in the 1st period, and Hershey had a 5 on 3 for 41 seconds late in the 2nd period…LW Mike Souza made his 04/05 AHL debut for Hershey, donning jersey #17…Bears D Jamie Rivers returned to the lineup after a shoulder injury kept him out of action for the last 6 games…Bala returned to the Bears lineup after missing last Sunday's game at Portland due to family reasons.

Coming Up: After finishing a 5 game road swing, the Bears return to the Giant Center Saturday night, where they'll faceoff against their divisional-rival Bridgeport Sound Tigers at 7 PM. Saturday's game will also feature the annual "Teddy Bear Toss," where fans will be encouraged to throw stuffed teddy bears onto the ice after the Bears score their 1st goal. Hershey will play 9 of its next 10 contests on home ice.

The 7641 Sports' News 'N Notes team can be contacted via e-mail at: nnn@7641.com

Tuesday December 7, 2004 (Posted 7:41 P.M. EST.)

Bears Subtract 2, Add 1

On Monday, the Hershey Bears released C Graig Mischler and D Trevor Johnson from their tryout agreements. The Bears also announced the signing of LW Mike Souza to a pro tryout contract.

Mischler, 26, played in 4 games for the Bears this past week, registering 0 points and 4 penalty minutes. He returns to the Reading Royals, where he was second in team scoring before his November 29th recall to Hershey.

Johnson, 22, saw action in 3 contests for Hershey last week, while being a healthy scratch for this past Friday's game in Worcester. He immediately returned to the Peoria Rivermen (ECHL), where the team's leading scorer on defense is expected to be in the lineup when Peoria visits the Dayton Bombers this Friday.

Souza, 26, is the 5th member of the 2004/05 Reading Royals to be recalled to Hershey this season. In 12 games for Reading this season, the 6-1, 210 lb LW has posted 9 points (6 goals, 3 assists) and 20 penalty minutes. He's previously played in the AHL with the Norfolk Admirals, Portland Pirates and the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, accumulating 103 points (52 goals, 51 assists) in 246 career AHL contests.

Sunday December 5, 2004 at Providence (Posted 6:41 P.M. EST.)

Providence Power Plays Punish Bears

The Hershey Bears completed the New England portion of their 5 game road trip by dropping a 6-2 decision to the Providence Bruins Sunday afternoon at the Dunkin' Donuts Center in Providence, RI. Providence's power play did the Bears in, reeling off 5 man advantage goals in helping the Bruins snap a 3 game losing streak, and extend their winning streak against the Bears to 3 games. Patrice Bergeron, led the way on offense for Providence (10-10-2-2, 24 points), finishing with 2 goals and 1 assist. This season, Bergeron has scored 7 points (4 goals, 3 assists) in 4 games against Hershey. With the loss, the Bears (9-14-1-0, 19 points) remain in 7th place in the East Division, unable to capitalize and vault ahead of the idle, 6th place Albany River Rats.

Need to Know: At the 12:29 mark of the 1st period, with Hershey on the power play, Jeff Finger's 1st goal of the season, a one-timer past Bruins goaltender Cody Rudkowsky, gave the Bears a 1-0 advantage…with Bears captain Brett Clark serving a penalty for Hershey, Providence's Brad Boyes would tie the contest at 17:58 of the opening period, taking a rebound and putting a shot past Bears netminder Peter Budaj…just 18 seconds into an Andre Savage hooking penalty, Patrice Bergeron would give the Bruins a 2-1 lead at the 3:25 point of the 2nd period. The 19-year old Bergeron converted by firing a shot from the bottom of the right faceoff circle, beating Budaj, who was screened by LW Andy Hilbert…just over 6 minutes later (at 9:28 of the 2nd period), Bergeron would net the game-winner---his 2nd power play goal of the period---courtesy of a Brett Clark turnover---giving the PBruins a 3-1 lead…at 1:51 of the 3rd period, and only 3 seconds into an Andre Savage pair of minor penalties (but a 4-on-4 situation), Pat Aufiero would fire one from the right faceoff circle, beating Budaj and giving Providence a 4-1 advantage…3:03 into the 3rd stanza, Jay Henderson would redirect a PP shot past Budaj, pushing the Providence lead to 5-1…only 18 seconds later (at 3:21), and still on the man advantage, David Gove would score his 4th goal of the season, providing the PBruins with a 5 goal cushion at 6-1…the game's final score, David Masse's 6th goal of the season at the 5:04 mark of the 3rd period, would cut into the Providence lead at 6-2.

Misc. Game Notes: Budaj (4-8-0), who came in relief of Tom Lawson in Saturday's game in Portland, earned the start, finishing with 22 saves in the loss…Rudkowsky (1-1-0), who was recalled from the Reading Royals earlier this week, got his 2nd straight start, ending with 24 saves in the win…the 5 power play, and 6 goals total were the most allowed in 1 game by Hershey this season…Clark earned his team leading 19th point, as well as his AHL defensemen-leading 17th assist on Finger's 1st period tally…former Bears captain and current PBruins captain Brent Thompson, and Bears RW Dennis Bonvie dropped the gloves 11:16 into the 1st period, but never got to square off. Each were handed matching Unsportsmanlike Conduct minor penalties…Hershey D Dean Arsene and Providence RW Brendan Walsh fought at the 10:06 mark of the 2nd period, with each landing a few before both fell down, with Walsh on top of Arsene…Bonvie fought Providence's Jay Leach at the 13:43 mark of the middle frame, with Bonvie sending Leach off to the locker room for medical attention…Bears Head Coach Paul Fixter's starting lineup featured 4 former PBruins: Carl Corazzini, Andre Savage, Martin Wilde, and Bonvie…Bears LW Chris Bala was excused from the team on Sunday to attend to family matters…former Bear and current Providence RW Pat Leahy is out with a fractured kneecap.

6 Degrees of Separation: Corazzini, who was obtained from Providence on November 15th, scored 53 points in 164 career games played with Bruins…PBruins D Darrel Scoville, who was traded to the PBruins for Corazzini, played 7 games with Hershey earlier this season…Bears D Martin Wilde spent all or parts of 2 seasons with Providence in 01/02 & 03/04.

Coming Up: The Bears finish their 5 game road trip with a Friday night matchup against their arch-rival Philadelphia Phantoms at the Wachovia Center at 7 PM. Hershey will be looking to defeat an opponent that has won 16 straight decisions over the team, dating back to last season.

Current Bears Statistical Leaders (through 12-5-04)

Goals: 8 (Mathieu Darche)
Assists: 17 (Brett Clark)
Points: 19 (Brett Clark)
PIMs: 163 (Dennis Bonvie)
+/-: +2 (Johnny Boychuk & Carl Corazzini)
PPGs: 3 (David Masse)
SHGs: 1 (Jeff Ulmer & David Masse)
GWGs: 2 (Eric Perrin)
Shots: 90 (Mathieu Darche)

The 7641 Sports' News 'N Notes team can be contacted via e-mail at: nnn@7641.com

Saturday December 4, 2004 at Portland (Posted 9:38 P.M. EST.)

Pirates make Bears walk the plank

The Portland Pirates, at one point sitting on a 4-goal lead, held on to defeat the Hershey Bears 4-3 before 5,476 fans Saturday evening at the Cumberland County Civic Center in Portland, ME. Owen Fussey led the way offensively for Portland, netting 2 goals and 1 assist, earning 1st star of the game honors. The loss, coupled with Albany's win over Springfield, dropped Hershey (9-13-1-0, 19 points) back into last place in the East Division, while Portland (10-9-2-2, 24 points) moved into a tie for 3rd place in the Atlantic Division.

Need to Know: 5:44 into the 1st period, Owen Fussey would give Portland a 1-0 lead, taking a rebound off a Graham Mink shot and wristing his 4th goal of the season past Bears goaltender Tom Lawson. Lawson's shutout streak ended at 151:27, dating back to a November 26th loss to Philadelphia…defenseman Chris Hajt would give the Pirates a 2-0 advantage at the 4:23 mark of the 2nd period, beating Lawson on the top left corner for his 1st goal of the season…Fussey would strike again at the 13:51 mark of the middle period, banking in another rebound and giving Portland a 3 goal lead at 3-0…just over 2 minutes later (at 16:29), Trent Whitfield's team-leading 8th goal of the season---an unassisted slapshot through Lawson's pads---gave the Pirates a 4-0 cushion. The goal would stand as the eventual game-winner...at 1:02 of the 3rd period, with Hajt serving a cross-checking penalty for Portland, David Masse would finally get the Bears on the scoresheet, scoring his 5th of the season and making it a 4-1 contest…Hershey would cut the Pirates lead in half, as Dennis Bonvie, who already had 2 fights in the game, would wrist a shot past Portland netminder Maxime Ouellet at the 8:00 point of the 3rd stanza…Jeff Ulmer, playing in front of his family, tipped in his 5th goal of the season past Ouellet at the 18:06 mark of the 3rd period, making it a 4-3 affair.

Misc. Game Notes: Lawson, after posting 2 straight shutouts, suffered the loss for Hershey, finishing with 15 saves in 40 minutes of action, and dropping to 5-7-0 on the season…G Peter Budaj would enter the game at the onset of the 3rd period, and would finish with 7 saves…Ouellet would earn the win for Portland, ending with 33 saves and improving to 8-8-1 in the 04/05 season…former Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins teammates Dennis Bonvie and Darcy Verot fought only 8 seconds into the opening frame, with both wrestling each other down to the ice. Bonvie and Portland RW Garret Stroshein then fought directly after the Pirates took a 4-0 lead at the 16:29 mark of the 2nd period. Both had just finished serving matching roughing minors when they dropped the gloves at center ice. Both held their own throughout the scrap, but Bonvie landed an uppercut that stunned the 6'7'' Stroshein, ending the bout and giving Bonvie and the Bears some measure of redemption…Bears captain Brett Clark earned his Hershey & AHL defensemen-leading 16th assist of the season. His 18 points lead the team…Masse's 5th goal in 9 games this season surpassed his 4 goals in 19 contests for the Bears during the 2003/04 season. His 3 power play goals this season lead the Bears…RW Carl Corazzini finished with 2 assists for the Bears…Jeff Ulmer sported an alternate captain's "A" for the game, and earned the start at center for the Bears. Ulmer's younger brother Jason, a former Bear himself, earned the start at center for Portland, taking the opening faceoff against his brother…with D Trevor Johnson inserted back into the Bears lineup, D Agris Saviels was a healthy scratch…Hershey was looking to win their 3rd consecutive game for the first time in 04/05…the 3, 2nd period goals were the most Hershey has allowed in one period this season, while their 3, 3rd period goals tied a season high for most scored in one period.

Et Cetera: Pirates RW Boyd Gordon was a member of the Red Deer Rebels' (WHL) 2001 Memorial Cup Championship team…Portland D Steve Eminger, who was scratched from Saturday's contest, won a Memorial Cup Championship with the Kitchener Rangers (OHL) in 2003…Portland's roster boasts of 7 former 1st round NHL picks: Gordon (17th overall in 2002), Eminger (12th overall in 2002), Jakub Klepis (19th overall in 2002), Brian Sutherby (26th overall in 2000), Jonas Johansson (28th overall in 2002), Shaone Morrisonn (19th overall in 2001), and Maxime Ouellet (22nd overall in 1999)…16 members of the Pirates roster have previously spent time in the NHL.

6 Degrees of Separation: Portland D Jeff Paul previously played for Hershey from 2001-2003…Pirates C Jason Ulmer played 3 games for Hershey during the 2000/01 season, and as previously mentioned, is the younger brother of Bears RW Jeff Ulmer…Portland Assistant Coach Jay Leach, who also doubles as the Washington Capitals Assistant Coach (when the lockout ends), was the head coach of the Bears from 1993-1996, finishing with a 86-82-25 record before being replaced by Bill Barber as Head Coach on 12/30/095…Pirates C Brooks Laich played with Bears RW Dennis Bonvie in Binghamton last season, before each was later traded to their current respective organizations…Portland LW Owen Fussey played with Bears D Johnny Boychuk for 2 seasons in the WHL with the Calgary Hitmen, while Pirates LW Tomas Fleischmann played alongside Boychuk last season with the Moose Jaw Warriors.

Coming Up: The Bears wrap up the New England portion of their 5 game road trip with a 4:05 PM matinee against the Providence Bruins Sunday at the Dunkin' Donuts Center in Providence, Rhode Island. The Bears are 1-2-0 against the Bruins this season, having dropped their last 2 head-to-head decisions.

The 7641 Sports' News 'N Notes team can be contacted via e-mail at: nnn@7641.com

Friday December 3, 2004 at Worcester (Posted 10:11 P.M. EST.)

On "Teddy Bear Toss Night" in Worcester, Lawson, Bears Toss a SO Win

The Hershey Bears defeated the Worcester IceCats 1-0 in dramatic, shootout-style before 3,221 fans Friday night at the DCU Center in Worcester, MA. The Bears made it a memorable final visit to Worcester, as the parent St. Louis Blues will ship their AHL prospects to Peoria, IL, starting next season. Tom Lawson (4-6-0) pitched his second-straight shutout for the Bears, who are now 3-0 in shootouts this season. With the win, and Albany's subsequent 1-0 loss to Syracuse, the Bears (9-12-1-0, 19 points) climbed out of the basement and into 6th place in the East Division. Worcester (11-7-1-1, 24 points) remains in 3rd place in the Eastern Conference's Atlantic Division.

Need to Know: After both teams were unable to score during regulation and overtime, the Bears and IceCats settled the matter with a shootout…Hershey would get first crack at IceCats goaltender Curtis Sanford in the shootout, with Marek Svatos taking the 1st shot. Svatos, who had converted his 2 previous shootout attempts this season, was turned aside by Sanford. For their first attempt, Worcester countered with RW Mike Glumac---tied for the team lead in scoring---who was promptly denied by Lawson. Up next for Hershey was LW David Masse, who came into Friday's game having scored 6 points in 7 AHL contests this season. Masse would find an open spot, and bury the puck past Sanford, giving the Bears a 1-0 shootout lead after 2 shooters. 1st-year RW Alexei Shkotov would shoot second for the IceCats, but his backhand attempt on Lawson missed its mark. Bears Head Coach Paul Fixter next summoned Eric Perrin, who himself had netted 2 shootout scores this season. Perrin tried to go high on Sanford, and did not convert on his chance. Shooting third for Worcester was former Hobey Baker winner Mike Mottau---Mottau attempted to go high on Lawson, but ended up missing the net. LW Mathieu Darche would try next for Hershey, but Sanford made a leg pad save to deny the Bears a 2-0 lead. Knowing that they needed to convert their last 2 attempts, Jon DiSalvatore would try his hand at Lawson, but alas, his shot went wide. The Bears could seal the shootout win, but C Andre Savage, Hershey's 5th and final shooter, was stonewalled by Sanford. Rookie defenseman Dennis Wideman would be the IceCats final hope, but his attempt missed, giving the Bears a 1-0 shootout win.

Misc. Game Notes: Lawson, in net for the second consecutive contest, earned the victory, stopping all 35 regulation and overtime shots allowed. He then stopped all 5 shots faced in the shootout. Including Friday's contest, Lawson now has a shutout streak of 145:43, dating back to the November 26th loss to Philadelphia…Sanford suffered the hard-luck shutout loss for the IceCats, ending with 34 saves…Worcester has now been shutout in their last 2 games, and has been held scoreless for the last 138:29 of play...the last time the Bears had back-to-back shutouts was during the 1996/97 season, when J.F. Labbe and Petr Franek backstopped the Bears to wins over the Philadelphia Phantoms (2-0 on 1/18/97) and Portland Pirates (7-0 on 1/22/97). Both contests took place at HersheyPark Arena…Bears D Trevor Johnson was a healthy scratch, while D Agris Saviels returned to the Hershey lineup after being scratched Wednesday night in Albany…Worcester, who came into Friday's game averaging the least shots faced per game, allowed Hershey shots on goal…over the last 10 contests, the Bears have gone 3-52 on the power play (5.7 %)…this season, Hershey is now 6-5-1 in games decided by 1 goal.

Et Cetera: The IceCats donned special tribute jerseys for the game in honor of the 6 Worcester firefighters who perished fighting an abandoned building fire on a December 3rd, 1999. The jerseys, which will be worn twice, will then be auctioned off during the IceCats/Providence Bruins contest on December 11th at the DCU Center in Worcester. Proceeds will benefit the Worcester Fire Fighters Fund…Worcester has 2 former Hobey Baker Award winners on their roster: D Mike Mottau (99/00 season with Boston College), and LW Peter Sejna (02/03 with Colorado College)…Icecats RW Jeff Hoggan won a Calder Cup Championship with the Houston Aeros in the 2002/03 season…Worcester C Johnny Pohl was a member of the University of Minnesota's 2002 NCAA Championship team, while newly-recalled IceCats C Troy Riddle on the Golden Gophers' back-to-back 2002 & 2003 NCAA Championship squads.

6 Degrees of Separation: IceCats D Aris Brimanis skated for the Bears from 1993-1996…Worcester LW Robin Gomez played alongside Bears D Johnny Boychuk during the 00/01 season with the Calgary Hitmen (WHL).

Coming Up: The Bears continue their swing through New England with a 7:05 PM contest against the Portland Pirates Saturday night at the Cumberland County Civic Center in Portland, ME. It is the Bears only trip to the Pine Tree State this season. The last time Hershey played in Portland, the 2 teams skated to a 0-0 tie on January 3rd of this year.

The 7641 Sports' News 'N Notes team can be contacted via e-mail at: nnn@7641.com

Wednesday December 1, 2004 at Albany(Posted 9:21 P.M. EST.)

Bears Kick Off December On Right Foot

The Hershey Bears continued their mastery of Albany this season, shutting out the River Rats 3-0 Wednesday evening at the Pepsi Arena in Albany, NY. The Bears (8-12-1, 17 points) moved within 1 point of Albany (6-9-4-2, 18 points) for 6th place in the East Division, and are now 3-0-0 against the River Rats in 04/05. For Albany, they are now winless in 7 straight contests, as well as winless in 8 consecutive games at home. Tom Lawson would earn his 1st shutout for the season, while Eric Perrin, David Masse, and Jeff Ulmer pocketed goals for the victorious Bears.

Need to Know: As a back-and-forth opening period winded down, the Bears would get on the scoreboard first, with Eric Perrin's netting the game-winner---his 4th goal of the season---with 1.4 seconds left on the clock. After Brett Clark's initial shot from the top of the left faceoff circle was stopped by River Rats goaltender Scott Clemmensen, Perrin, behind the Albany net, would pick up the mishandled rebound, stuffing it past Clemmensen to give Hershey a 1-0 lead heading into the 1st intermission…at the 13:17 mark of the 2nd period, with the Bears on the penalty kill, David Masse would net an unassisted goal, giving the Bears a 2-0 advantage. Masse had just exited the penalty box (having served a hooking penalty), when he picked up the puck on an Albany turnover in the neutral zone, taking it into the Rats end and putting one past Clemmensen for his 4th goal of the season…Jeff Ulmer would finish off the evening's scoring, netting his 4th goal of the season---an empty-net tally---at the 19:59 mark of the 3rd period, giving the Bears a 3-0 win.

Misc. Game Notes: Lawson (4-6-0) earned the shutout win for Hershey, stopping all 28 shots he faced…Clemmensen (3-8-0-2) took the loss for the Rats, ending with 35 saves…Clark earned his AHL Defensemen-leading 15th assist on Perrin's late 1st period goal…right before Masse's 2nd period tally, Hershey had killed off an Albany 2-Man Advantage for 34 seconds…Masse now has 6 points (4 goals, 2 assists) in 7 games with Hershey this season...both of Hershey's short-handed goals this season have been scored on Albany ice. RW Jeff Ulmer scored the Bears other "Shorty" in their November 19th win in the Capital District…Bears D Jeff Finger earned his 2nd point of the season on Perrin's 1st period score. It was his first point since the Bears dropped a 3-2 decision in Binghamton on October 22nd…D Trevor Johnson (#2) and C Graig Mischler (#17) made their 2004/05 AHL debuts for Hershey…Martin Hlinka (ankle), Cody McCormick (wrist), Jamie Rivers (shoulder), and Agris Saviels (leg) were scratched due to injuries.

Et Cetera: Coming into the Wednesday's game, the Bears ranked last in the AHL with a 5.8 power play percentage on the road (3-32 on man-advantage situations)…From the useless facts department: Dating back to the 1938/39 season, Hershey is now 36-22-9 in first games played in the month of December, including 16-7-5 all-time in games played on December 1st.

Coming Up: The Bears next head to Worcester, MA, where they'll make their final appearance in Worcester against the Icecats Friday night at the Centrum Center. Last month, it was announced that the St. Louis Blues would move their AHL affiliate from Worcester to Peoria, IL at the conclusion of the 2004/05 season.

The 7641 Sports' News 'N Notes team can be contacted via e-mail at: nnn@7641.com

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