Bears Graduates Continue Pursuit of Stanley Cup
Published on May 7, 2012 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Hershey Bears News Release
HERSHEY, Pa. - The Washington Capitals continue their pursuit of a berth in the 2012 Eastern Conference Finals, with several graduates and recent members of the HERSHEY BEARS Hockey Club there to contribute.
Goaltender Braden Holtby and forward Keith Aucoin have made contributions as the most recent BEARS graduates. The two joined goaltender Michal Neuvirth, defensemen Karl Alzner, John Carlson, Mike Green and Jeff Schultz, and forwards Jay Beagle, Matt Hendricks, Brooks Laich and Mathieu Perreault in the Capitals' seven-game dismissal of last year's Stanley Cup Champion Boston Bruins.
Currently, many members of this group - which also includes a practice squad of recent BEARS players in forwards Cody Eakin and Mattias Sjogren, defensemen Sean Collins and Cameron Schilling, and goaltender Dany Sabourin - are in a deadlock with the New York Rangers with a pivotal Game Five to be played tonight at Madison Square Garden.
Holtby worked his way into the playoff spotlight when he earned his first-ever professional win in a Game Seven on April 25, making 31 saves in an overtime victory that eliminated the Bruins in the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals. Holtby has played in all 11 of the Capitals' playoff contests and has logged the most minutes of any goaltender in the postseason (741:24), holds a 1.94 goals-against average and a save percentage of .933.
Aucoin, who hoisted the Calder Cup in HERSHEY in 2009 and 2010 and who led the American Hockey League in scoring at the time of his permanent recall in February, has competed in the first Stanley Cup playoff action of his career this spring. He recorded his first playoff point (an assist) in Game Four of the opening round and added another assist in Game Two against the Rangers. Fittingly, Aucoin ranks sixth all-time in AHL helpers (554).
Neuvirth, the 34th overall selection in 2006, has served as backup in the postseason but won 13 of the Capitals' regular-season games before suffering a late-season injury. He guided HERSHEY to their back-to-back Calder Cup championships in 2009 and 2010, earning playoff MVP honors in 2009.
Alzner (fifth overall selection in 2007) and Carlson (27th overall in 2008) worked the blue line in front of Neuvirth on HERSHEY's back-to-back Calder Cup championship teams. The pair currently has logged the most postseason ice time per game (25:30 and 24:23 respectively) among the club's defensemen.
Green (29th overall selection in 2004) scored the decisive power-play goal in Game Four against the Rangers on Saturday. His plus-5 rating ranks tied for seventh among NHL defensemen in the playoffs. Green won a Calder Cup with HERSHEY in 2006 and helped guide the BEARS to the final round in 2007 before his permanent tenure in Washington began. Laich, who has played in all 48 of the Capitals' playoff games in the last five springs, and Schultz (27th overall selection in 2004) also celebrated that 2006 AHL championship.
Hendricks netted eight goals for the BEARS in the 2007 postseason, and has become a feared opponent because of his physical play. Hendricks has recorded 51 hits, which ranks second in the NHL this postseason.
Beagle and Perreault combined for 40 points in the BEARS' back-to-back championship runs. Beagle has tallied one goal, one assist and a plus-1 rating in the postseason, while Perreault (Washington's sixth round selection in 2006) saw action in the first four games of the opening round.
Although they are not considered "graduates", two other Capitals saw brief action in a HERSHEY sweater: forward Marcus Johansson (24th overall selection in 2009; two games played, 2010) and defenseman John Erskine (four conditioning assignment games played, 2006).
One final BEARS graduate, Capitals radio voice John Walton, will call the action of Game Five from Madison Square Garden tonight beginning at 7:00 PM.
The 2012-13 season will mark the HERSHEY BEARS' 75th anniversary in the American Hockey League. Season ticket plans are on sale now by calling (717) 508-BEAR, with many different flexible plans available. Season ticket plans start as low as $165.
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