Bears' Special Teams Play Buries Devils
October 21, 2011 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Hershey Bears News Release
ALBANY, New York - Cody Eakin scored the go-ahead goal late in the opening period, Boyd Kane scored his first goal of the season on the power play, and Braden Holtby turned aside 18 shots to help the HERSHEY BEARS win their fourth straight road game to open the season, 4-1 over the Albany Devils on Friday night at Times Union Center.
It was Albany who got on the board first, when Steve Zalewski collected a perfect head-man pass at center ice from Matt Corrente and broke in alone on Holtby. Zalewski took a wrist shot that beat Holtby on the blocker side at 6:53, giving the Devils a 1-0 lead.
But the BEARS were quick to answer after a takeaway off of a defensive zone faceoff loss. Keith Aucoin got the puck on the half wall and found Matt Ford alone in the slot for a one-timed tip past Devils goaltender Jeff Frazee at 10:37.
A late-period penalty to Albany's Stephane Veilleux sent the BEARS to their first power play of the game, and the team cashed in with 1:13 left in the period. Chris Bourque attempted a hard pass from the right circle and the puck deflected off a skate in front right to Eakin, who had a tap-in into a virtually empty net to give HERSHEY a 2-1 lead at intermission.
The period would not end peacefully as Danny Richmond and Corrente dropped the gloves at the horn.
Christian Hanson gave the BEARS insurance at 5:57 of the second frame, after Eakin went forward on an offensive zone faceoff. The puck slid to Hanson at the top of the crease, and the BEARS' center waited until Frazee committed low to fire a shot into the upper part of the net.
Holding a 3-1 lead through a third period that featured few whistles, the BEARS went on their third power play late. With 1:57 left in the frame and with Devils rookie Joe Whitney in the box for high-sticking, Kane deflected a pass from Dmitry Orlov past Frazee's blocker to put HERSHEY on top 4-1.
The BEARS kept the Devils away from the puck for the rest of regulation and went on to the team's fourth consecutive road victory.
Holtby picked up the win and improved to 2-1-0 on the season. Frazee dropped to 0-3-0, stopping 19 of 23 shots.
The BEARS ended the night 2-for-3 on the power play and 3-for-3 on the penalty kill.
The BEARS return home tomorrow for a 7:00 PM faceoff against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. The first 4,000 fans will receive a schedule poster courtesy of Appalachian Brewing Company. Individual tickets for this and all regular-season home games are on sale now by calling (717) 508-BEAR, or by visiting ticketmaster.com.
HERSHEY BEARS season ticket plans are also on sale now by calling (717) 508-BEAR, with many different flexible plans still available. Season ticket plans start as low as $160.
American Hockey League Stories from October 21, 2011
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- Aeros nip Charlotte - Houston Aeros
- Sharks Couldn't Hold off Providence, Downed in Shootout - Worcester Sharks
- Pirates Blanked by Phantoms - Portland Pirates
- Fast Start Doesn't Help Devils - Albany Devils
- Bears' Special Teams Play Buries Devils - Hershey Bears
- Sound Tigers Knock off IceCaps 4-3 in OT - Bridgeport Islanders
- Mark Parrish Named B-Sens Captain - Binghamton Senators
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- Aeros Game Day, October 21 - Houston Aeros
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