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AHL Hershey Bears

Hershey Weekly

November 17, 2015 - American Hockey League (AHL)
Hershey Bears News Release


HEROES AT HOME

Big Home Win Caps off Celebration of Heroes; Pirates on Deck

The Hershey Bears Hockey Club salvaged the weekend with a strong home win on Sunday after two division setbacks.

On Friday, the Bears made their first trip north this season to face the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, and became another victim of the league leaders. Seven different Penguins players lit the lamp in a 7-0 win that saw both Hershey goaltenders used. Matt Murray stopped all 24 shots that the Bears sent his way.

The Bears returned home to face the Bridgeport Sound Tigers, a team they had defeated seven consecutive times in a streak that started back to January 18, 2014. But once again, the Bears' offense was held at bay by goaltender Chris Gibson, who made 27 saves in the Bridgeport crease. Bracken Kearns scored on the first shot of the game, while Matt Finn, Alan Quine, Ryan Pulock and Kevin Czuczman added goals for the visitors in a 5-0 win. The Bears were successful in killing off all six of Bridgeport's power plays.

Goaltender Dan Ellis, who was replaced by Justin Peters in Friday's night's game, was also pressed into duty on Saturday and only allowed Czuczman's goal - which was an unfortunate deflection off of a teammate. Another such deflection occurred on Sunday in the third period of the Bears' first game against the Rochester Americans in two seasons. However, Ellis put forth a tremendous effort in turning aside 25 other shots, and backed his team to a 3-1 victory on a night honoring service men and women. The Bears, donned in camouflage-themed jerseys, held the Amerks to just two shots on goal in a first period that featured a four- minute Rochester power play. Hershey fired 12 shots on goal but netminder Nathan Lieuwen turned them all aside. Paul Carey would end a long team goal drought by beating Lieuwen on a breakaway with 9:07 left in the second period. Rochester tied the game when William Carrier's backhand pass in the slot banked past Ellis off of a teammate's skate. But Garrett Mitchell would restore the Bears' lead with his third goal of the season, a snap shot that eluded Lieuwen high to the stick side. Zach Sill capped off a nice night for the team captains by hitting the empty net at 19:14 for the insurance goal. Hershey again finished with a perfect penalty kill, going seven-for-seven.

Hershey continues a five-game homestand this weekend with Friday and Saturday games against the Portland Pirates.

HERSHEY BEARS NEWS AND NOTES

BOURQUE & THE BEARS BEST: Chris Bourque's 12 points in the young season gives him a total of 405 points (135 goals, 270 assists) in his Bears career, which puts him in sole possession of 11th place on Hershey's all-time scoring list. He is just three points shy of Bears Hall-of-Famer Ralph Keller. Bourque has posted the 405 points in 407 career games with the Bears, a total which ranks 24th in Hershey history - six games behind Bears and AHL Hall of Famer Mitch Lamoureux.

CLUTCH CAREY: Paul Carey picked up another big goal in Sunday's win over Rochester. His second-period tally ended a team slide of 199:14 without a goal, and was the first of three that Hershey used to defeat the Amerks by a 3-1 count. The goal was Carey's fifth of the season, putting him on top of the team in goal scoring. Carey is also tied for the lead in game-winning goals (two), which ties for fourth in the AHL.

MAGNIFICENT MITCHELL: Captain Garrett Mitchell's goal with 3:47 left in regulation broke a 1-1 tie and sent the Bears to victory over Rochester on Sunday. The goal was Mitchell's third of the season, which is just one shy of his 2014-15 total. It was also his second game-winning goal of the year, tying Paul Carey for the team lead.

STAN THE MAN HEADS BACK: Stan Galiev was recalled by the Washington Capitals from his five-game conditioning loan on Monday. He departs after adding three more goals to his AHL resume, which now stands at 55 points (31 goals, 24 assists) in 105 games with the Chocolate and White.

ELLIS NEARING MILESTONE: Goaltender Dan Ellis' 25-save victory on Sunday puts him five wins shy of 100 in his AHL career. In 204 regular-season games, Ellis is 95-89-8 with 13 shutouts, a 2.76 goals-against average and .905 save percentage.

BEARS BULLETS: The Bears have allowed just one power play goal at home this season for a 95.8% penalty kill success rate, best in the AHL...Hershey improved to 3-1-0-1 in five games against North Division opponents with its Sunday victory...Hershey was 1:58 away from tying a 33-year-old record on Sunday, when Rochester finally recorded a shot on goal...The last time Hershey did not allow a shot on goal in a period was on January 30, 1982 against the Erie Blades...The Bears are 5-0-0-1 when tied after first periods this season and are 6-2-0-0 when outshooting their opponents.

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