Right In Between To Start 2013
Published on December 31, 2012 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Hershey Bears News Release
The HERSHEY BEARS Hockey Club picked up four out of six possible points last week, with all points coming in a home-and-home sweep of the rival Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. On Wednesday at GIANT Center, Braden Holtby notched his fourth shutout of the season, stopping all 33 shots he faced in the BEARS' 2-0 victory. Garrett Mitchell provided the goal that, ultimately, would be all that HERSHEY would need when he beat Penguins goaltender Jeff Zatkoff 3:56 into the contest. Both netminders would stop the remainder of their shots, and Jeff Taffe scored into the empty net with under 48 seconds remaining to seal the win. The next night in Wilkes-Barre Township Holtby was given the night off but Dany Sabourin, who hadn't started a game since December 7, came up one shy of a shutout of his own in the BEARS' 4-1 win. Penguins forward Paul Thompson was the only player to solve Sabourin, who made 26 saves on the night. The goal came after the BEARS had already built a 3-0 lead. Mitchell scored the opening goal for the second consecutive night, Steve Oleksy picked up his first goal with the BEARS that stood as the game-winner, and Mathieu Beaudoin struck on the power play. Boyd Kane rounded out the scoring by beating backup netminder Brad Thiessen with 1:26 left to play. The BEARS and Albany Devils then played an entertaining game on Saturday, with Albany coming back and then holding on for a 3-2 win. Jon DiSalvatore and Zach Hamill each scored their 10th goals of the season, but Tim Sestito, Bobby Butler and Harri Pesonen lit the lamp for the Devils. Keith Kinkaid made 34 saves in the win.
The BEARS host the Binghamton Senators on Saturday and the Worcester Sharks on Sunday in the first two games of 2013.
BEARS NEWS AND NOTES
HOLTBY ON HUMP DAY: G Braden Holtby's 33-save clean sheet against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on Wednesday gives him shutouts on three consecutive Wednesdays (12/12 at St. John's, 12/19 vs. Norfolk). Holtby, with four this season, ranks fifth in HERSHEY history with 14 shutouts.
CENTURY MARK FOR MITCHELL: RW Garrett Mitchell closed out a solid week, earning an assist in his 100th game played with HERSHEY on Saturday against Albany. Mitchell tallied points in all three games last week (2-2-4).
KANE'S COUNTDOWNS: LW Boyd Kane is closing in on significant milestones. Kane is five games away from joining an elite group of 12 names with more than 900 AHL games to their credit. At 895 games, Kane sits one back of Mark Wotton for 15th place all-time in the AHL. Additionally, the native of Swift Current, SK needs three more games to reach 1,000 in his ECHL, AHL & NHL professional career, and just two more points to join HERSHEY's 200-point club (93-105-198).
BUCKLE DOWN ON "D": The BEARS defense and goaltending have combined to allow one goal or less in six of the team's last eight games. The club ranks third in the AHL in goals against per game (2.50).
OUTSHOT? NO PROBLEM: The BEARS have recorded 28 of their 34 points in 2012 when outshot by their opponent (13-10-1-1).
ROAD CREW: The BEARS' victory over Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on Thursday gave the team victories in six consecutive road games. It is the longest active streak in the AHL and tied for the second-longest streak this season.
INSTANT CLASSIC: The BEARS and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins will take to the elements at HERSHEYPARK Stadium in just 20 days in the Capital BlueCross AHL Outdoor Classic. The two team's alumni will face off on Saturday, January 19 at 3:00 PM, with the Classic puck drop slated for 5:00 PM on January 20. It will be the second consecutive season that the BEARS will play outdoors, and the first time in team history at home.
American Hockey League Stories from December 31, 2012
- New Year, New Beginning - Manchester Monarchs
- Heat Close 2012 with 2-1 Shootout Loss - Abbotsford Heat
- Griffins Close out 2012 in First Place - Grand Rapids Griffins
- New Year's Celebration Starts with 2-1 Win - Peoria Rivermen
- Sharks Close out 2012 with a Bang in Manchester - Worcester Sharks
- Eberle's Natural Hat Trick Leads Barons over Stars 5-2 - Texas Stars
- Hogs Fall in 2012 Finale in Grand Rapids - Rockford IceHogs
- B-Sens Round out 2012 with 4-2 Win over IceCaps - Binghamton Senators
- IceCaps Drop New Year's Eve Game to Senators - St. John's IceCaps
- Whale Harpooned by Portland Comeback - Connecticut Whale
- Penguins End Year with Loss to Crunch - Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins
- Comeback City Closes 2012 - Adirondack Phantoms
- Crunch Close out 2012 with Win over Penguins - Syracuse Crunch
- Poulin Propels Sound Tigers to 4-3 Shootout Win over Phantoms - Bridgeport Islanders
- Amerks Ring in the New Year with 2-0 Win over Bulldogs - Rochester Americans
- Americans Blank Bulldogs 2-0 - Hamilton Bulldogs
- Stars Weekly - Stars Ring in New Year at Oklahoma City - Texas Stars
- Admirals to Give Away Green Bay Playoff Tickets - Milwaukee Admirals
- Monarchs Weekly Report - Manchester Monarchs
- Houston Aeros Sign Derek Couture - Houston Aeros
- Crunch Weekly - Syracuse Crunch
- Brittain Joins Admirals, Cousineau Sent to Fort Wayne - Norfolk Admirals
- Sharks Hitting Stride into 2013 - Worcester Sharks Weekly - Worcester Sharks
- IceHogs Grab a Share of First After Week 12 - Rockford IceHogs
- Hamilton Bulldogs Weekly - Hamilton Bulldogs
- Amerks Defenseman T.J. Brennan Named Ccm/AHL Player of the Week - Rochester Americans
- Rochester's T.J. Brennan Named CCM/AHL Player of the Week - AHL
- Falcons Weekly Notes - Springfield Falcons
- Right In Between To Start 2013 - Hershey Bears
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