We are four days into voting for our first ever SHOEY Awards and all races are still really close, especially the social media awards. There are three categories that fall under the social media awards: Tweet of the Year, Tweeter of the Year, and Social Media Champion. Three, it’s a magic number. Will that magic wear off on some of our nominees?
HERSHEY, PA – Dane Byers celebrates with Ryan Stoa after his goal in the third period during Hershey’s 4-1 win over Albany (Kyle Mace / Sweetest Hockey on Earth)
It was a rare Friday night home game on Giant Center ice, and nothing short of the biggest win of the season. Trailing 1-0 entering the final stanza against the Albany Devils, the Hershey Bears responded with four unanswered goals and cruised to an astonishing 4-1 win.
With out of town help provided by the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, the Bears are now within three points of the eighth and final playoff spot.
HERSHEY, PA – Michael Latta joins teammates after Brandon Segal’s first period goal during Hershey’s 4-1 win over Adirondack (Kyle Mace / Sweetest Hockey on Earth)
It’s has been high riding for the Hershey Bears this season against the Northeast Division, entering Saturday with an a 7-3-2-1 record in 2013-14. But Cal Heeter and the Adirondack Phantoms have haunted the Bears this season with three wins in the previous four meetings.
With the Phantoms in the Eastern Conference dungeon, their playoff chances are fading away by the second. But for the Chocolate and White, all 16 games remaining entering Saturday have the significance of playoff games. Two points removed from the eighth seeded Albany Devils, Hershey sought a needed home-ice victory.
Four different Hershey goal scorers propelled them to a 4-1 victory over the Phantoms. It was the team’s 20th win on Giant Center ice this season.
It was a fun game to watch on television, listen in on radio, or even follow on twitter. But most of all, it was an excellent way to end a six-game skid.
The Hershey Bears traveled to Virginia Beach and throttled the Norfolk Admirals by a 3-2 count. It was their first game played of the season at the Norfolk Scope, and it had a homecoming feel for Bears’ Head Coach Mike Haviland. Haviland was an Admirals’ assistant coach last season and the head bench boss for the 2005-06 and 2006-07 campaigns.
Dane Byers scored a third period insurance marker, which later proved to be the game-winner in a 3-2 decision. With out of town help by the Utica Comets, the Bears now stand within one point of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, and three points within the division lead.
Dane Byers, seen here earlier in the season, had two goals in Hershey’s 6-5 loss (Kyle Mace / Sweetest Hockey on Earth)
“12 Rounds” may be an epic movie starring entertainer John Cena, but in a way the action film’s title describes the annual rivalry between the Hershey Bears and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.
Both teams battled in round 12 on Tuesday night to end the 2013-14 regular season portion of the I-81 rivalry. The back and forth game ended in a victory for the Baby Penguins, beating Hershey 6-5.
HERSHEY, PA – Brandon Segal celebrates his second period goal with teammates during Hershey’s 3-1 win (Kyle Mace / Sweetest Hockey on Earth)
Which is of the following is more abnormal– The Hershey Bears wearing Groundhog Day jerseys in their Sunday game against Norfolk, or Groundhog Day combining with Super Bowl Sunday?
Regardless the answer, at an early 2pm start time the Bears faced the Anaheim Ducks’ top affiliate, Norfolk Admirals. Nearly 24 hours after the Adirondack Phantoms snapped Hershey’s overall six game winning streak, the Bears extended their home win streak to nine games in a 3-1 win over the Admirals.
HERSHEY, PA – Michael Latta celebrates his first goal of the night with Matt Watkins in Hershey’s 3-2 win (Kyle Mace / Sweetest Hockey on Earth)
We can all appreciate a sports season that is evenly split between two calendar years. It provides every team with a chance to start fresh and turn the page if it’s felt necessary.
In 2013, the Hershey Bears struggled to stay above the .500 mark in the AHL standings, had a power play unit ranked near the league’s worst and floated near the bottom of the Eastern Conference.
But into the final Saturday of 2014’s opening month, the Bears suddenly hit a power surge bringing them to 20 wins at the 40 game mark. A sudden six game Giant Center win streak and a climb in the special teams rankings has helped Hershey to their recent success. Entering Saturday’s contest against Syracuse, the Chocolate and White had the best point percentage (.750%) in their previous ten games compared to all other Eastern Conference teams.
An impressive angle on Friday’s win in New York was winning by a three goal margin despite going 0-for-5 on the improving power play unit. In the next night’s rematch, the power play was blanked once more, but Michael Latta’s two goals lifted Hershey to a thrilling 3-2 win.
HERSHEY, PA – Brandon Segal is joined by Nate Schmidt and Dustin Gazley to celebrate goal in the third period against Bridgeport (Tim Stough / Sweetest Hockey on Earth)
It may not show in the standings just yet, but at the halfway point of the AHL season, the Hershey Bears have developed some valuable momentum. Saturday night at Giant Center, the Bears pulled out a 5-3 win over the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. The victory gave the Bears their fifth win in the last seven games.
Riley Gill at a Bears practice earlier in the season (Photo by: Kyle Mace)
The historic Atlantic City Boardwalk Hall hosted the first meeting of the 2013-14 season between the Albany Devils and Hershey Bears. Brandon Segal continued to dismantle opponents on the scoring sheet, Michael Latta channeled his inner Joel Rechlicz and Riley Gill earned his first AHL win during a 4-1 Bears win.
HERSHEY, PA – Ryan Stoa celebrates his first period goal with teammates during Hershey’s 5-3 win (Kyle Mace / Sweetest Hockey on Earth)
The Hershey Bears debuted on Giant Center ice for the only time this weekend with a Saturday night match against the Springfield Falcons. Bears Play-by-Play voice Scott Stuccio tweeted hours before puck drop, “Bears undoubtedly will be ready to go for this one. Springfield (25-6-1-3) is the AHL’s top team (.771 points %).”
Hershey dropped a 4-2 tilt in Binghamton, NY the night before. However, Stuccio also tweeted Saturday afternoon that the Senators appeared to have too many men on the ice during their second period, game-winning goal.
Just as Stuccio warned, the Bears were ready to play and grinned out a 5-3 win over the top team in the American Hockey League.