Blink, and you'll miss it. Next time you're at a hockey game, right after the national anthem, but moments before puck drop turn your attention to one of the two benches. You'll witness what's almost a circus act happening up…
Chris Bourque celebrates his game winning goal with less than a minute left in the third period to beat Lehigh Valley in game two of the Atlantic Division semi-finals (Kyle Mace / Chocolate Hockey)
The Hershey Bears erased a 4-2 deficit in the third period, and Chris Bourque’s game winning goal with 33 seconds on the clock got Hershey a 5-4 victory in Lehigh Valley on Saturday night. Hershey takes a two-games-to-none series lead, with the chance to eliminate the Phantoms on Wednesday night at Giant Center.
Stan Galiev and Ryan Bourque celebrate with Nathan Walker after Walker’s OTGWG to give Hershey the win in game one of the Atlantic Division semi-finals. (Kyle Mace / Chocolate Hockey)
It took 67 minutes and 38 seconds, but the Hershey Bears were able to break a scoreless tie in overtime to take a 1-0 win in Game One of their first-round series in Lehigh Valley Friday night. Nathan Walker scored on a rebound of a Tyler Lewington shot to get Hershey the win in the extra session.
It took 75 games and some help from the Springfield Thunderbirds, but the Hershey Bears can finally say they are playoff bound after taking a 2-1 win over the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on Friday night. Hershey faces Providence tomorrow with a chance to alter their first round opponent, which currently is the same Penguins team they faced tonight. A win would have them facing Lehigh Valley.
After signing as a free agent with the Washington Capitals, Hampus Gustafsson joined the Hershey Bears on an amateur tryout deal. While most ATO signees rarely see one game, Gustafsson was called upon after center Zach Sill went down with an injury.
In only this third game with the Bears, Gustafsson set up Riley Barber for a perfect pass to Hubert Labrie to give Hershey a 1-0 lead Wednesday night. That assist marked the first point as a professional in Gustafsson’s career – a special feeling for the 23-year-old. “It was nice but nice to get the win too,” Gustafsson said after the game. “We needed that for the push into the playoffs.”
Tom Gilbert is joined by teammates after scoring the eventual game winning goal for Hershey on Wednesday night against Binghamton (Kyle Mace / Chocolate Hockey)
The Hershey Bears hosted the Binghamton Senators Wednesday night before a sold-out Giant Center, and behind goals from Hubert Labrie, Tom Gilbert, and Riley Barber, Hershey took a 3-1 victory tonight. Pheonix Copley backstopped the Bears to the win.
Three hours after the Bears got off the ice at Giant Center in their first practice after winter storm Stella dropped just over a foot of snow on Chocolate Town, the hopped back on with a very special group of kids. The American Special Hockey Association’s York Polar Bears and Hershey Heros teams joined some of the Hershey players for a skate Wednesday afternoon.
