On Tuesday afternoon, the Hershey Bears visited Penn State Hershey’s Children’s Hospital for their annual Christmas craft day. Bears players Riley Barber, Madison Bowey, Liam O’Brien, Zach Sanford, Tyler Lewington, and Aaron Ness helped some patients make some picture frames and sign some autographs for them.
Zach Sanford spent 19 games in the NHL with the Capitals to start the season but was still missing that first professional goal. He finally got it Sunday night with the Hershey Bears. On a feed from behind the goal line, Nathan Walker sent the puck to the tape of Sanford’s stick, who was able to put the puck past Kristers Gudlevskis of the Syracuse Crunch, giving him that first pro goal.
“It was a good feeling,” Sanford said after the game. “Walker had been working hard all night. One finally popped out to me and I was finally able to put it in the back of the net.”
Forward Jakub Vrana has been recalled by the Washington Capitals – his first NHL call-up.
In 18 games for Hershey this season, Vrana has 16 points with nine goals. Vrana, 20, is in his third season with the Bears, playing 57 games for the Chocolate and White, including 31 playoff games.
Vrana was drafted by the Capitals in the first round in 2014, 13th overall. The Czech Republic native came to Hershey in 2015, scoring his first pro goal on May 2, 2015.