Bears defeat Pirates 7-1 on Teddy Bear Toss Night

Coco helps clean up the teddy bears. All Photos by Kyle Mace.

On a night of 10,000 Bears, the real Hershey Bears put together their own big night of goals, beating the Portland Pirates 7-1 at Giant Center. The annual teddy bear toss set a new record for bears given to kids at Hershey Medical Center.

Portland got the first goal of the game only two minutes into it from a shot by Ryan Duncan. Then Graham Mink got the teddy bears flying with only three minutes left in the third.

Ryan Potulny gave the Bears the lead on his third goal of the season and they never gave it back.

Joel Rechlicz dropped the gloves with Ryan Hollweg and had a nice bout, though Hollweg got a 10 minute misconduct and instigator.

Hershey would take a 3-1 lead as Matt Pope scored his second goal as a Bear. Julien Brouillette and Mink would score back to back power play goal in the third to give the Bears a 5-1 lead.

Potulny and Matt Ford would score the final two goals in the game Hershey went on to win, 7-1.

Tonight’s notes:

• There were 10,090 bears thrown on the ice tonight. Only 128 less then tonight’s attendance.
• This was the return of former Bears captain Dean Arsene to Giant Center for the first time since the 2009 Calder Cup Celebration.
• Tomorrow’s game will be on abc27’s digital channel, 27.2 RTV, Comcast 245, VerzionFIOS 461, at 3pm.

Three stars of the game:

1. Ryan Potulny (HER)
2. Graham Mink (HER)
3. Matt Ford (HER)

More photos from tonight’s game:

Graham Mink triggers the teddy bears to rain down!

Potulny scores Hershey’s second goal of the game!

Rechlicz drops the gloves with Hollweg.

Mink thanks Bourque for the assist.

Matt Ford scores the Bears’ sixth goal.

Rechlicz has a stare-down with Hextall.

Another great game for the Bears!

Cool video of the Teddy Bear Toss by @teamgraybill!