HERSHEY, PA – Washington Capitals prospect Andre Burakovsky brings the puck up ice for the Hershey Bears on Saturday night against the Springfield Falcons (Kyle Mace / Chocolate Hockey)
This past weekend the Hershey Bears got a treat. 2013 first round draft pick Andre Burakovsky spent two games with the Chocolate and White to get him back on the ice after being scratched the last five out of six games for Washington.
HERSHEY, PA – Philippe Cornet celebrates his first period goal during the Bears win over Binghamton Saturday night (Kyle Mace / Chocolate Hockey)
Seven goals, six (give or take two) fights, and 114 penalty minutes. This game was the first of eight matches between the Hershey Bears and Binghamton Senators in the 2014-15 season, and boy was it a fun one. Hershey would take the two points, but not without a lot of action in the game. Chris Brown and Philippe Cornet would give Hershey an early 2-0 lead only seven minutes into the first period.
HERSHEY, PA – Hershey Bears forward Joel Broda laughs at Coco the Bear as the lay in a pile of teddy bears on Teddy Bear Toss Night (Kyle Mace – Chocolate Hockey)
An annual tradition at Giant Center is the teddy bear toss. Each year Bears fans bring teddy bears to Hershey to toss on the ice after the Bears first goal. This year the Bears looked to set a new AHL record by beating their own record of 12,890 plush toys from last season.
It took only 39 seconds for Steve Oleksy to score and let the stuffed animals fly. 17,295 went flying onto the ice at Giant Center for multiple regional organizations. Due to the fact so many Bears were thrown, the whole Hershey Bears team pitched in and helped clean up the furry friends, making for some great photos.
On Friday, December 5th, the Hershey Bears Better Halves will hold their annual Christmas fundraiser. This year’s event will feature the traditional team autographed Christmas ornaments and a cookbook of favorite holiday recipes that the players enjoy.
You will be able to purchase the ornaments and cookbooks behind section 119, where both will be $25. There are only 1,000 cookbooks, with 200 random ones having signatures from the players in them.
HERSHEY, PA – Stan Galiev celebrates his goal against Syracuse Saturday night. Galiev has had the last three goals for Hershey (Kyle Mace / Chocolate Hockey)
After a huge win against archrivals Wilkes-Barre Wednesday night, the Hershey Bears looked to take that momentum into a two game weekend series. The Bears took on the Syracuse Crunch Saturday night, losing 4-1. They bounced back the next night against the St. John’s IceCaps and former Bears goalie Peter Budaj, with a 1-0 win.
HERSHEY, PA – Stan Galiev celebrates his third period goal during Hershey’s 2-1 shootout win against Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Wednesday night (Kyle Mace – Chocolate Hockey)
As the turkey heats up in the oven for Thanksgiving tomorrow, the Hershey Bears – Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins rivalry is heating up with each meeting this season. Coming into this evening’s game, the Bears have won seven straight against the Penguins at Giant Center. Hershey was looking to make that eight straight with the traditional Thanksgiving eve game.
Sunday night was a homecoming for two former Hershey Bears. Defenseman Julien Brouillette and goaltender Peter Budaj, both now with the St. John’s IceCaps. Brouillette made played three seasons in Hershey, making his NHL debut with the Washington Capitals just last season.
HERSHEY, PA – Dane Byers looks at the scoreboard after St. John’s scores one of their two goals in route to their 2-0 win over Hershey (Kyle Mace – Chocolate Hockey)
It was the return of two former Bears Sunday night. Julien Brouillette, who spent three seasons in Hershey on the Bears blue line, and goalie Peter Budaj, who started his pro career in Hershey back in 2002.
Now in St. John’s, Brouillette, who started the game, and Budaj, who was the backup Sunday, were on a side the both were very familiar with in Giant Center: the winning side. The IceCaps, lead by goalie Connor Hellebuyck’s 33 saves, shutdown Hershey, allowing them to leave Chocolate Town, USA with the two points and a win.
Photo credit: Kyle Mace
Sunday night when the Bears take on the St. John’s IceCaps, the Chocolate and White will be sporting special mustache covered Movember jerseys. Movember, a campaign were men grow mustaches for the whole month of November to raise awareness for prostate cancer, testicular cancer, and mental health problems in males. The Hershey Bears are participating on Movember.com, as well as auctioning off these jerseys for charity after the game.
After posting a 38-save shutout Saturday night, Philipp Grubauer spoke to the media about his night and the Bears win.