Over the four seasons that he played in a Bears uniform, Andrew Gordon became one of the most popular players in the history of franchise. Wednesday night, Gordon will play in Giant Center for the first time since he was injured in first round of the 2011 Calder Cup Playoffs. He will return to the ice in Chocolate Town, USA, but this time he’ll be a different team.
HERSHEY, PA – A photo of Hershey Bears players standing around a pink limousine waits to be auctioned off at the Bears’ Pink the Rink night (Kyle Mace / Sweetest Hockey on Earth)
On any given night at Giant Center, it is not unusual to see Hershey Bears wives and girlfriends behind section 120, helping to raise money for a good cause. This past Sunday, the first of what promises to be a number of fund raising efforts took place in behalf of breast cancer awareness.
HERSHEY, PA – New Hershey Bears head coach Mike Haviland poses for a photo after being name the team’s new head coach Tuesday morning (Kyle Mace – Sweetest Hockey on Earth)
Mike Haviland made a very good first impression. Haviland was named the 24th head coach in Hershey Bears history on Tuesday in a press conference at Giant Center. Haviland comes with an impressive background in coaching, including being an assistant coach with the 2010 Stanley Cup champion Chicago Blackhawks.
Screenshot via abc27 sports
Friday night in the Eastern Conference finals of the OHL playoffs, the London Knights and Plymouth Whalers faced off in a game that London would win and eliminate the Whalers. On that Whalers team was Washington Capitals prospect, Tom Wilson.
After the loss, Wilson and teammate Connor Carrick were informed they were going to Chocolate town USA to join the Bears in their run at Calder Cup number 12.
HERSHEY, PA – Steve Oleksy waves to the crowd after making a surprise appearance to accept his Top Bears Defenseman award Sunday night (Kyle Mace – Sweetest Hockey on Earth)
On a night when the Chocolate and White punched their ticket to the 2013 Calder Cup playoffs, the players also accepted their awards for their accomplishments in a Bears uniform this season.
HERSHEY, PA – Graham Mink skates during his return to Hershey on Saturday night (Tim Stough – Sweetest Hockey on Earth)
At the age of 33, former Hershey Bears star Graham Mink was hoping he wasn’t done with hockey. The NHL lockout kept him out of a job until January. Now he’s in a spot to perhaps win another Calder Cup.
Mink signed with the Providence Bruins, one of the best teams in the AHL. Last Saturday Mink returned to Giant Center to play his old team. Even though he’s returned with an opposing team before, it’s always a treat to return to Chocolate Town.
HERSHEY, PA – Mike Green speaks with Dimity Orlov at the Outdoor Classic (Kyle Mace – Sweetest Hockey on Earth)
Over five years after playing his last game for the Hershey Bears, Mike Green returned to Chocolate Town to drop the ceremonial first puck at the Outdoor Classic. The Calgary native played 108 games in a Bears sweater, with 40 of them in the playoffs.
HERSHEY, PA – Louis Robitaille walks out on the ice for the second half of the alumni game (Kyle Mace – Sweetest Hockey on Earth)
The setting was perfect. The weather was flawless as well. The Outdoor Classic weekend kicked off with an Alumni game between the Bears and Penguins at Hersheypark Stadium. The competitive spirit of both teams showed, but the Penguins had a younger average age. and came up with a 9-5 victory.
HERSHEY, PA – Washington Capital Tom Poti stands during warm-ups on January 13, 2013 before playing his first game in two years (Tim Stough – Sweetest Hockey on Earth)
January 12, 2011. That was the last time Tom Poti was on the ice playing in a hockey game. Poti has had a loitering groin problems and at one point, a fractured pelvis. “It was awesome,” Poti said after Hershey’s 5-0 win against the Connecticut Whale. “It’s good to have some fun again and play some hockey.”
It was the 2010 World Juniors Championship when former Hershey Bears‘ defensemen John Carlson stunned the Canadian Nation with an overtime game-winning goal in the gold medal game. Five months later, Carlson helped the Bears to their 11th Calder Cup before riding off to the National Hockey League.