For the first time since 2013, the Hershey Bears hosted the Outdoor Classic at Hershey Park Stadium, hosting the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.

The Phantoms would strike first 2:59 into the first period when Colin McDonald would score on the feed from Oskar Lindblom and Samuel Morin to take the early 1-0 lead.

Editor’s note: former Chocolate Hockey correspondent Riliegh McHugh returned to Friday night to watch her father, former Bears captain and Calder Cup Champion Mike McHugh, play in the 2018 Outdoor Classic Alumni Game. She penned this piece for us to share with you. Enjoy!

The last time I watched my dad play I was six-years-old. Honestly, I don’t really remember much. He was “The Mike McHugh?! Like the former captain of the Bears? That’s your dad!?”

“Yeah,” I would always nonchalantly respond.

For the final time before the 2018 Outdoor Classic, the Hershey Bears took to the ice at Hersheypark Stadium for a morning skate to prepare for their match-up against the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.

A simple practice gave the Bears one last feel of the ice, getting ready for what still is a game that counts for two points in the standings. “I think I’ve said it to a number of people: once you get out here and get practicing and knowing that it’s here, it’s always exciting,” said Troy Mann.

At the end of the first half of Friday night’s alumni game, Chris Bourque waited by the door Hershey Bears alumni would be exiting the ice. Former teammates of Bourque’s would stroll past, chatting about the game.

When Greg Amadio informed Bourque of his three assists in the game at that point, the two exchanged fist bumps. “Three?!” exclaimed Bourque. “Alright!”

“We went for dinner with all of those guys on Thursday night,” Bourque said Saturday morning. “It was great. I’ve had so many good memories with those guys. Winning two cups, some of them three cups. So many different guys, so many different personalities. Definitely miss those guys a lot. Kind of reminds you what it takes to win those championships and it just brings back all of the memories you had with them.”

For six seasons, Dean Arsene was known as “The Mayor”. The Murrayville, British Columbia native became the ceremonial Mayor of Chocolate Town, USA with a fan-friendly personality and a rugged playing style on the Bear blueline.

In 2008, Phil Sauve hung up the skates and retired from playing professional hockey. Friday night in Chocolate Town, he robbed Eric Lindros of a goal in his first game in almost a decade.

“I haven’t played in nine years since I retired,” Sauve said after Friday’s game. “I actually got on the ice last Monday just to try and get some rust out. It was alright out there, but I can’t wait until tomorrow morning and the day after that is going to be pretty hard.”

In the town that his son has become a legend, Ray Bourque came to Hershey, PA to join the Chocolate and White, but for only one day.

“I would have been here watching the game tomorrow night,” Bourque said in a press conference before the alumni game. “I was asked if I’d be willing to play the game and I said sure – it’d be a lot of fun.”

“Disappointment would be a big word for me. It could be a once in a lifetime opportunity for me,” said Colby Williams Thursday after the Hershey Bears first outdoor practice leading up to the 2018 Outdoor Classic.

Williams will miss the game due to a suspension stemming from a hit on Lehigh Valley’s Danick Martel last Saturday in Lehigh Valley. “It sucks,” said Williams. “I can’t really do anything about it.