Illustration by Kyle Mace
Steve Oleksy has been a team leader on and off the ice for the Hershey Bears. Now that leadership has been rewarded. Oleksy was named Captain of the Bears, replacing Dane Byers who is out for the season with an injury.
Washington Capitals head coach Barry Trotz looks on during the Hershey Bears game Saturday night against Albany (Kyle Mace / Chocolate Hockey)
The Hershey Bears had a special guest at their game Saturday night against Albany. Washington Capitals head coach Barry Trotz paid a visit to Chocolate Town, USA for Hershey’s 4-2 win over the Devils. Washington, who made a trade earlier in the day sending Jack Hillen to Carolina for Tim Gleason, is on the brink of a playoff spot in the Eastern Conference.
After some inspiration from our buddy Javon and his Free Liam sign, we have decided to make some Free Liam signs of our own!
Liam O’Brien holds his number one fan, Javon, after Sunday night’s Hershey Bears game (Submitted photo)
On Saturday night, Bears forward Liam O’Brien was involved in a line brawl against the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. O’Brien left the bench and was suspended after the game, pending a league investigation.
HERSHEY, PA – Pheonix Copley fights Kevin Poulin of the Bridgeport Sound Tigers Saturday night during the Hershey Bears game against Bridgeport (Kyle Mace / Chocolate Hockey)
All heck broke lose Saturday night at Giant Center with 4:20 remaining in the second period against the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. It all started with goaltender interference on Pheonix Copley that went uncalled, knocking the stick out of his hands. He made a glove save to put play to a halt, where a scrum quickly escalated.
HERSHEY, PA – Coach Troy Mann instructing players, getting set for Friday in Binghamton (Chocolate Hockey)
The Hershey Bears continue their preparations for yet another three games in three night stretch starting Friday in Binghamton. The Bears will be on the road and then return home for games against Bridgeport on Saturday and a match up against Providence, for the first time this season. The Bears are playing their best hockey of the season. They have just one regulation loss in their last 17 games and find themselves just a win away from having the best record in the league.
Cameron Schilling sports the special Groundhog Day jersey during warm-ups before Sunday afternoon’s Bears game (Kyle Mace / Chocolate Hockey)
The Hershey Bears wore Groundhog Day sweaters for the second year in a row (we have an up close look at the jerseys this year) and they once again where a huge hit around the internet.
Among the players though, not so much. “You really want to know (my opinion),” goalie Philipp Grubauer said after the game. “I was scared a little bit before the game. I couldn’t see the puck, really, because all that stuff was going on, on the jersey.”
The all jerseys are being auctioned off on MeiGray.com, where fans will be able to bid on them until February 26th.
Below the jump, check out photos of the jerseys from warm-ups and the game.
Photo: Kyle Mace / Chocolate Hockey
For the second season in-a-row, the Hershey Bears will sport Groundhog Day jerseys for a game. Last year, the Chocolate and White became the Blue and Red with specialty jerseys to honor a very strange Pennsylvania tradition.
The Bears are extremely close to another milestone. Hershey is just six three goals away from their 20,000th regular season goal in team history. After a string of 17 goals in three games, the milestone could be just a game or two away.
HERSHEY, PA – Chris Conner looks at Stan Galiev’s game winning overtime goal against Albany on Saturday night (Kyle Mace / Chocolate Hockey)
After one heck of a goal in the first period, Stan Galiev topped of his birthday with a game winning goal to put his Hershey Bears into first place.