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 – The Lehigh Valley Phantoms celebrate their OT win over Hershey on Sunday night (Kyle Mace / Chocolate Hockey)
Sunday night was a chance for the Hershey Bears to continue their dominance against the Lehigh Valley Phantoms and East Division. After a big OT win the night before against Wilkes-Barre, Hershey’s division lead was at five points coming into Sunday. A day win for Wilkes-Barre over Bridgeport would promise the Bears could not gain any ground, but still hold that five point lead.
Looking for their fifth straight win against Lehigh Valley, the Bears and Phantoms went back and forth all night long.
HERSHEY, PA – The Hershey Bears celebrate their OT win over Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Saturday night in Hershey (Kyle Mace / Chocolate Hockey)
It was a meeting of the rivals in Hershey for one last time this regular season. The Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins made their last stop in Chocolate Town, USA for the 2014-15 season. The Bears, who came into the game going 10-1-0-1 in 2015 was looking to expand their lead for first place in the East Division. With a packed Giant Center, this game did not disappoint.
HERSHEY, PA – Chandler Stephenson celebrate his goal in Hershey 2-0 win over Norfolk on Sunday afternoon (Kyle Mace / Chocolate Hockey)
Hershey and the Norfolk Admirals faced off before the 49th Super Bowl Sunday afternoon, but the Bears game might have had more story lines than the big game. Hershey, coming off of a shootout loss after a five game winning streak, came into Sunday looking to bounce back with a big win.
The Admirals were making their last trip to Giant Center in the regular season after the announcement of their departure from the AHL and move California.
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.
HERSHEY, PA – Jonathan Marchessault scores on Pheonix Copley in the shootout during Syracuse’s win on Saturday night (Kyle Mace / Chocolate Hockey)
Saturday night was a chance for the Hershey Bears to extend their winning streak to six games and hopefully extend their lead in the East Division. Unfortunately for Hershey, standing in their way was a tough Syracuse Crunch team who was looking to sweep the season series between these two teams with their fourth win against the Bears.
Allentown, PA – Philippe Cornet looks back at Connor Carrick’s second period goal, the 20,000th in Hershey Bears history (Kyle Mace / Chocolate Hockey)
Coming off of the AHL All-Star break, the Hershey Bears looked to extend their winning streak to five games and accomplish a first in American Hockey League history. The Bears had 19,997 goals going into their game against Lehigh Valley Friday night, needed three to get to 20,000.
HERSHEY, PA – Bears players celebrate Connor Carrick’s GWOTG vs. Binghamton Saturday night. (Kyle Mace / Chocolate Hockey)
Hershey was looking to extend their East Division lead heading into the AHL All-Star break. With a one point lead on Wilkes-Barre with three games in hand, the Bears were riding a three game winning streak into Saturday night’s game against Binghamton.