Another Hershey Bears season has come to a close and the team is now parting ways. After a disappointing ending against the Hartford Wolf Pack, players took a moment to speak to the media on breakdown day about their thoughts on the season and accomplishments from this past year.
Cameron Schilling played his fourth season with the Hershey Bears in 2014-15, netting three goals and 18 points in 63 games during the regular season. He matched his season goal total in ten Calder Cup Playoffs game, where he posted eight points (3-5-8). This season he played a career-high four games in the NHL with the Washington Capitals. Schilling will be a restricted free agent this off season.
HERSHEY, PA – Connor Carrick and Stan Galiev celebrate Galiev’s goal as Brandon Manning leaves the penalty box in the third period of Hershey’s 4-2 win over Lehigh Valley (Kyle Mace / Chocolate Hockey)
After coming off of a tough stretch of losing three straight games, the Hershey Bears faced off against the Lehigh Valley Phantoms exactly one week after being shutout by Anthony Stolarz in a 2-0 loss. Stolarz would get the nod again against the Chocolate and White, but this game would end a bit differently for the two teams.
With races in our first ever SHOEY Awards very close, we decided to extend voting another week! We will count up the final votes Saturday, May 10th at midnight and announce all of the winners on Monday, May 12th. We still have two final categories to breakdown and they just happen to be the closest races of them all.
HERSHEY, PA – Dane Byers waves to the crowd after accepting his award as Hershey Bears team MVP (Kyle Mace / Sweetest Hockey on Earth)
The award ceremony at the end of each regular season is normally a kick off to the playoffs for the Hershey Bears, but this season it’s a bit different. This year the Bears are out of the 2014 playoff race for time in eight seasons. Despite the disappointing end to the season, the Chocolate and White thanked the Giant Center crowd with a win Saturday night.
Bridgeport, CT – David Leggio celebrates Hershey’s 5-4 win with Cameron Schilling Sunday afternoon over the Sound Tigers (Kyle Mace / Sweetest Hockey on Earth)
In all honesty, the intensity of a hockey team on the cusp on clinching the 2014 Calder Cup Playoffs, in the season’s dying weeks is worthy of a documentary. But while the HBO Sports crew is off completing bigger and better projects, it’s now on our shoulders to recap the parade of American Hockey League events on Sunday.
The Hershey Bears entered the weekend finale with a game in hand against the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. The Tigers were noted as a team of unknown rookies all bidding for future stays in the AHL. The Bears-Sound Tigers matinee was scheduled for a 3pm start time, as well as a game between the seventh seed Albany Devils and Adirondack Phantoms. Hershey entered play only three points back from the Devils with one less game played.
Lastly, also in Connecticut, the Hartford Wolf Pack played host to the Norfolk Admirals. Norfolk entered one point in front of Hershey for the eighth and final playoff seed in the Eastern Conference. It was an absolute perfect standings night for the Bears, as shortly after an entertaining 5-4 win in Bridgeport, both Albany and Norfolk fell to their respective opposition in regulation.
HERSHEY, PA – Chay Genoway and David Leggio smile after Leggio’s final save in the shootout during Hershey’s win Saturday night (Kyle Mace / Sweetest Hockey on Earth)
The infamous Arabic proverb, “the enemy of my enemy is my friend” suggests two parties have the ability to work together, and overcome a common enemy. In the world of sports, the term could easily be applied currently to the Hershey Bears and their push to qualify for the 2014 Calder Cup Playoffs.
Entering Saturday night, the Bears and their I-81 Rivals from Wilkes-Barre both opposed a common enemy. The Penguins battled the eighth seed Norfolk Admirals, who sit in the conference’s final playoff spot, three points ahead of Hershey.
While the Pens attempted to provide a helping hand to the Chocolate and White, the Bears’ personal attention was focused on the St. John’s IceCaps. Wilkes-Barre followed through with a 2-1 victory over Norfolk, as the Bears topped St. John’s, 2-1 in a 12 round marathon shootout.
Syracuse, NY – Jon DiSalvatore celebrates the overtime game winner against his former team only 1:50 into the extra frame. (Kyle Mace / Sweetest Hockey on Earth)
We are in a crucial point of the regular season where every game is a playoff game. At this point it’s undeniable the Hershey Bears are on the outside looking into the Eastern Conference playoff bubble, and are a better hockey team than indicated by their record.
Friday, the Chocolate and White began their weekend with its lone away tilt in Syracuse, New York. Seeking revenge after getting embarrassed in the AHL Showcase, the Bears fell to the Crunch by a 3-2 overtime count in the debuts of Chris Brown and Kris Newbury.
HERSHEY, PA – Dane Byers celebrates his game winning goal against Portland during Hershey’s 2-1 victory over the Pirates (Tim Stough / Sweetest Hockey on Earth)
In 2009, the Hershey Bears dropped the Manitoba Moose in six games to win the Calder Cup. Shortly after the cup clinching game, “Count ‘Em Ten” T-shirts were released to the general public to celebrate the franchise’s tenth Calder Cup Championship.
Saturday night, fans gained the right to break out the former catch phrase in honor of not the Bears’ tenth Cup, but their tenth consecutive victory on Giant Center ice. Dane Byers scored a third period game-winning-goal, and the Chocolate and White celebrated a 2-1 over the Portland Pirates.
HERSHEY, PA – Brandon Segal is joined by Nate Schmidt and Dustin Gazley to celebrate goal in the third period against Bridgeport (Tim Stough / Sweetest Hockey on Earth)
It may not show in the standings just yet, but at the halfway point of the AHL season, the Hershey Bears have developed some valuable momentum. Saturday night at Giant Center, the Bears pulled out a 5-3 win over the Bridgeport Sound Tigers. The victory gave the Bears their fifth win in the last seven games.