HERSHEY, PA – Connor Carrick smiles after beating the coaching staff in a 3-on-3 contest at the end of morning skate Saturday. (Kyle Mace / Chocolate Hockey)
The Hershey Bears saw a familiar face at morning skate Saturday as Connor Carrick returned from Washington. At the end of the skate around, the coaching staff took on Carrick, Mike Moore and Chris Bourque in a 3 vs. 3, first to five contest, which the players won 5-2.
We are less than a month away from Opening Night, so as we countdown to the first home game of the season, you will have a chance to get some free stuff from Chocolate Hockey. Our first freebie for you to download is a Chris Bourque wallpaper.
One of the all-time greatest Hershey Bears is returning to Chocolate Town, USA. Three time Calder Cup champion Chris Bourque signed a two-year, two-way contract with the Washington Capitals Thursday afternoon.
Photo: Kyle Mace / Chocolate Hockey
Wednesday marks the beginning of the 2015 Free Agency period for hockey, which means it’s time for the Bears to bring in new players to fill out next season’s roster. Currently, Hershey has 15 possible players for next season (excluding the two RFA offers from Washington to Stan Galiev and Chris Brown.)
But the Bears still need a few key parts to fill out their roster, and there’s one player in the back of every Bears fans mind that they would love to see back in a Chocolate and White sweater: Chris Bourque.
HERSHEY, PA – Former Bear Chris Bourque is joined by teammates after his game tying goal in Hartford’s win in Hershey on Sunday night (Kyle Mace / Chocolate Hockey)
After a comeback win Saturday night, the Bears faced off against the Hartford Wolf Pack for the second time in as many nights. After two early goals from Connor Carrick and Nathan Walker, Hershey was cruising with a 2-1 lead into the second. Yet Harford would not go down without a fight, as former Bear Chris Bourque would tie the game and Oscar Lindberg scoring to give Hartford the win.
HERSHEY, PA – Chris Bourque scores in his return to Chocolate Town (Kyle Mace – Sweetest Hockey on Earth)
For the first time since the 2010 Calder Cup Playoffs, the Hershey Bears hosted a postseason game in the month of May. Saturday the Bears sought an unexpected three game series sweep over the AHL Regular Season Champion, Providence Bruins. Chris Bourque returned to Giant Center and claimed first star honors in a 5-1 rout over the Bears.
HERSHEY, PA – Jon DiSalvatore, seen here earlier in the season, scored the GWOTG during Hershey’s 5-4 victory over the Providence Bruins (Kyle Mace – Sweetest Hockey on Earth)
Game Two of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals is in the history books with another stunning Hershey Bears victory. With the hockey game tied at 4-4 after 60 minutes, Jon DiSalvatore played the role of hero for Hershey and heart breaker for Providence. DiSalvatore scored only 3:05 into extra time to give his club a surprising 2-0 series lead over the top seeded Providence Bruins.
In the best of five, first round series, the Chocolate and White are just one win away from advancing to the second round of the Calder Cup Playoffs for the first time since 2010.
HERSHEY, PA – Jon DiSalvatore celebrates his first goal during Hershey’s 4-2 win over Manchester, and clinching them a playoff spot in the 2013 Calder Cup Playoffs (Kyle Mace – Sweetest Hockey on Earth)
It came all the way down to the wire, but it game 76 of the 2012-13 regular season, the Hershey Bears clinched a spot in the Calder Cup Playoffs for the eighth consecutive season. During first intermission of the Bears-Monarchs game Sunday evening, news broke at Giant Center that the Providence Bruins defeated the Norfolk Admirals by a 4-3 count. The regulation loss eliminated Norfolk from playoff contention leaving just Hershey and Connecticut fighting for the eighth seed.
With the Connecticut Whale wrapping up their season the night before, they could only watch and hope for a Bears regulation loss. However with the final window of opportunity wide open for Hershey, they put forth an impressive 4-2 over the Manchester Monarchs to punch their ticket to the Calder Cup Playoffs.
Worcester and Hershey face off in a game earlier in the season (Worcester Sharks Facebook Page)
Desperate for a win to close out the weekend, the Hershey Bears battled the Worcester Sharks for a Sunday matinee at the DCU Center. Following two crushing losses in Connecticut and Manchester, Garrett Mitchell received first star honors in a 4-1 victory over the Sharks.
WASHINGTON, DC – MARCH 05: Steven Oleksy #61 of the Washington Capitals (R) and Tomas Kundratek #36 hold up pucks for their first point and goal respectivly after an NHL game against the Boston Bruins at Verizon Center on March 5, 2013 in Washington, DC. The Washington Capitals defeated the Boston Bruins 4-3 in overtime. (Photo by Patrick McDermott/NHLI via Getty Images)
One day after Steven Oleksy was recalled by the Washington Capitals and signed to a three year deal, he and former Hershey, now Washington teammate Tomas Kundratek both recorded first in the Caps’ game against former Bear Chris Bourque and the Boston Bruins.