Last year we brought you the Top 11 Moments of 2010. This year we are doing the same list, but we got your input on our Facebook and Twitter pages this year. (Which if you do not like/follow, you should.) So without further adieu, here are the Top 11 moments of the 2011 calendar year (in no particular order)…
Bears fans celebrate Chris Bourque’s shorthanded goal (All photos by Kyle Mace)
Due to the holiday, tonight is the first ever “photo recap.” 11 photos from tonight’s game, recapping all of the events in the 3-2 SO win for Hershey. And like they say “A picture is worth 1,000 words” (so that means tonight’s post is 11,000 words.) From all of us here at Sweetest Hockey on Earth (and our big sister blog Russian Machine Never Breaks) we wish you a happy, healthy, and hockey filled 2012!
Geoff Walker wins it for the Penguins in the shootout. All photos by Kyle Mace.
After quite the trumping of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins last night, the Bears had a lot to live up to, especially in front of a filled-to-the-brim Giant Center.
The first period didn’t live up to the energy that everyone thought it would have. Both teams were keeping calm, perhaps saving their energy for the later periods. The Penguins had two power play opportunities but, thanks to Dany Sabourin, it was scoreless after one.
Danny Richmond (Photo by Kyle Mace)
After the meltdown formerly known as the Sunday game against Norfolk, my girlfriend (in a semi-kidding sort of way) said “We would have won if they’d have played Danny Richmond.” She kind of has a thing for him and has declared him to be her favorite. Don’t get me wrong. She’s no puck bunny. She has been studying the game in depth and is a big help when I am tweeting a game. She’s a true hockey lover. As we were on our way home, I started thinking about it more. Could there be something to this? Richmond has seen limited action this year. Including this past weekend, he has seen action in just 12 games. The limited playing time is at least in part due to the AHL’s “veteran rule”.
The rule as described by the AHL:
Locker room is set up for this morning’s game day skate. Photo from the Hershey Bears facebook page.
Another full week here at SHoE. The Bears finished out their third week of three games in three nights. As Meatloaf would say “Two out of three ain’t bad.” But then again it isn’t great either when you look at the defensive implosion in Sunday’s game against the Norfolk Admirals. They had just beaten the same team on Friday night. Saturday they added another convincing win against Bridgeport Sound Tigers.
In other happenings this week around SHoE:
Later today look for a new post on what I am calling “The Richmond Factor”.
Now on to the rest…
Richard Panik celebrates his goal on Braden Holtby in Norfolk’s win (Photo by Kyle Mace)
Sentence fragments. That was what the form of Mark French’s post game answers after the Bears game collapse. After Joel Rechlicz started off the game with a goal an a fight, Braden Holtby let 4 unanswered goals past, along with Norfolk adding on an empty-netter, as Hershey goes on to lose, 6-3.
The entire first line of Bourque, Aucoin and Micflikier (not pictured) were the AHL's First Star of the Night after Sunday's win over Norfolk. Another week in the books. This one wasn't quite as busy at SHoE HQ as the…
Video from Penn State Hershey Children's Hospital. A little over a week after gathering over 10,000 stuffed animals for charity, a few of the Hershey Bears visited the Penn State Hershey Children's Hospital. Chris Bourque, Graham Mink, Joel Rechlicz, and…
Chris Bourque joins Keith Aucoin (center) and Graham Mink after Aucoin’s goal (All photos by Kyle Mace)
After losing to their arch rivals on Saturday, the Hershey Bears needed a bounce back win on Sunday. The Bears responded with a 6-3 victory over the Norfolk Admirals to move into a three way tie for first place in the AHL Eastern Division.
Photo from Scott Stuccio’s twitter feed.
Tonight’s game actually got off to a little bit of an early start with puck drop at 6:59. The Bears came out strong, but ended up surrendering 3 penalties in the period. Fortunately the penalty kill units were stong as usual. On the one power play that the Bears had they were able to maintain good possession in the offensive zone. Graham Mink and Jacob Micflikier did a good job getting in the way of the Whale goaltender. There were some quality chances in front of the net. In the end, the Bears had more shots on goal an looked like the better team for the period.