Photo by Kyle Mace
After four seasons behind the Bears bench, Mark French will not return as coach for the 2013-14 season. The announcement was made Friday morning by the Washington Capitals General Manager George McPhee. The move comes after the Bears failed to win a first round playoff series against the top seeded Providence Bruins, after winning the first two games of the best-of-five series.
Photo via Official American Hockey League Facebook page
It was a matter of we had them, but we lost them. It was a matter of a week-long layoff between game’s two and three. It was a matter of the eighth seed trying to pull off a stunning upset over the AHL Regular Season Champions. But in the end, it was the Providence Bruins winning games three, four and five, winning the best of five, first round series 3-2. Game five concluded in a 3-2 defeat Wednesday night.
We think back to a stunning overtime win in Game 2 to bring home a commanding series lead. And we smile back at Tom Wilson’s first professional goal with 4:40 left in regulation in Game 4 to give Hershey a 4-3 lead. By far those were the top two moments for the Chocolate and White this postseason that make the short-lived run worth while.
HERSHEY, PA – Carter Camper (center) and former Hershey Bear Chris Bourque celebrate Camper’s game winning goal against Hershey in game 4 of the Eastern Conference Quarter Finals (Kyle Mace – Sweetest Hockey on Earth)
Sunday evening the Hershey Bears battled in what could of been there final game at Giant Center this postseason. In Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Quarter Finals, Bruins’ Carter Camper completed a hat-trick by scoring with 1:04 left in regulation to down Hershey, 5-4.
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.
Screenshot via abc27 sports
Friday night in the Eastern Conference finals of the OHL playoffs, the London Knights and Plymouth Whalers faced off in a game that London would win and eliminate the Whalers. On that Whalers team was Washington Capitals prospect, Tom Wilson.
After the loss, Wilson and teammate Connor Carrick were informed they were going to Chocolate town USA to join the Bears in their run at Calder Cup number 12.
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 – Steve Oleksy waves to the crowd after making a surprise appearance to accept his Top Bears Defenseman award Sunday night (Kyle Mace – Sweetest Hockey on Earth)
On a night when the Chocolate and White punched their ticket to the 2013 Calder Cup playoffs, the players also accepted their awards for their accomplishments in a Bears uniform this season.
HERSHEY, PA – Jon DiSalvatore smiles during the awards ceremony. DiSalvatore scored the game winning goal in Hershey’s game 1 win over Providence (Kyle Mace – Sweetest Hockey on Earth)
The battle of the Bears and the 2013 Calder Cup Playoffs kicked off Friday with a tremendous 5-2 win over the Providence Bruins. Continuing from late regular season success, the power play unit tallied a trio of goals including two on both ends of a 5-on-3 advantage.
In the best of five series, Hershey quickly jumps to a 1-0 lead and has stolen home ice advantage from the AHL regular season champions.
Enjoy a little video that we put together with highlights of the regular season, just in time to get pumped for the playoff push. Let’s go Bears!
Photo by Tim Stough
The Calder Cup Playoffs are finally here and the Hershey Bears Hockey Club for the eighth consecutive year will participate in the postseason dance. Beginning on April 26th, the Bears will kick off the 2013 Calder Cup Playoffs with a first round, best of five series in Providence, Rhode Island.
Providence finished with the top record in the American Hockey League, capped a 50 win season and ended the campaign on nine game winning streak. Since hosting the annual AHL All-Star Classic in late January, the entire Bruins roster soon became stars of the league.