Home Opener Spoiled – Bears Win 3-2

Exciting game tonight watching the Penguins run with the Bears tonight. And they did run with the Bears. Keith Aucoin scored a power play goal from the left dot, something he’s done countless times in this league, in the third period and the Bears would hold on and win 3-2.

Brad Thiessen vs. Dany Sabourin.

Ryan Craig wore the C tonight. Alex Picard and Joey Mornina the A’s.

First Period: Early scrums after whistles when goalies made saves and each team would get a chance on the power play. Then, while Eric Tangradi was in the box for a slashing call Bryan Lerg would be denied on a breakaway shorthanded. Right after the Pens killed the penalty, Kyle Greentree would score to make it 1-0 Bears after he got the puck fed to him down low, dekeing Thiessen for the goal. Then, while newcomer Niko Dimitrakos was in the box for a delay of game call, Brian Gibbons would muscle a puck coast-to-coast and past Sabourin to make it 1-1. Really a fantastic individual effort by Gibbons. As the arena was celebrating Matt Ford would score :20 later to put the Bears back up 2-1. A sloppy Penguin turnover led to Thiessen being screened.

Second Period: Pens had carryover time on a power play. With :02 left, Niko Dimitrakos would score to bring things back even at 2. The teams would trade quality chances. Then, the Pens would have to kill off 1:09 of 5-on-3 as Devin DiDiomete and Cody Chupp would sit for boarding and cross checking, respectively. Hershey would use its timeout but not score. The Pens would then get a chance on the power play but not score either.

Third Period: With Philip Samuelsson in the box for slashing, Keith Aucoin would do what he is notorious for and score from the left dot to put the Bears up 3-2. Wilkes-Barre would get two chances on the power play but not convert. If they do on one it may be a different result.

Three Stars: Niko Dimitrakos (goal, -1) Matt Ford (goal, +2) and Keith Aucoin (game winning power play goal, even)

Thoughts: Fun game to watch. Going to be interesting seeing these two teams play 11 times more this year. Not a blowout by any means. A bounce here, a bounce there and maybe a different result.

Around the Division: We don’t have to go too far this year because there are only 5 teams in the division. Toronto dropped Binghamton 3-2. The defending champs are 0-2 to start the season. Norfolk beat Charlotte 4-3. The Admirals are 2-0 to start the year. Syracuse doesn’t play until next weekend.

Standings: Hershey and Norfolk are tied with 4 points. No one else in the division has a point.

Pens get back on the horse tomorrow afternoon vs. Connecticut, which blew a 3-1 lead in Glens Falls tonight vs. the Adirondack Phantoms and lost 6-3. Gameday post will be up on the blog at 12:30.

Let’s Go Pens!