What do the Bears do for an encore after the most thrilling come-from-behind victory of the season in Portland Saturday? How about Alexandre Giroux's pursuit of 50 goals here in Manchester Sunday afternoon? Giroux will try to become just the fifth player in Hershey history to score 50 or more goals in a single season today as the Bears take on the Monarchs here at Verizon Wireless Arena in New Hampshire. Not since Tim Tookey 22 years ago has a a Hershey Bear player scored 50 in one year. Giroux, who also stands just four goals short of Tony Cassolato's team record of 53 goals, can join a pretty exclusive club with just one more goal. Giroux's pursuit of 50 goals is set against the backdrop of Hershey's chase for first place in the East Division. More on that in a moment. Here's what else is going on here in Manchester today...
-Bridgeport still holds the top spot in the East, with a narrow one point lead over Hershey as play starts today. Even at the end of play today, the Bears will still hold two games in hand over the Sound Tigers. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton is off today, meaning the boys can increase the lead over the third place Penguins to five points with a win today. Tough weekend for the Pens, falling in Philly and Norfolk in one goal games. All the flightless birds can do today is follow the action in Bridgeport and here. The Sound Tigers host the Portland Pirates today.
-Michal Neuvirth will make his second start of the weekend here in the Granite state here today. Neuvirth allowed only two goals in falling 2-1 in Lowell Friday night.
-Sounds like Bryan Helmer will be back in today after a one game break. That would likely mean that Sean Collins is out of the lineup today. Otherwise, there shouldn't be much change in the line combinations we saw last night in Maine.
-No team was more pleased with Hershey's comeback Saturday than the Monarchs. Portland's game last night was a game in hand on the rest of the clubs chasing a Calder Cup playoff spot, and they of course got nothing to show for it. The Monarchs and Pirates are tied for third place with 73 points each, with Worcester two points back in fifth with 71. Lowell was thrilled with Hershey's performance too on Saturday. The Devils are now just three points back of a playoff spot.
