HERSHEY, PA – For the fourth time in the past five seasons, the Hershey Bears will represent the AHL’s Eastern Conference in the Calder Cup finals thanks to a thrilling 3-2 overtime win over the Manchester Monarchs to take Games Six of the Eastern Conference finals. Long time AHL player Boyd Kanes got the game winner after the Bears once again came from behind, this time from a 2-0 deficit late in the third period. Kane was the teams captain in 2006 when they won the cup that same season. Kane scored the game winner 7:06 into overtime off of a nice pass from Kyle Wilson who was behind the Monarchs net. Kane took the pass and beat J onathan Bernier blocker side for the game winner. Coming from behind has come naturally for the Bears this post-season. Nine of Hershey’s 12 wins have come after the Bears have trailed in the third period. Hershey will be doing for their 11th title in franchise history. Last season the Bear s set a new AHL record with their 10th. Hersehy will try to become the first AHL team to repeat as champs since the Springfield Indians did it in 1990 and 1991. Oddly enough it was Springfield who held the previous record for the most AHL title in which Hershey broke last season.
With the win the Bears are now 12-2 in the playoffs and have a combined record of 72-20-0-3 record (regular season and playoffs). Hershey will now await the winner of the Hamilton Bulldogs/Texas Stars series. Hamilton now leads that series 3-2 with Game Six to be played in Hamilton on Monday night. If Hamilton wins that series it will pit a rematch between the Bears and Bulldogs from the 2007 series in which Hamilton won 4-1, the only finals the Bears have lost in the past five seasons.
Contact the author at Brian.Jennings@prohockeynews.com
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