Tired of ads? Subscribers enjoy a distraction-free reading experience.
Click here to subscribe today or Login.

HERSHEY – Last season the Hershey Bears dominated the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins, winning 10 of their 12 matchups and outscoring the Pens 48-29.

Fast forward to the 2010-11 season and it’s clear the tables have turned, at least for now.

The Penguins dominated the defending Calder Cup champion Bears in every facet – creating turnovers, winning the races to loose pucks and the battles along the boards and, most importantly, scoring more goals to earn a convincing 6-2 victory on Saturday.

While the win kept the Penguins undefeated record (8-0-0-0) intact, the start of the game was reminiscent of last season. That’s when Hershey jumped out to a quick 1-0 lead thanks to Keith Aucoin, who wristed home his own rebound just 49 seconds into the first period.

After that, however, memories of last season faded fast as the Penguins scored four consecutive goals to close out the period and were well on their way to their third victory over Hershey in the young AHL season.

Just 26 seconds after Aucoin’s goal, Chris Conner scored his first of the season to open the floodgates for the Penguins.

Andrew Hutchinson put home a rebound on the power play at 5:31 of the first period and Joe Vitale’s short-handed goal at 9:51 knocked Hershey netminder Dany Sabourin out of the game and put the Bears in a 3-1 hole.

And the Penguins were far from finished.

With 30 seconds left in the first period, Keven Veilleux stickhandled around two Hershey defenseman and ripped a shot that forced a rebound. Eric Tangradi put the puck home to make it 4-1.

And when Conner scored on a breakaway midway through the second period to make it 5-1, it was clear that the tables had turned from last season.

Even Zach Sill got in on the act, connecting on a nice wrist shot while skating in on a two-on-one with Veilleux to make it 6-2 in the third period.

But goal scoring wasn’t the only area that proved the Bears dominance from last season was a thing of the past.

The Penguins commanded every aspect of the game, especially the penalty kill where they were a perfect 7-for-7.

Dating back to the second period of the Oct. 15 matchup against Charlotte, the Penguins have yet to allow a power-play goal in 29 opportunities.

Next up for the undefeated Penguins is the Rochester Americans, this Friday on the road.

Penguins
4
1
1

6

Hershey
1
0
1

2

First Period – 1. HER, Keith Aucoin 4 (Greentree) :49. 2. WBS, Chris Conner 1 (unassisted) 1:15. 3. WBS, Andrew Hutchinson 2 (Wallace, Conner) power play 5:31. 4. WBS, Joe Vitale 5 (unassisted) shorthanded 9:51. 5. Eric Tangradi 1 (Veilleux, Johnson) power play 19:33. Penalties – HER, Collins (interference) 4:46; WBS, Johnson (slashing) 5:43; WBS, Boulerice (tripping) 9:10; HER, Bouchard (boarding) 11:48; WBS, Wallace (interference) 12:39; HER, Beagle (roughing) 15:21; HER, Collins (tripping) 18:43.

Second Period – 6. WBS, Chris Conner 2 (Hutchinson, Johnson) 10:03. Penalties – WBS, Wallace (hooking) :36; WBS, Vitale (roughing) 16:18; HER, Miskovic (hooking) 17:54; HER, Collins (hooking) 19:29.

Third Period – 7. HER, Zach Miskovic 1 (Yeo, Kugryshev) 8:05. 8. WBS, Zach Sill 1 (Strait, Boulerice) 14:30. Penalties – WBS, Boulerice (fighting) 3:13; WBS, Walker (fighting, game misconduct) 3:13; HER, Bruess (fighting, game misconduct) 3:13; HER, Wellar (fighting) 3:13; HER, Gordon (tripping) 4:18; WBS, Wagner (hooking) 5:47; WBS, Sneep (hooking) 16:25.

Shots on goal: Penguins – 12-6-5-23; Hershey – 14-8-10-32. Power-play Opportunities: Penguins – 2 of 7; Hershey – 0 of 7.

Goaltenders: Penguins – John Curry 5-0-0 (30 saves – 32 shots); Hershey – Dany Sabourin 1-4-0 (4-7); Todd Ford – 9:51 of the first period, 13-16. Starters: Penguins – G John Curry, D Corey Potter, D Steve Wagner, LW Tim Wallce, C Dustin Jeffrey, RW Eric Tangradi; Hershey – G Dany Sabourin, D Sean Collins, D Patrick Wellar, LW Kyle Greentree, C Keith Aucoin, RW Andrew Gordon.

Three Stars: 1. WBS, Chris Conner (two goals) 2. WBS, Andrew Hutchinson (goal, assist) 3. WBS, John Curry 930 saves). Referee – Ryan Fraser. Linesmen – Bob Goodman, Scott Pomento. Attendance – 8,249