Click here to subscribe today or Login.
By SCOTT REINARDY sreinardy@leader.net
Sunday, February 06, 2000 Page: 1C
HERSHEY – Goalie Jean-Sebastien Aubin was once quoted in a Pittsburgh
newspaper as saying that when he plays for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, the team
expects him to make 100 saves.
Not quite, but almost.
In Aubin’s one-game return to the local Penguins, he faced a 50-shot
barrage as Hershey muscled out a 5-4 victory Saturday night at Hersheypark
Arena.
“With 50 shots, it seems like every shot’s a great shot,” Aubin said.
“Actually, you have to make some great saves. Fifty shots is 50 shots and I
don’t mind.”
It’s the second time in two nights the Bears have beaten
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, having recorded a 3-0 victory Friday.
Aubin is expected to return to Pittsburgh on Monday as starting goalie Tom
Barrasso nurses a bruised thumb.
Saturday’s game featured a wild, run-and-gun first period resulting in five
goals.
Steffon Walby gave Hershey at 1-0 lead at 7:07 when he banged in a rebound
off Brian White’s shot from the point.
Just 36 seconds later, Penguins left wing Mark Murphy fires a slapshot
through the five hole of Bears’ goalie David Aebischer. It was the Penguins’
first goal in 109 minutes, 32 seconds of play dating back to the second period
of Tuesday’s 4-3 overtime loss to Albany.
Hershey’s Dan Hinote then scored an unassisted short-handed goal at 8:58.
It’s the sixth short-handed goal Hershey has scored against the Penguins this
season. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton has now allowed a league-high 13 short-handed
goals.
John Slaney’s one-timer on the same power play again tied the game.
Hershey finished the period on Brad Larsen’s goal at 13:07. Aubin actually
made two saves on the play before Larsen scored.
Hershey finished the period with 20 shots.
“Their game was pretty simple – get it to the net, get bodies in front,”
said assistant coach Mike Yeo. “They scored a couple goals like that.”
The Penguins were outshot and outscored again in the second period as the
Bears built a 5-2 lead on power-play goals by Hinote and Christien Matte.
“When it was 5-2, I was thinking, `I’ve got to stop the hemorrhaging,’ ”
Aubin said. “But then we scored and I thought, `We could win this game.’ The
third period was great, and we almost tied the game.”
Andrew Ference’s tally at 17:07 of the second provided a little momentum
for the Penguins. Referee Marc Joannette had his arm raised on a delayed
penalty against Hershey when Aubin was removed for a sixth attacker. Murphy
and Martin Sonnenberg worked the puck to Ference, who fired a slapshot toward
Aebischer. It appeared the puck was deflected by a Hershey defender on its way
into the goal.
“I thought the game was fairly even, and in the third period we really
took it to them,” Yeo said.
Sven Butenschon gave the Penguins a chance to tie the game and sent it into
overtime with a short-handed goal at 3:21. Butenschon took a pass from Steve
Leach at the blue line and broke in alone on Aebischer. Butenschon then slid
the puck between Aebischer’s pads for his 11th goal of the season.
“I think we took more chances and the other team might be more
lackadaisical,” Butenschon said. “We didn’t compete the first two periods,
and they think it’s going to be another easy period. Then we seemed to turn it
up a notch.”
Unfortunately for the Penguins, it wasn’t turned up enough.
Hershey’s 50 shots is the most the Penguins have allowed this season,
making Aubin true to his words.
“It’s the kind of game where you have come out and play hard and give your
team a chance to win,” he said. “I think I did.”
ICE SHAVINGS: The three stars Saturday were: No. 1, Dan Hinote; No. 2,
Christian Matte; No. 3, Jean-Sebastien Aubin. … Pittsburgh General Manager
Craig Patrick was behind the bench with his brother, and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton
coach, Glenn on Saturday. … Goalie Dave Weninger, defenseman Pavel Skrbek
and forwards Alexei Kolkunov, Casey Harris and Greg Crozier were healthy
scratches Saturday.