Hershey Bears

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NORFOLK, Va. -- It didn't take long for a high-expectations 2008-09 Hershey Bears club to make a mark.

By beating the Norfolk Admirals 5-3 tonight at Scope, Hershey opened a season with two road victories for just the second time in its 71-year AHL history.

The 2006-07 Bears, the other Hershey team to do it, began with four straight road wins en route to winning the league regular-season points championship and reaching the Calder Cup finals.

Former Hershey Bear netminder Peter Budaj started in goal for the Colorado Avalanche tonight in their season opener against Boston. I still think that Budaj is such a great story. He was not really all that highly touted when he was a rookie. Despite that, this guy has really become an excellent goalie in the NHL. He has had a longer maintained career in the league than many other guys who were drafted above him.

Peter was wearing his new Bauer pads and also was sporting his new mask. The mask still has Ned Flanders from the Simpsons on the back but now has an "Assassin's Creed" video game design on the front. You can CLICK HERE to go to the milehockeyhockey.com blog which has detailed photos of the new mask.

Speaking of goalie masks... while doing some searching on Peter I found a neat photo of one of his Hershey masks. You can CLICK HERE to see Budaj's mask. The same site had a neat shot of a mask worn by Marc Denis as well. CLICK HERE to see the Denis mask. I found a few other masks worn by former Hershey goalies. CLICK HERE to see a Maxime Ouellet mask. For a Dominic Roussel mask photo CLICK HERE. Chris Madden attended Hershey training camp the year we had a few Edmonton players on the roster and you can see his mask if you CLICK HERE. Brent Johnson's mask in St. Louis is HERE, and last but not least, you can CLICK HERE for a Ron Hextall mask.

The Patriot-News 2008The Hershey Bears have a date with the Norfolk Admirals this weekend.

During the 2006 Eastern Conference finals, the duo staged a memorable nose-to-nose pregame jawing match at Cumberland County Civic Center.

Woods was Hershey's assistant coach and Konopka was playing for the Portland Pirates.

Graham Mink took seven stitches to his forehead last week during an exhibition game at Wachovia Arena.

The winger nearly matched that total on the scoresheet tonight, notching five points as the Hershey Bears opened the 2008-09 regular season with an 8-4 victory over the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins.

Re-signed Mink, playing his first regular-season game for the Bears since the Calder Cup clincher against Milwaukee in 2005-06, had a hat trick and added two assists.

WILKES-BARRE -- Winger Graham Mink led a smoking power play with three goals tonight as Hershey opened the 2008-09 regular season with an 8-4 victory over Wilkes-Barre/Scranton at Wachovia Arena. The Bears converted their first four power-play chances and finished 5-for-7.

Chris Bourque entered Washington Capitals training camp thinking he could play in the NHL. He said he exited it knowing he can play there.

"I trained all summer to have a camp like that," Bourque said today. "I couldn't have done anything better, I don't think, and the coaches and everybody were happy. I came out knowing I belong in the NHL, and that's a big confidence boost for me."

Bourque, Quintin Laing and touted rookie Karl Alzner, all reassigned Monday by Washington, practiced with the Hershey Bears at Giant Center.

images.google.comBRYAN HELMER

Bryan Helmer was voted Hershey captain today by his teammates.

Dean Arsene and Graham Mink will be the home alternate captains. Keith Aucoin and Quintin Laing will serve as road alternates.

Quintin Laing cleared waivers today. The left winger practiced with the Bears, along with newly reassigned Chris Bourque and Karl Alzner.

Tyler Sloan also cleared waivers.

Bob Woods said Daren Machesney will start in goal Wednesday at Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. A decision on whether Simeon Varlamov or Michal Neuvirth will back up is pending.