10/12/2008 - (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Hershey Bears, the American Hockey League's oldest active team, are off to a roaring start to the 2008-09 season, going 3-0 through the first weekend of the season.
The Bears won their opener at the defending Eastern Conference champion Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins on Wednesday before taking a pair at East Division rival Norfolk on Friday and Saturday.
Hershey has four of the top six scorers in the league through Sunday, with Keith Aucoin (2 goals, 5 assists) and Graham Mink (4 goals, 2 assists) leading the way. Mink is also tied with Lowell rookie Matt Halischuk for the early goal-scoring lead with four. The Portland Pirates Mark Mancari and the Peoria Rivermen's Julian Talbot have three goals.
The Bears' 17 goals lead the league as well as their 36.8 percent power-play percentage (7 of 19), which has been a major factor in the team's hot start.
Hershey got things started with the win over the Penguins. Aucoin scored just 96 seconds into his Hershey debut to give the Bears an early 1-0 advantage. Chris Bourque, Mathieu Perreault and Mink added power-play goals before the end of the first period to make it 4-1.
Mink and Penguins forward Ryan Stone traded goals to make it 5-2 after two before Mink completed his hat trick in the third en route to the 8-4 win.
Two days later the Bears traveled to take on the Admirals, winning 5-3. Alexandre Giroux scored a goal and an assist, Mink added his fourth goal of the season and Oskar Osala scored his first AHL goal to lead the team to victory.
On Saturday Hershey collected its third win in as many games, this one in a shootout. After battling to a 3-3 draw after regulation and overtime at the Norfolk Scope, the Bears won the shootout on goals by Aucoin, Giroux and Francois Bouchard.
Hershey will close out its season opening four-game road trip with a game at the Spectrum vs. the Philadelphia Phantoms on Friday before its home opener Saturday vs. the Syracuse Crush.
Also off the good early starts, the Providence Bruins and Binghamton Senators are 2-0 in the Eastern Conference while the Hamilton Bulldogs, Lake Erie Monsters and Crunch are 2-0 in the Western Conference.
Milwaukee (1-0-0) travels to Houston (1-0-0) Monday and defending Calder Cup champion Chicago (0-0-1) travels to San Antonio (0-1-0) on Wednesday before the schedule kicks back into gear with 12 games Friday, 14 games Saturday and six games next Sunday.
<< Penner's tip-in late gives Edmonton win over Colorado
Edmonton, AB (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Dustin Penner's tip-in with six seconds
remaining in regulation gave the Edmonton Oilers a 3-2 season-opening win over
the Colorado Avalanche at Rexall Place.
Penner gave Edmonton the lead early in t
<< Doan lifts Coyotes past Ducks
Anaheim, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Shane Doan scored his first two goals of the
season as the Phoenix Coyotes netted a 4-2 victory over the Anaheim Ducks at
Honda Center.
Mikkel Boedker, the eighth overall pick of the 2008 NHL Entry Draft
<< Ducks' Niedermayer leaves game
Anaheim, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Anaheim Ducks center Rob Niedermayer left
Sunday's game against the Phoenix Coyotes in the first period with an
undisclosed injury.
The 33-year-old brother of Ducks' captain Scott Niedermayer
<< Galaxy stay alive with 3-2 win over Rapids
Carson, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Los Angeles Galaxy earned just their second
win in their last 16 Major League Soccer matches, 3-2, over the Colorado
Rapids at the Home Depot Center on Sunday.
Goals by Edson Buddle and Brandon Mc
Rivers, Chargers dominate Patriots >>
San Diego, CA (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Philip Rivers threw for 306 yards and three
touchdowns as the San Diego Chargers dominated the New England Patriots,
30-10, exacting some revenge in a rematch of last season's AFC Championship
game.
Browns TE Winslow out of hospital, doubtful for Monday's game >>
Berea, OH (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Cleveland Browns starting tight end Kellen
Winslow was released from a hospital on Sunday, but he's doubtful to play in
Monday's game against the New York Giants.
Winslow had been in the Cleveland Clinic s
ALCS shifts to Fenway for Game 3 >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Jon Lester tries to continue his tremendous postseason when
the Boston Red Sox and Tampa Bay Rays play Game 3 of the American League
Championship Series this afternoon, as the best-of-seven set shifts to Fenway
Park.
Lest
Dodgers try to pull even with Phils in NLCS >>
(Sportsbook Betting Lines) - The Los Angeles Dodgers will try to even the National
League Championship Series at two games apiece this evening, when they play
Game 4 of the best-of-seven set against the Philadelphia Phillies at Dodger
Stadium.
Los An
El Duque expected to throw Tuesday
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. -- New York Mets pitcher Orlando Hernandez, sidelined at spring training because of arthritis in his neck, is expected to resume throwing on Tuesday.
Hernandez received a cortisone shot Thursday after leaving camp and returning to New York to have his neck examined. The 41-year-old right-hander is penciled in as the team's No. 2 starter behind Tom Glavine.
El Duque's health is a major issue for the Mets, who won the NL East in 2007 and came within one victory of the World Series. Their aging and unsettled rotation is a big question mark this year.
MySportsbook.com has the Mets as -110 favorites to repeat as NL East champions odds.
Hernandez went 11-11 with a 4.66 ERA last season, including 9-7 with a 4.09 ERA in 20 starts after the Mets acquired him from Arizona in late May. But he missed the playoffs because of a torn calf muscle.
New York already is without Pedro Martinez, out until at least midseason following rotator cuff surgery. Among those competing for starting jobs are prospects Mike Pelfrey, Philip Humber and Jason Vargas, plus veterans Chan Ho Park, Jorge Sosa and Aaron Sele.
Notes: Mets manager Willie Randolph is excited about two new utility players he could have on his bench: Damion Easley and David Newhan. ''Their value is really all over the place,'' Randolph said. Easley can play anywhere in the infield and could be used as an emergency outfielder, though Randolph said he would prefer to keep the veteran in the infield. Newhan, meanwhile, can play second base, third or any outfield position for the Mets. ''I love versatility,'' Randolph said. ''I love guys that can give me options when I need them to step in.''
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