Hershey Bears retire Chris Bourque’s number in weekend sweep of Springfield
Sentinel Staff
The Hershey Bears defeated the Hartford Wolf Pack 5-0 on Saturday night in the team’s annual Teddy Bear Toss game at the Giant Center.
Axel Jonsson-Fjalby’s power play goal at 6:13 into the game opened the gate and gave fans the green light to shower the ice with 52,341 teddy bears and stuffed animals to be collected and donated to 25 local charities including the Autism Society Greater Harrisburg Area.
Saturday’s Teddy Bear Toss was the 20th in Hershey history, and the number of bears collected surpassed the team’s previous high of 45,765 in 2019. Last year’s Teddy Bear Toss was held as a drive-thru event at the Giant Center parking lot held off the pandemic.
The Hershey Bears upped Chris Bourque’s number 17 on Saturday before taking on the Springfield Falcons over the weekend.
Hershey won Saturday’s game 6-2 after a 5-3 win in Friday’s contest, improving his league record to 25-8-3-1.
Bourque became the eighth player in franchise history to have his number retired, amassing 586 points, including 196 goals, over nine seasons at Hershey. He was part of three Calder Cup championship teams – 2006, 2009 and 2010 – and finished his career as the fifth top scorer in team history.
Ethen Frank scored three times (15-16-1-4) in the two games against Springfield. He scored the fourth goal of Saturday’s game, which saw the Bears come back from a 2-1 deficit in the first half and gave Hershey coach Todd Nelson his 500th win as a professional head coach.
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The Bears finished a seven-game homestand with a 4-2-1-0 record. Goaltender Zach Fucale made 19 saves from 22 shots in Friday’s win and Hunter Shepard stopped 21 of the 23 shots he faced on Saturday.
Hershey is heading out with two games in Canada, visiting Laval and Belleville on Friday and Saturday.
Photos: Hershey Bears first day of training camp 2022
Hershey Bears head coach Todd Nelson outlines a drill during the first day of the team’s training camp Monday at the Giant Center.
Jason Malmont, The Guardian
Carlisle’s Shane Sellar, center, trains with the Hershey Bears on the first day of the team’s training camp at the Giant Center.
Jason Malmont, The Guardian
Carlisle’s Shane Sellar, front, practices with the Hershey Bears on day one of the team’s training camp at the Giant Center.
Jason Malmont, The Guardian
Carlisle’s Shane Sellar, front, practices with the Hershey Bears on day one of the team’s training camp at the Giant Center.
Jason Malmont, The Guardian
Carlisle’s Shane Sellar, left, trains with the Hershey Bears on day one of the team’s training camp at the Giant Center.
Carlisle’s Shane Sellar trains with the Hershey Bears on the first day of the team’s training camp at the Giant Center.
Carlisle’s Shane Sellar, front, practices with the Hershey Bears on day one of the team’s training camp at the Giant Center.
Jason Malmont, The Guardian
The Hershey Bears will hold their first day of training camp on Monday morning, October 3, 2022.
Jason Malmont, The Guardian
The Hershey Bears will hold their first day of training camp on Monday morning, October 3, 2022.
Jason Malmont, The Guardian
Hershey Bears new head coach Todd Nelson.
Jason Malmont, The Guardian
Hershey Bears new head coach Todd Nelson.
Jason Malmont, The Guardian
Carlisle’s Shane Sellar trains with the Hershey Bears on the first day of the team’s training camp at the Giant Center.
Jason Malmont, The Guardian
Carlisle’s Shane Sellar trains with the Hershey Bears on the first day of the team’s training camp at the Giant Center.
Jason Malmont, The Guardian
The Hershey Bears will hold their first day of training camp on Monday morning, October 3, 2022.
Jason Malmont, The Guardian
