Bieber-Mania hits the Bears lockerroom.

After losing the first two games of the Calder Cup Finals at home, the Hershey Bears are now one win away from raising the Calder Cup for the eleventh time in club history, and in back-to-back years. Holy Schnikes!!

What stands in their way? A Texas Stars team that is “trying to stay positive.” Yeah. (It’s like they finally realized who they were playing against.)

But despite Hershey’s 3 game sweep of Texas at Cedar Park Center, the Stars can still draw confidence off Games 1 and 2 where they frustrated the AHL’s highest scoring team. Which Bears team will show up Monday for Game 6? The one that tried to play fancy, stick around the perimeter and let it’s emotions get the best of them, or the one that played simple, went hard to the net and kept its cool?

Today, Hershey held a 45-60 minute practice at Giant Center and Bears first line center Keith Aucoin hoped it was the latter:

“The main thing is we need to keep our heads into it. We know what we have to do, and we know we have to play the same. We kept it simple on the road, and we’ve got to make sure we play the same way and not be to cute. We can’t get too wrapped up into stuff. We’ve got to take care of business one period at a time, one shift at a time, and go from there.”

Chris Bourque: 'We've got a chance to clinch in front of our fans and it's an exciting thing.' (Photos by Kyle M.)

Meanwhile, it’s fair to say that the Bears were, uhhh, a bit loose after practice. Kyle observed a few of the guys playfully screaming and ribbing each other during interviews, and some players – who we dare not name – decided to blast Justin Bieber in the lockerroom while changing. Is this a sign of a team that got its swagger back?

Chris Bourque just thinks his teammates are giddy to finish what they started:

“I think the guys are excited for tomorrow night. We’ve got a chance to clinch in front of our fans and it’s an exciting thing. We want to stay up-beat and positive and everybody is looking forward to tomorrow.”

Awesome. Well since we’re in a giving mood, here are a few other Hershey-related tidbits to get you by until tomorrow’s night game.

I. History Could Be Made

If the Bears manage to win tomorrow or Wednesday night, Hershey will be the first team in AHL History to lose their first two home games of the Calder Cup Finals and come back and win the series. But let’s revel in the past shall we? Thanks to youtube user puckgodz, we can relive Alexandre Giroux’s epic Game 5 OT winner which is masterfully called by John Walton.

II. Fan Painted Shirts

King Karl, you're loved. Make sure to seek out Christine who will be wearing this homemade shirt to Game 6 at Giant Center.

Friend of the blog, Christine B. (who some of you may know as itsabeta on twitter), is going all out for Game 6. Not only will she be making the drive from DC, she will be wearing this sweet shirt she painted herself. Christine explains the inspiration below:

Why did I make the shirt? Well, I just made a pact with myself that if the Bears won game 5 then I would do something special for Game 6. So I decided to make myself a homemade “King Karl” shirt. I just wanted to do something fun for the finals and Karl Alzner is my favorite Bear (though Braden Holtby is a close second). The response I’ve gotten thus far has been pretty fantastic. I might have to make a few more! Though hopefully with a 27… and in red. I’ll be wearing the shirt tailgating tomorrow, so if any of you see me, please come say hi and shout a loud “let’s go Bears!!!” at me!

III. Japers’ Rink Discusses Gordo’s Take

ABC27's Gregg Mace interviews Andrew Gordon

Japers’s Rink contributor Your Nation’s Capital wrote about our collaboration with Andrew Gordon during this year’s Calder Cup Finals and discusses the narrative that has unfolded throughout his posts. It’s a great read.

Check it out here.

Well, don’t forget that tomorrow night’s game 6 will be shown on ABC27′s digital channel 27.2, Comcast 246, Verizon 461, CSN Mid-Atlantic, and the NHL Network. We’ll see you on Twitter with all our funny musings at 7pm tomorrow night. I’ll be at Peter’s house in Frederick. Should be fun! (The last time I was there THIS happened.)

Above: Hershey celebrates their Game 4 win. Top: John Carlson does it again. This time, he redirects the GWG Home on a Bears PP. (Photos by Chris Knight, The Patriot-News)

Tonight could have gone very differently. Despite rediscovering their offensive mojo, the Hershey Bears could not generate a lead over the Texas Stars. With the end of regulation looming, the Bear shook off the threat of a do-or-die game 5 with Captain America John Carlson’s razor-sharp deflection past Stars goalie Matt Climie. An empty netter from Alexandre Giroux sealed the deal, and now we’re facing a unique prospect: the Calder Cup will be awarded in Hershey. With the series finally tied, the only question remains who will claim it.

A couple other quick notes for you:

• Pinizzotto penalty? Naturally.
• Scott McCulloch’s response to John Carlson’s GWG was to smother Karl Alzner into the boards. Yeah, they’ll remember that.
• No one was too sure who scored the game’s first goal: Andrew Gordon or Keith Aucoin. Once the snow cleared, Aucoin was given credit, but Gordo was a key player in that play and Carlson’s game-winner.
• If Hershey doesn’t make a red, white, and blue Carlson t-shirt soon, someone’s gonna make it for them.

The Bears will play their third and final game in Texas on Friday night. The series will return to Hershey on Monday, but will the most winning team in AHL history land in PA with the series lead or not?

Andrew Gordon is wiped out along the boards by Aaron Gagnon. (Photos by Joe Hermitt, The Patriot-News)

If you’ve ever played a competitive sport at any high-level, you know the importance of momentum. It’s something that cannot be accurately measured by statistics, but its presence will never show up on any box-score.  Watching game two of the Calder Cup Finals between the Hershey Bears and the Texas Stars tonight, it was obvious who had momentum in the final ten minutes of the game: The Hershey Bears. Despite the Chocolate and White never leading during regulation, Andrew Gordon’s electrifying put-back off a Patrick Wellar shot from the right point rallied the troops and tied the game 3-3 with 9:16 to go. And after Stars’ Defenseman Matt Stephenson went off for a four-minute double minor for high-sticking towards the tail end of a Bears Powerplay, it seemed like fate was on the Bears side.

It was not to be. The Bears could not score during the ensuing 31 seconds of their 5 on 3 advantage and fretted away the first 1:16 of their 5 on 4. Then, after a whistle, Boyd Kane lost his temper during a scrum and speared a Texas player. The back linesman saw it, notified the head official, and Kane was sent off for four minutes, negating the rest of the Bears Powerplay. Hello, 4-on-4 hockey. Goodbye, momentum.

Hershey and Texas then traded chances back and forth until Caps castoff Travis Morin lifted a slow, knuckling backhander with 46 seconds left. The puck arc’ed over Michal Neuvirth, who desperately tried to stab it with his glove hand. While the rest of the Bears looked on in disbelief, the puck settled in the back of the net. The Bears lose a heartbreaker 4-3.

• Postgame, Hershey Head Coach Mark French, didn’t mince any words when reminded by ABC27′s Gregg Mace that the Bears have come back and won two straight on the road before: “We took six penalties tonight. Four poor in nature. If [our guys] want to continue making those errors, they’ll get to four [wins] before us.”
• Let’s not turn to the History Books for inspiration. No team has ever lost the first two games of the Calder Cup Finals at home and ever come back to win a series. The Bears will now travel to Texas where they’ll play three straight games at Cedar Park Center. They must win at least two of three to bring the series back home to Giant Center. Consider this little factoid as well: The Bears are only 4-3 this postseason on the road.
• Hershey had been 37-1-0-0 in its previous 38 home games before falling to Texas Stars on home ice twice in a three-day span. Is this just an anomaly or are they simply playing a better hockey team?
• I’ll put my Caps blinders on and say I think it’s an anomaly. We’re talking about potentially the AHL’s greatest team of all-time– a 60-win team in the regular season. Let’s face it: The Bears had an 11-day layoff before game one and looked rusty. Tonight, they were the better team, but were plagued by a few early mistakes, a lack of discipline and bad luck. Stars’ Center Aaron Gagnon scored one minute into the game on a breakaway after Hershey’s Defense came out disorganized. The Stars’ second goal of the game was an absurd gift from the Gods. Andrew Joudrey made a great hockey play and blocked a chunk of Garrett Stafford’s shot from the point during a Stars’ Powerplay. The shot changed directions and puttered harmlessly along the ice towards Bryan Helmer, who looked to control the puck on his backhand. As Helmer’s stick met rubber, the puck shot off his stick past a helpless Michal Neuvirth into the yawning net.
• Really, the key to this series will be if Hershey can eschew chip-and-chase to play the simple hockey that will overcome Texas’s outstanding defense. Mark French was clearly frustrated after the game. He has been preaching offensive-zone patience to his players. Yet, some of these guys will get discouraged and take harmless shots from the perimeter or throw a centering pass out in front when nobody’s home. The team must be aggressive on the forecheck and play hard in the corners. We’ll see if they’ve learned their lesson Monday Night.
• 

  Haaaaaaaaay Ray! (Photo by Kyle M.)

  Hall of Fame Defenseman Ray Bourque was in the house tonight to watch his son play.  He looks grumpy in our accompanying picture.
• One thing’s for sure: Steve Pinizzotto certainly plays the game with an edge. In the first period with the Bears shorthanded and down 1-0, he caused a turnover and expertly executed a 2-on-1 break. Pinner blasted a hard slapshot top-shelf to tally his fifth goal of the playoffs, unassisted. While that was totally awesome, he also lost his temper a few times and yapped way too much at the Stars bench. Pinizzotto has good speed, a hard, accurate shot and a dedication to defense that could make him a solid third or fourth line NHL player in the future, especially for a team like the Capitals who need guys who are tenacious and gifted on the penalty kill. Pinner however, needs to play with a controlled chaos and keep his emotions in check. Tonight, his two minors (slashing, roughing) negated his positives.
• Francois Bouchard now has goals in two straight.
• Andrew Gordon’s tally in the third was the first goal of the finals for the AHL’s most prolific line. His Celebration? So. Epic. (Check out the photo montage here.)

The Bears will leave for Texas at noon on Sunday from Harrisburg International Airport. When they step on the ice for game three Monday night, they will be forced to deal with real adversity for the first time this year. Can the Bears step up and regain their offensive flair? Will Texas feel the pressure of wanting to win the Calder Cup in front of their home fans and lose control of the series? Comcast SportsNet will be showing the game live Monday Night at 8:30pm. We’ll see you then.

Video of all of Game 2′s Goals:

Francois Bouchard and Mathieu Perreault do the Bears only celebrating of the night after Bouchard's second period tally. (Photo by Kyle M.)

The hockey gods must be playing a cruel trick on us. Why? Because for the first time in the postseason and the second time in 39 games this year, the Hershey Bears lost in front of their home fans at Giant Center. (And no, we weren’t there to curse them!)

Yet before you hit the panic button and start considering doomsday scenarios, we must acknowledge that this was the first time the Bears had played a game in 11 days. During that period, celebrities Gary Coleman and Dennis Hopper died, May turned to June, BP ruined the entire Gulf of Mexico three times over, Team Russia was humbled in another International Tournament and Bret Michaels nearly died from a brain hemorrhage, recovered and then won Celebrity Apprentice. So rust obviously could have been a factor tonight. It’s hard to have your mojo going after that long of a layoff.

The first 30 minutes of tonight’s Calder Cup Finals exhibition played out much to that effect as both teams treated the first half of the game like a chess match. Both clubs tried desperately not make the game’s first, crucial mistake. However despite being outshot 12-2 after one period of play, the Bears were the ones to score the game’s first goal in the second period. The ever-darty and creative Mathieu Perreault found Francois Bouchard wide open in front of the Stars’ net and the Sherbrooke, Quebec native buried it past Texas Goaltender Matt Climie. Yet, Texas was unfazed. Tonight was the 11th straight game they had given up the game’s first goal and during that span they are 7-4.

5 minutes after Bouchard dented the twine, Stars’ center Greg Rallo responded by beating Michal Neuvirth glove side with a sick wrist shot from the top of the circles. Then in the third, Scott McCulloch backhanded home what turned out to be the eventual game winning goal on a semi-breakaway. As Bears’ Radio Announcer John Walton so eloquently put it, the Bears turned it on too little, too late tonight. Hershey falls 2-1. To the bullets!!

• After tonight’s loss, this is the first time that the Chocolate and White have actually trailed in a series during the postseason. Hmmm. Sleeping Giant = Awoken?
• 

  Doc in the house!

  The best The second best The third best play by play man in the NHL, Mike Emrick was in the house and dropped the ceremonial first puck. Kyle caught the scene in this awesome photo to the right.
• Just a simple request: Can someone turn off the disney channel next time they have a serious hockey interview during intermission? Poor Bob Woods.
• Not only was Elvis in the house wearing a sweet Hershey sweater, he was also frenching all ladies in sight.
• First line right winger and fan of the blog Andrew Gordon returned to the Bears lineup for the first time in four games after suffering a knee injury, and was one of the best players on the ice. He had numerous scoring opportunities in the first and second periods, and in the third, he leveled Andrew Hutchinson, the Stars’ most steady defenseman, along the dasher boards. The hit, which was deemed legal, caught Hutchinson awkwardly from the side and started a brawl that woke up the Bears during the final minutes of play.
• Despite getting the L, Michal Neuvirth was especially solid in goal making 24 saves. At times, I would even say he was spectacular. It’s like he’d be a great back-up goaltender in DC next year, no?
• One thing that seriously bugs me about the AHL is how goalies intentionally knock the net off its moorings when danger approaches. There’s never a delay of game penalty. Ever! Tonight, Matt Climie flung himself into the cage several times to get a whistle. If the AHL had more than one referee, as Corey Massisak so intelligently pointed out, maybe they could make this call consistently. But all I can say for now is: It. Drives. Me. Insane.
• Comcast Sportsnet’s Allen Pope reports that Games 3 through 5 from Texas will be shown live by Comcast. Make sure you join us Monday, Wednesday and Friday of next week to watch almost Caps hockey on TV again!!

Hershey will look to rebound and tie the series Saturday night in front of a sold out Giant Center at 7pm. We’ll talk to you then. Keep your heads up!

Tonight, the Texas Stars upset the Hamilton Bulldogs 4-2 in Game 7 of the AHL’s Western Conference Finals. Yes, even after the Canadiens reassigned top prospects P.K. Subban and Ben Maxwell down to Hamilton for the deciding game, the Bulldogs still somehow managed to lose. After Hamilton took a 2-0 lead into the third period, Texas scored 4 unanswered goals and will now get the right to play the Hershey Bears in the 2010 Calder Cup Finals. RMNB has your schedule first and a gentle reminder to buy Game 1 or 2 tickets at Hershey NOW!

H.A.G.S. P.K. Subban

Game 1: Thursday, June 3 at HERSHEY 7:00 p.m.
GIANT Center

Game 2: Saturday, June 5 at HERSHEY 7:00 p.m.
GIANT Center

Game 3: Monday, June 7 at Texas 8:30 p.m.
Cedar Park Center

Game 4: Wednesday, June 9, at Texas 8:30 p.m.
Cedar Park Center

*Game 5: Friday, June 11 at Texas 8:30 p.m.
Cedar Park Center

*Game 6: Monday, June 14 at HERSHEY 7:00 p.m.
GIANT Center

*Game 7: Wednesday, June 16 at HERSHEY 7:00 p.m.
GIANT Center

*if necessary

Tickets for Game 1 and Game 2 of the 2010 Calder Cup Finals at GIANT Center are on sale now at the GIANT Center box office or by phone at (717) 534-3911. HERSHEY will look to become the first team since the 1991 Springfield Indians to win back-to-back Calder Cup titles.