With a premier cast of forwards and a strong goaltending tandem, the Hershey Bears entered the 2011-12 season with aspirations of increasing their Calder Cup total to a dozen.


The Hershey Bears played much of the 2011-12 season without Keith Aucoin, left. CHRIS KNIGHT/The Patriot-News
An up-and-down campaign that ended with a first-round playoff exit ultimately was defined by a number other than 12: 162.

That is the number of man games Hershey lost to injuries in the 76-game regular season. It is the equivalent of a major-league baseball season.

“You try to fill those holes as much as you can, but that’s what you build your team around in the summertime,” forward Jacob Micflikier said. “That’s what we’re supposed to be set on. Losing that many man games with some of us, it was tough to fill and tough to kind of get yourself into a positive streak for a while.

Continue reading here: blog.pennlive.com/patriotnewssports/2012...011-12_season_i.html