Smackdown in Hershey

Apologies for the lack of recaps and previews this weekend - I've fled the confines of DC for the chocolatey hills of Hershey, Pennsylvania, where I'm immersing myself in all things Bears for a few days. Hopefully the Caps can pull out a win tonight to restore my faith but I'd be lying if I said I didn't need a little mental break.

So I headed off to Hershey yesterday where I met up with fellow hockey lunatics Teka (a Bears/Penguins fan) and Nadine (a Flyers fan). Needless to say, much hilarity ensued as we tried to convince one another that our respective teams were not, in fact, evil. You can guess how successful that was...

This morning we trekked over to Giant Center and caught the Bears' morning skate, which although optional was fairly well attended. The boys were in high spirits, having dispensed with the Baby Pens last night, and it was nice as always to see the familiar face of Ben Clymer among the smiles.

The Hersheyness continued with a sightseeing tour of the town. Local landmarks visited: the one Starbucks in town, Chocolate World (where we were accosted by a Hummer driver from New York...a rude New Yorker, go figure), and the local strip mall (including a happenstance sighting of the Bourquemobile).

And then tonight. The main event. Bears. Phantoms. A Caps fan, a Bears/Pens fan, and TWO Flyers fans. Who will win? Who will lose? Who will come out alive? Tune in tomorrow...hopefully...