AHL: Flash Gordon

The Hershey Bears currently find themselves atop the East Division and have accumulated a league-high 62 points through 44 games. McKeen's correspondent Kevin Hopson has notes on several Hershey players, including Andrew Gordon, Chris Bourque, Oskar Osala, Francois Bouchard, Mathieu Perreault and Daren Machesney.

Mathieu Perreault (Wsh), C, Hershey Bears

Perreault is one of Hershey's assist leaders, as he possesses hawk-like vision and has the ability to deliver the puck to opportunistic linemates with detailed precision .. Perreault's active feet, swift lateral movement and brisk straight-ahead speed allow him to weave his way through an obstacle course of defenders when he is called on to move the puck .. his quick release can be problematic for netminders, though he sometimes passes up shooting the puck in favor of setting up teammates, which can be a flaw when he has a good look at the goal .. can be squeezed along the boards given his size but displays hustle and a willingness to pursue the puck at both ends of the rink.

Francois Bouchard (Wsh), RW, Hershey Bears

The brother of Minnesota Wild forward Pierre-Marc Brouchard, Francois owns all of the necessary skills to be a successful point producer in the NHL, including keen vision, quality playmaking abilities and a scorer's touch .. in fact, he has hit the mark roughly 20 percent of the time this season, which is a team high .. unfortunately, Bouchard's inconsistency is an issue that continues to plague him .. for example, in a recent game against the Norfolk Admirals, he was practically non-existent .. though he boasts a plus-20 rating, his work ethic in the defensive end is questionable at times .. by getting more involved, Bouchard may be able to develop a better flow to his game and bring about a certain steadiness in the process.

Oskar Osala (Wsh), LW, Hershey Bears

Osala is a generously built (6-4, 220) power forward who possesses amazing skills for a player of his stature .. he is powerful on his feet, maneuvers well around the ice and has no problem switching play .. furthermore, Osala is extremely efficient below the hash marks and around the goal, as his strength on the puck and sniper-like shot make him dangerous down low .. he also successfully safeguards the puck given his extended reach and burly frame, which he uses to keep distance between him and his opponent .. Osala is a defensively responsible player who has developed a solid two-way game, as evident by his plus-21 rating, which is second in the league .. he was named Reebok Edge/AHL Rookie of the month for November 2008 after posting 10 goals, 4 assists and a plus-12 rating in 14 games for the Bears.

Daren Machesney (Wsh), G, Hershey Bears

Machesney has been splitting time with Russian goaltending prospect Semen Varlamov throughout the season .. despite lagging his counterpart in just about every statistical category, with the exception of shutouts, Machesney has proven to be a capable starter at the AHL level .. one of Machesney's greatest assets is his ability to handle the puck, though it can also be one of his downfalls, as he shows a tendency every now and then to stray too far from the net .. however, playing an aggressive game is what he does best ..for example, he will almost always position himself at the top of the crease to cut down angles and challenge shooters on a regular basis .. Machesney maneuvers well laterally and does not waste much movement when making saves, which means he is usually in the proper location to make a play on the puck .. however, he can be caught off balance at times, which hinders his ability to recover .. furthermore, you never know what you are going to get from Machesney, as he could pitch a shutout one game and then give up six goals his next outing .. as a result, he will need to maintain consistency if he is going to make it to the next level.

Chris Bourque (Wsh), LW, Hershey Bears

Bourque was one of the final cuts from the Washington Capitals roster during the preseason and continues to progress with the Hershey Bears .. he is one of the most complete players on the Bears roster, as his all-around special teams play allows him to contribute in just about any situation .. in addition to his strong defensive work ethic and talent for killing penalties, Bourque is a stud on the man advantage .. he will sometimes see double shifts on the powerplay, as his gifted offensive skill-set and staying power are proven commodities .. because of his quality two-way play, Bourque can act as a fourth forward on the man advantage without compromising the team defensively .. skating wise, Bourque is about as quick as they come ..his lively feet and swift strides make him extremely effective in transition and allow him to rush the ice with relative ease .. coupled with his clear on-ice vision, puck suaveness and meticulous passing game, Bourque can move the biscuit with the best of them .. he also possesses great hockey sense, as he makes timely and intelligent decisions with and without the puck .. Bourque's small frame remains a concern at the NHL level but his boulder-like build and willingness to finish checks helps compensate for this.

Andrew Gordon (Wsh), RW, Hershey Bears

Gordon seems to be moving at a feverish pace every time he is on the ice .. though he plays opposite of Bourque on the right side, the two are mirror images of one another when it comes to speed, physical play and awareness .. Gordon can cut on a dime and change direction almost instantaneously, which is why he is such a pest on the forecheck .. he is just as persistent on the backcheck and carries this diligence over to the penalty kill, where he sees quality icetime .. Gordon is always in pursuit of the puck and will stick his nose in dirty areas to try and stake claim to it .. Gordon may seem like a typical checking-line player with his grit and defensive play but these are only a couple of his traits .. he displays a heightened consciousness with regard to where he should be on the ice .. as a result, he is able to put himself in prime scoring situations and owns the type of shot that can finish the deal as well.