Anas Returns From Lengthy Injury Absence To Bolster Bears' Stretch Run

HERSHEY, Pa. - Resilience and persistence are two words that perfectly describe Sam Anas' first season with the Hershey Bears.

After coming to Hershey from Springfield for the season, where his 15 point-postseason performance helped propel the Thunderbirds into the Calder Cup Finals, Anas suffered an injury on what he called a 'fluke' play in late December. That injury sidelined the winger until March 17.

"Yeah, it was very fluky play; my skate kind of just got caught in the ice and I went to turn to the right. My left skate didn't come and just my adductor and a muscle in my core both tore and it hurt incredibly. Then I think I went back to the bench and I said to the trainer, 'I think I just tore my groin.' We went off. I could barely walk," Anas recalled. The next day was Christmas break, so I went home wanting to be with my family and we kind of said, 'Oh, we'll see how it goes the next couple days,' and then five or six days later, I got an MRI and found out there were two torn muscles."

It was determined that Anas would need surgery.

"The first two to three weeks after (the surgery) it was pain like I've never felt. Honestly, it hurt to put my socks on. Little everyday things we're such a struggle. I couldn't believe it," he said. "The Capitals and Hershey hooked me up with a great surgeon in St. Louis., and he did a great job and I'm very thankful and they did a incredible job taking care of me."

The road to recovery was quite a long one for Anas, and perhaps a little monotonous as well.

"Yeah, yeah. The first couple of weeks were pretty slow, you know, just walking on a treadmill on Sundays for just an hour, it was just so boring. I just, you know, just kind of watch a show (while) on there, but the trainers did a great job of kind of keeping things different, changing them up, and I never felt like I plateaued through my rehab, which is nice," Anas said. "And I gave a lot of credit to Shawn and Max for doing a great job and working with the surgeon, and you know, the surgeon was in St. Louis, but he was great. Every two to three weeks we would FaceTime with him and he would keep them updated and he would, you know, check in so everyone all around did such an amazing job and helped me get better and I think it worked out great."

Despite the pain, discomfort, and, at times, boring rehab process, Anas arrived at the rink when cleared with a smile on his face.

"I think it's just kind of my personality," Anas said. "I think I just try and always look for the good in any situation. Yeah, there are definitely times where it's frustrating watching, especially when you know, maybe the team was going through a rough stretch. Those are the toughest games to watch. But yeah, you know, just hanging out with the guys up there, and you know, getting a little different perspective on the game, I think you really can learn some stuff from watching from a different angle. But yeah, I'm definitely excited to be playing."

It's perhaps that personality along with the skill that contributed to his goal in that first game back against Lehigh Valley on March 17. While he didn't score the following night against Rochester, Anas has recorded goals on the 24th at Rochester, the 26th against Lehigh Valley, and a pair on the 29th in Toronto. Although, Anas noted the one on the 26th wasn’t very flashy.

"Yeah, it always feels good to score even though I didn't even see the puck, it just kind of hit my stick and went in but I'll take it," laughed Anas

According to Jarrod Wronski, Hershey’s in-house announcer, that goal was quite special for hockey in the Washington, D.C. area as it likely was the first time two kids from the same DC-area high school connected with an AHL goal. Joe Snively, originally credited with the goal, recorded the primary assist.

Both played at the Landon School.

"Yeah, that's pretty cool. You know, Joe and I trained together all summer and we played high school hockey together for one year, he was a freshman, I was a senior. So yeah, in the summer, we always train and skate together, and when I signed with Hershey, you know, we thought maybe we get the chance to play together," Anas said. "And you know, now it's kind of come to fruition and we're playing together on a line and on power play together. It's pretty surreal, and it's pretty cool. We're good friends, and it speaks a lot about the volumes of how the game has grown in the DC area. Hopefully that's the first of many for not just us, but more DC alums."

The Landon School, according to Anas, isn't really known for producing ice hockey players quite yet.

"It's a lacrosse school, really, the Landon School. If you were to look it up most stuff about sports would come up with lacrosse," laughed Anas, noting that Snively only played his freshman year there before moving on to prep school. "Unfortunately, you know, Maryland hockey is growing, but I don't think you're going to get recruited out of there right now. But, I was there from third to 12th grade. I took a lot of pride (in playing there) and I wanted to stay there."

Anas and Snively will likely hook up with another Landon School alum as the team travels to Charlotte where Patrick Giles plays for the Checkers.

"He's a couple years younger than us, but yeah, he went to the same school that we did, and just at different times, but you know, we all train together in the summer and we have fun and you know, we look out for each other. Patrick's probably three or four [years] younger than Joe, but we've all kind of helped each other out," Anas said. "Whether training or skating or just, I think it's just a nice little network that we have now."

Just like with those he's met through his time at the Landon School, Anas is thrilled to be able to connect with other hockey players and, thanks to the Bears, was afforded another opportunity during a recent visit to the Milton Hershey School.

"Yeah, it was amazing. I had never been there before," said Anas, who was the 2017-2018 Iowa Wild's Man of the Year for his volunteer work. "I kind of heard the story about it, but to go there firsthand, see everything, meet the students and hear what they've gone through, and have lunch with them, it was great. We were able to interact and get to know some of the students on a personal level, which really makes you get to know them."

One memory of the school that was not quite as special though was the team practice at Milton Hershey’s outdoor rink. Anas was not cleared to participate.

"Unfortunately, I was still on the sidelines for that, so that was one of those days where I had some FOMO, but yeah, the school is amazing," Anas said. "It's a great story. Just the selflessness of that program and what it has built for some of these kids is just truly amazing. So I think it's something that not a lot of people know about but they should. I was tapping the glass hard for the boys practice."

While he was tapping the glass, praising his teammates' play in practice, his head coach was singing his praises in a recent post-game press conference.

"Sammy worked hard to get back off his injury, and he's a veteran guy. He's good in the room. The guys enjoy having him (on the ice)," Nelson said, noting that they've been trying to manage Anas's return. "He provides a creativity that we kind of lack offensively, and he's just a smart player. He's been around, so he's able to see a little plays out there."

That offensive creativity was on display in Toronto Friday where Anas scored a pair of goals in Hershey’s victory over the Marlies.

Prior to the game, Anas, who has family in the area, was able to visit the Hockey Hall of Fame and see last year's Springfield Thunderbirds jersey on display.

The Bears contributed two other pieces of memorabilia to the hall, a pair of skates from Ethen Frank, who set a new record at this year’s AHL Fastest Skater competition during All-Star Week in Laval, and the Henri Fontaine Trophy, quite possibly the oldest North American hockey trophy.

But, if all goes according to plan, the Bears, with a healthy Sam Anas, have their sights set on bringing a trophy back to Hershey to replace the Fontaine’s departure.