Winning 10 straight games in any sport at any level isn't easy.

Achieving the feat two straight years? That's next to remarkable.

The Hershey Bears have done it, though, and will try to match a franchise-best 11 in a row tonight when they play the Manitoba Moose in Winnipeg.

There are many reasons why any sort of streak is difficult in the American Hockey League.

There's the bus travel, the callups that disrupt the lineup and the three games in three nights — two of those, at times, on the road.

But the Bears have overcome those obstacles for most of the season and certainly during their winning streak.

Consider that Hershey, which won the Calder Cup last season, has the best record in the AHL and has a 14-point lead in the East Division at the midway point of the season.

They have much the same team they had last season and that's a very good team. The Bears are a product of strong drafts by the Washington Capitals and the parent club's ability to lure productive veterans to the team.

When the Bears played the Adirondack Phantoms Sunday night, Chris Bourque had replaced Andrew Gordon on a line with Alexandre Giroux and Keith Aucoin.

Why would a team change such a successful line? Because they can, with no ill effects.

Some say you could toss Hershey's forwards into a barrel and then put together four lines just as they fell out of the barrel, and they would still win.

At this point, there can't be much of an argument with that logic.

One of those forwards is Francois Bouchard. The second-round pick (35th overall) of the Capitals in 2006, Bouchard scored 15 goals and had 20 assists in 64 games for the Bears last season.

This season, he's got 10 goals and 18 assists in 36 games.

He's one of four Hershey players, including goaltender Michal Neuvirth, winger Oskar Osala and forward Mathieu Perreault, who were drafted by the Caps in 2006.

As hot as the Bears have been, so, too, has Bouchard. With an assist Sunday, he's riding an eight-game point streak.

And the best part is, he's playing a game where he can show off what he does best, namely, create scoring chances with his skating and passing.

"Francois has a great offensive imagination," said Hershey coach Mark French.

When the comment was related to him, Bouchard was humbled by the compliment.

Bouchard and Perreault arrived in Hershey at about the same time two seasons ago. For most of last season, they have been paired on the same line with any number of players filling out the line.

"Francois is consistently competing more," French said. "Before, he was more of a dependent player, who was a recipient of a good pass from Mathieu Perreault. Now he fights for more pucks in the corner."

Bouchard is fortunate to play within a system that allows him to be imaginative.

"Frenchy lets us play and do what we want in the offensive zone," Bouchard said. "It's fun to play like that, to take some chances and create some good opportunities."

The Bears have a "system," but it generally involves the defensive side of the game. When it comes to offense, French gives his forwards more of a free rein. That's why there not so much of the sometimes boring dump-and-chase offense.

"The things we're doing are working," Bouchard said. "Plus, we're playing well defensively so, it's a good mix."

Bouchard isn't alone in getting the most out of his offensive game. The Bears lead the AHL in goals scored (144). They have seven players in double figures in goals and 16 players in double figures in points.

"Our offense seems to be timely," Franch said. "(Sunday night) we were outshot but we seem to score at the right time to put teams away and our scoring has been balanced."

That's a product of a team with solid veterans and strong prospects. It's a formula that has the Bears looking at a fourth long Calder Cup run in the last five seasons.

kfreeman@lnpnews.com