Wikipedia

2023–24 Hershey Bears season

The 2023–24 Hershey Bears season was the franchise's 86th season in the American Hockey League (AHL), starting on October 14, 2023, and ending during the Calder Cup playoffs. They play their home games at Giant Center.

2023–24 Hershey Bears
Calder Cup champions
Eastern Conference champions
Atlantic Division champions
League1st AHL
Division1st Atlantic
Conference1st Eastern
2023–24 record53–14–0–5 (111 pts)
Home record29–7–0-0
Road record24–7–0-5
Goals for229
Goals against151
Team information
General managerBryan Helmer (de facto - VP of Hockey Operations)
CoachTodd Nelson
Assistant coachPatrick Wellar
Nick Bootland
CaptainDylan McIlrath
Alternate captainsAaron Ness
Mike Vecchione
ArenaGiant Center
Average attendance9,439
Team leaders
GoalsEthen Frank (29)
AssistsJoe Snively (45)
PointsJoe Snively (59)
Penalty minutesDylan McIlrath (100)
WinsHunter Shepard (27)
Goals against averageHunter Shepard (2.26)

On April 2, 2024, the Bears clinched a playoff berth for the third consecutive season following a 1–0 win over the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.[1] In that same game, they clinched their division.

The Bears finished the season as Atlantic Division champions, their second in franchise history, and Macgregor Kilpatrick Trophy winners for the fourth time in franchise history, with a record-setting 111 points from 53 wins, 15 losses, and 5 shootout losses, their 53 wins also serving as a new AHL record under a 72 game season.[2]

The Bears would win the Calder Cup in back to back years, beating the Coachella Valley Firebirds in 6 games.[3]

Standings

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 y–  indicates team has clinched division and a playoff spot
 x–  indicates team has clinched a playoff spot
 e–  indicates team has been eliminated from playoff contention

Division

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Eastern Confrence GP W L OTL SOL Pts Pts% GF GA
y–Hershey Bears (WSH) 72 53 14 0 5 111 .771 229 151
x–Providence Bruins (BOS) 72 42 21 6 3 93 .646 239 208
x–Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (PIT) 72 39 24 8 1 87 .604 211 194
x–Charlotte Checkers (FLA) 72 39 26 7 0 85 .590 217 203
x–Hartford Wolf Pack (NYR) 72 34 28 7 3 78 .542 204 219
x–Lehigh Valley Phantoms (PHI) 72 32 31 6 3 73 .507 191 217
e–Springfield Thunderbirds (STL) 72 30 37 3 2 65 .451 226 244
e–Bridgeport Islanders (NYI) 72 25 38 7 2 59 .410 162 222

Conference

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Atlantic Division GP W L OTL SOL Pts Pts% GF GA
y–Hershey Bears (WSH) 72 53 14 0 5 111 .771 229 151
x–Providence Bruins (BOS) 72 42 21 6 3 93 .646 239 208
y–Cleveland Monsters (CBJ) 72 40 24 5 3 88 .611 233 238
x–Rochester Americans (BUF) 72 39 23 7 3 88 .611 234 239
x–Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (PIT) 72 39 24 8 1 87 .604 211 194
x–Syracuse Crunch (TBL) 72 39 24 4 5 87 .604 220 203
x–Charlotte Checkers (FLA) 72 39 26 7 0 85 .590 217 203
x–Belleville Senators (OTT) 72 38 28 3 3 82 .569 209 211
x–Toronto Marlies (TOR) 72 34 26 10 2 80 .556 249 220
x–Hartford Wolf Pack (NYR) 72 34 28 7 3 78 .542 204 219
e–Utica Comets (NJD) 72 32 29 5 6 75 .521 221 226
x–Lehigh Valley Phantoms (PHI) 72 32 31 6 3 73 .507 191 217
e–Laval Rocket (MTL) 72 33 31 6 2 74 .514 235 242
e–Springfield Thunderbirds (STL) 72 30 37 3 2 65 .451 226 244
e–Bridgeport Islanders (NYI) 72 25 38 7 2 59 .410 162 222

Roster

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2024 roster

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Updated April 29, 2024.[4][5]

Team roster
No. Nat Player Pos S/G Age Acquired Birthplace Contract
1   Garin Bjorklund G L 22 2022 Calgary, Alberta Capitals
36   Andrew Cristall RW L 19 2024 Vancouver, British Columbia Capitals
26   Logan Day D R 29 2022 Seminole, Florida Bears
18   Pierrick Dube RW R 23 2023 Lyon, France Capitals
20   Tyson Empey F L 29 2023 Swift Current, Saskatchewan Bears
28   Ethen Frank C R 26 2022 Papillion, Nebraska Capitals
35   Mitch Gibson G L 25 2023 Phoenixville, Pennsylvania Capitals
7   Hardy Haman Aktell D L 25 2023 Kåge, Sweden Capitals
25   Ryan Hofer C L 22 2023 Headingley, Manitoba Capitals
15   Jimmy Huntington C L 25 2023 Laval, Quebec Bears
6   Vincent Iorio D R 21 2022 Coquitlam, British Columbia Capitals
5   Lucas Johansen D L 26 2017 Port Moody, British Columbia Capitals
29   Hendrix Lapierre C L 22 2022 Gatineau, Quebec Capitals
4   Nick Leivermann D L 25 2023 Eden Prairie, Minnesota Bears
12   Alex Limoges LW L 26 2023 Boulder, Colorado Capitals
2   Jake Massie D L 27 2021 St-Lazare, Quebec Bears
47   Jon McDonald D L 26 2023 Livonia, Michigan Bears
42   Dylan McIlrath (C) D R 32 2021 Winnipeg, Manitoba Capitals
10   Ivan Miroshnichenko LW R 20 2023 Ussuriysk, Russia Capitals
27   Aaron Ness (A) D L 34 2022 Bemidji, Minnesota Bears
39   Kevin O'Neil RW R 26 2023 Latham, New York Bears
34   Dmitry Osipov RW R 27 2023 Moscow, Russia Bears
11   Matthew Phillips RW R 26 2024 Calgary, Alberta Capitals
22   Chase Priskie D R 28 2023 Pembroke Pines, Florida Capitals
65   Garrett Roe C L 36 2023 Vienna, Virginia Bears
38   Henrik Rybinski RW R 23 2022 Vancouver, British Columbia Capitals
30   Hunter Shepard G L 28 2020 Cohasset, Minnesota Capitals
21   Joe Snively LW L 28 2019 Herndon, Virginia Capitals
31   Clay Stevenson G L 25 2022 Drayton Valley, Alberta Capitals
45   Matthew Strome LW L 25 2022 Mississauga, Ontario Bears
24   Riley Sutter RW R 24 2019 Calgary, Alberta Capitals
44   Bogdan Trineyev LW R 22 2023 Voronezh, Russia Capitals
19   Mike Vecchione (A) RW R 31 2021 Saugus, Massachusetts Bears

Playoffs

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Main article: 2024 Calder Cup playoffs

Game log

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2024 Game Log – Playoffs
Eastern Conference First Round vs. (A6) Lehigh Valley Phantoms: Bears won 3–1
# Date Visitor Score Home OT Starting Goalie Attendance Series Recap
1 May 1 Lehigh Valley 1–6 Hershey Shepard 8,038 1–0 Recap
2 May 4 Lehigh Valley 2–4 Hershey Shepard 10,520 2–0 Recap
3 May 8 Hershey 0–2 Lehigh Valley Shepard 6,240 2–1 Recap
4 May 11 Hershey 5–3 Lehigh Valley Shepard 7,089 3–1 Recap
Eastern Conference Second Round vs. (A5) Hartford Wolf Pack: Bears won 3–0
# Date Visitor Score Home OT Starting Goalie Attendance Series Recap
1 May 16 Hartford 1–6 Hershey Shepard 8,384 1–0 Recap
2 May 18 Hartford 2–4 Hershey Shepard 10,714 2–0 Recap
3 May 22 Hershey 4–1 Hartford Shepard 3,954 3–0 Recap
Eastern Conference Finals vs. (N1) Cleveland Monsters: Bears won 4–3
# Date Visitor Score Home OT Starting Goalie Attendance Series Recap
1 May 30 Cleveland 4–5 Hershey OT Shepard 9,229 0–1 Recap
2 June 1 Cleveland 2–3 Hershey OT Shepard 10,562 0–2 Recap
3 June 4 Hershey 6–2 Cleveland Shepard 14,675 0–3 Recap
4 June 6 Hershey 2–3 Cleveland Shepard 12,814 3–1 Recap
5 June 8 Hershey 1–5 Cleveland Shepard 13,159 3–2 Recap
6 June 10 Cleveland 3–2 Hershey OT Shepard 9,511 3–3 Recap
7 June 12 Cleveland 2–3 Hershey OT Shepard 10,520 4–3 Recap
Calder Cup Finals vs. (P1) Coachella Valley Firebirds: Hershey won series 4–2
# Date Visitor Score Home OT Starting Goalie Attendance Series Recap
1 June 14 Coachella Valley 4–3 Hershey Shepard 10,154 0–1 Recap
2 June 16 Coachella Valley 2–5 Hershey Shepard 10,507 1–1 Recap
3 June 18 Hershey 2-6 Coachella Valley Shepard 9.034 1-2 Recap
4 June 20 Hershey 3-2 Coachella Valley Shepard 10,087 2-2 Recap
5 June 22 Hershey 3-2 Coachella Valley Shepard 10,087 3-2 Recap
6 June 24 Coachella Valley 4-5 Hershey OT Shepard 11,013 4-2 Recap
Legend:        = Win        = Loss     

References

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  1. ^ "Bears Clinch Atlantic Division in 1–0 Win Over Phantoms". Hershey Bears. Retrieved May 28, 2024.
  2. ^ "Bears fall short of record, turn attention to Cup repeat". April 21, 2024.
  3. ^ "New faces spark Bears to latest Calder Cup championship". American Hockey League. June 25, 2024. Retrieved June 25, 2024.
  4. ^ "Hershey Bears – Team roster". Hershey Bears. Retrieved April 29, 2024.
  5. ^ "Hershey Bears Elite Prospects". Elite Prospects. Retrieved April 29, 2024.
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