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The Canning Trophy will be in Giant Center for Game Five between the Hershey Bears and Rochester Americans

By Ian Oland

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May 31, 2023 4:05 pm

After a thrilling comeback in Rochester on Memorial Day, the Hershey Bears have returned home where they could do something that they haven’t done in 13 years.

If the Bears defeat the Rochester Americans in Game Five, Hershey could lift, or awkwardly pose by (with no touching), the Richard F. Canning Trophy at Giant Center. The award is given out to the AHL’s Eastern Conference Champions — similar to the Prince of Wales Trophy in the NHL.

Per Hershey PR, the last time the Bears won the Eastern Conference crown in front of its home fans was on May 22, 2010, when Boyd Kane scored at 7:06 of overtime in Game Six against the Manchester Monarchs to send the Bears to the Calder Cup Finals.

Here’s John Walton with the incredible call.

A victory would send the Bears into the Calder Cup Finals for a league-leading 24th time.

The last time Hershey played in the Calder Cup Finals was in 2016 when they got swept four games to none by the Lake Erie Monsters.

The Bears got to this moment after scoring four unanswered goals in the third period against the Rochester Americans at Blue Cross Arena. Aliaksei Protas started and completed the comeback, tallying primary assists on the bookend first and fourth tallies. The comeback set off a raucous celebration inside the Bears locker room.

Hershey will play Game Five in front of a full Giant Center — a rare occurrence during non-weekend dates — where the team could be even more fired up after their beloved head coach, Todd Nelson, was passed over for the Capitals’ open head-coaching position.

The Bears have won nine of 11 playoff postseason games this year.

Here’s more from the Hershey Bears’ game preview press release:

EASTERN CONFERENCE FINALS GAME 5 PREVIEW: BEARS VS. AMERICANS, 7 P.M.

Hershey can clinch Eastern Conference title with win tonight

(Hershey, PA – May 31, 2023) – The Hershey Bears continue the 2023 playoffs, presented by Penn State Health, as they return to GIANT Center tonight to host the Rochester Americans for Game 5 of the Eastern Conference Finals. A win tonight for the Bears would clinch a berth in the 2023 Calder Cup Finals.

#2 Hershey Bears (9-2) at #3 Rochester Americans (7-5)
May 31, 2023 | 7 p.m. | Eastern Conference Finals – Game 5 | Hershey leads series, 3-1 | GIANT Center
Referees: Cody Beach (#45), Mike Sullivan (#89)
Linespersons: Mitchell Hunt (#62), Justin Johnson (#57)

Tonight’s Promotions:
Hersheypark Pass Night – All fans in attendance will receive a Hersheypark ticket upon entry to the game, valid for one-day admission through June 30, 2023.

LAST TIME OUT:
The Bears faced the Americans on Monday, and battled back from a 2-0 deficit for a 4-2 victory. Rochester’s Linus Weissbach scored at 3:01 of the opening frame and again at 16:01 of the second period. Lucas Johansen finally got Hershey on the board midway through the third period at 10:06, and Connor McMichael tied the game at 12:11. Mason Morelli then scored at 15:27 when he grabbed a Logan Day rebound and stuffed it past Malcom Subban for the eventual game-winner. Morelli capped the scoring with an empty-net goal at 19:03. Hunter Shepard made 20 saves for the win.

THIRD PERIOD FIREWORKS:
While the Bears were known for being opportunistic starters in the first period during the regular season, during the playoffs, Hershey has been thriving in the third period. The Bears are tied with Coachella Valley with 19 goals in the third period, and Hershey’s goal differential of +14 in the final frame is tops in the AHL.

GAME 5 HISTORY:
The Bears are 10-7 over the last 15 years in Game 5s. Hershey is currently in the midst of a 6-0 run in Game 5 scenarios dating back to 2016, when the Bears won Game 5 in each of its first three playoff rounds (2-1 vs. Portland; 5-3 vs. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton; 3-2 vs. Toronto) en route to an appearance in the Calder Cup Finals. Hershey’s last series-clinching Game 5 win on home ice in a best-of-seven series was April 21, 2010 as part of the East Division Semifinals, a 4-1 victory over Bridgeport.

CANNING TROPHY IS IN THE BUILDING:
The Richard F. Canning Trophy will be on hand inside GIANT Center tonight, with Hershey in position to capture the Eastern Conference crown on home ice. The last time the Bears won the Eastern Conference title in front of a home crowd was on May 22, 2010, when Boyd Kane scored at 7:06 of overtime in Game 6 to send the Bears to the Calder Cup Finals. A victory for the Bears would vault the club into the Calder Cup Finals and allow Hershey to add to its league-leading totals of most Finals appearances in AHL history, which currently sits at 23.

BEARS BITES:
Aliaksei Protas and Connor McMichael are tied for second in the AHL with two insurance goals…Hendrix Lapierre is tied for 11th in rookie playoff scoring with five points (2g, 3a)…Hershey has scored four goals in the third period twice in the current postseason (May 29 at Rochester and May 4 vs. Charlotte)…The Bears are 3-1 on home ice in the playoffs when outshooting their opponents…Hershey is 7-0 when scoring a power-play goal in the postseason…Hunter Shepard has allowed two or fewer goals in 10 of his 11 starts…The Bears rank fifth with a penalty kill that has gone 23-for-27 (85.2%), and have gone 11-for-11 in their last five games dating back to the Atlantic Division Finals series against Hartford.

Headline photo: Tori Hartman/Hershey Bears

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