Hershey Bears release schedule for AHL’s 2023-24 season

July 12, 2023 6:59 pm

The Hershey Bears and the 31 other American Hockey League teams released their schedules for the 2023-24 season.

The 2023 Calder Cup champion Bears will open the franchise’s 86th season at home on Saturday, October 14 against the Belleville Senators for their banner-raising night. The next day they will conclude their opening weekend when they host the Cleveland Monsters at 5 pm.

Hershey will play a total of 14 home games on Saturday night and 10 on Sunday. Their longest homestand of the season runs from December 9 through December 17, as the Bears will play five straight games at Giant Center during a period of nine days.

The Bears will have only four “three-in-threes” this season, where they play three consecutive nights – a staple of the AHL.

2023-24 Schedule

Scroll through to see all the dates. Please note, the November and January slides are partially cut off and go into the next photo.

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Hershey will play all teams in the Eastern Conference during the 2023-24 campaign and will face off against geographical rivals Lehigh Valley and Wilkes-Barre Scranton 12 different times. The Bears will also have 8 games against Charlotte; 6 against Bridgeport and Providence; 4 against Cleveland, Hartford, and Springfield; and 2 against Belleville, Laval, Rochester, Syracuse, Toronto, and Utica. Hershey will also suit up against the the Western Conference’s Iowa Wild four different times.

The Bears will host the Wild for the first time in franchise history, playing a pair of games on Saturday, November 25 at 7 pm and Sunday, November 6 at 3 pm. The Bears will also travel to Iowa for a pair of games in early April.

Among the highlights of the 2023-24 season schedule includes the return of Hershey’s Thanksgiving Eve game where the Chocolate and White will play the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on Wednesday, November 22 at 7 pm. The Bears’ longest road trip of the season happens three different times: October 20-25, November 29-December 8, and March 3-15.

The 2023-24 Hershey Bears schedule is out now!

Is it October yet?

📰 https://t.co/djV65a44p7 pic.twitter.com/yaEyBnHW4j

— Hershey Bears (@TheHersheyBears) July 12, 2023

Included in the announcement was Hershey’s preseason schedule as well. The team will suit up for three exhibition games, including a home game at Giant Center on Friday, Oct. 6 versus Wilkes-Barre/Scranton at 7 pm. Hershey will visit Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on Wednesday, Oct. 4 at 10:30 am. The Bears will also travel to Lehigh Valley on Sunday, Oct. 8 at 1:05 pm.

Per the Bears, single-game ticket information, and a complete promotional schedule will be shared later this summer in advance of the 2023-24 season. Season tickets are already available and can be purchased on the Bears’ website.

The AHL will open with 12 games on October 13, and a total of 30 games over opening weekend.

Other season highlights from the league include:

– The 50,000th regular-season game in American Hockey League history will take place on Saturday, Jan. 27, which is also the first of two days this season on which all 32 of the league’s teams will be in action. There are also 16 games scheduled for Saturday, April 6.

– The Syracuse Crunch open their 30th season with a visit to the Utica Comets on Oct. 13. The Crunch are the eighth AHL franchise to play 30 years in the same city.

– The Hartford Wolf Pack play their 2,000th regular-season game on Friday, Feb. 9, when they host the Bridgeport Islanders. The Wolf Pack, who began play in 1997, will become the 10th team in AHL history to reach 2,000 games played.

– The San Jose Barracuda host the 2024 AHL All-Star Classic, scheduled for Sunday, Feb. 4 and Monday, Feb. 5 at Tech CU Arena in San Jose, Calif.

– On Saturday, Jan. 13, the Charlotte Checkers will host the Rochester Americans at Truist Field, home of Minor League Baseball’s Charlotte Knights. It will be the 12th outdoor game in AHL history.

– Games scheduled by day of the week: Monday (15), Tuesday (59), Wednesday (191), Thursday (20), Friday (329), Saturday (389), Sunday (149)

Here’s the Bears’ full calendar of games this season per a screenshot from the team. Every AHL team’s schedule can be viewed here.