The Washington Capitals announced on Monday that have sent goaltender Hunter Shepard back to the AHL’s Hershey Bears. Shepard was recalled on Saturday to back Darcy Kuemper up in Vegas after Charlie Lindgren became unavailable due to illness.
Shepard traveled cross-country to Vegas on the day of the game and arrived at T-Mobile Arena just minutes before puck drop. He eventually got onto the team’s bench well into the first period.
NEWS | The Capitals have loaned goaltender Hunter Shepard to the Hershey Bears. https://t.co/cFXodzkUdT
— Washington Capitals (@Capitals) December 4, 2023
Shepard did not see any NHL minutes during this short recall but is undefeated in his only two games in the NHL this season, posting a 2.50 goals-against average and a .915 save percentage. After winning his NHL debut against the New Jersey Devils on October 25, Shepard stopped 36 of 37 shots in Washington’s 4-1 win over the New York Islanders November 11.
The 28-year-old netminder returns to a Bears team that is at the top of the AHL. Hershey has won nine games in a row and has an 18-4 overall record to start the year. They do not play again until Friday in Syracuse. Shepard is 9-1 with a 2.66 goals-against average and a .898 save percentage in the AHL this season.
Lindgren returned to Capitals practice on Sunday and participated in Monday’s morning skate. Spencer Carbery told assembled media on Monday that Darcy Kuemper will get the start against the Arizona Coyotes.
Kuemper in his career is 6-1-3 with a 1.19 goals-against average, a .952 save percentage, and four shutouts in 10 career appearances against his former team. Per NHL.com’s Tom Gulitti, Kuemper’s 26-save shutout last season against Arizona remains the only shutout by an opposing goalie at Mullett Arena.
Here’s the press release from the Capitals:
Capitals Loan Hunter Shepard to Hershey
ARLINGTON, Va. – The Washington Capitals have loaned goaltender Hunter Shepard to the Hershey Bears of the American Hockey League (AHL), president and general manager Brian MacLellan announced today.
Shepard, 28, has a record of 2-0-0 with a 2.50 goals-against average and a .915 save percentage in two games with the Capitals this season. Shepard made his NHL debut and earned his first career win on Oct. 25 at New Jersey. On Nov. 11 against the New York Islanders, Shepard stopped 36 of 37 shots and was named the game’s First Star in a 4-1 Washington win. In 10 games with Hershey this season, Shepard has posted a record of 9-1-0 with a 2.66 goals-against average and a .898 save percentage. Shepard’s nine wins rank tied for third in the AHL.
Shepard appeared in 33 games with Hershey last season, posting a record of 20-8-5 with a 2.18 goals-against average, a .916 save percentage and one shutout. The 6’0″, 219-pound goaltender ranked second among AHL goaltenders in goals-against average and tied for sixth in save percentage. Shepard, who was awarded the Jack A. Butterfield Trophy as the MVP of the Calder Cup Playoffs, started all 20 playoff games for the Bears, posting a 14-6 record with a 2.27 goals-against average, a .914 save percentage and three shutouts en route to the franchise’s league-record 12th championship. In 55 career AHL games with Hershey, Shepard has a record of 37-12-5 with a 2.19 goals-against average, a .917 save percentage and three shutouts.
A native of Cohasset, Minnesota, Shepard won back-to-back NCAA Championships with Minnesota-Duluth in 2018 and 2019. In addition, he was twice named the National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) Goaltender of the Year (2019 and 2020) and earned First-Team All-American honors in 2019 and Second-Team All-American honors in 2020. With Minnesota-Duluth, Shepard started an NCAA-record 115 straight games from Oct. 21, 2017 to March 7, 2020. Shepard finished his NCAA career as a three-time Mike Richter Award Finalist – given to the NCAA’s top goaltender – and a three-time All-NCHC selection.
Headline photo: Tori Hartman / Hershey Bears
