Hershey Bears goaltender Clay Stevenson made history on Saturday night. The 24-year-old rookie made 28 saves in Hershey’s 1-0 victory over the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. The clean sheet was his AHL-leading sixth shutout of the 2023-24 season.
Stevenson’s blanking of the Baby Pens also moved him past Vitek Vanecek (5; 2016-17) and Ron Hextall (5; 1985-86) for the Bears’ single-season record for shutouts by a rookie netminder.
Clay Stevenson is your Bears' new single-season rookie shutout record holder! pic.twitter.com/vIG5IRUx1p
— Hershey Bears (@TheHersheyBears) January 21, 2024
After the game, Stevenson posed with the milestone puck.
The goaltender, nicknamed Mud, was also presented the team’s bear head as player of the game.
Stevenson made several spectacular saves during the night.
Ethen Frank scored what turned out to be the game-winning goal at 13:10 of the second period, sending the puck off his backhand past Pens’ goaltender Joel Blomqvist during a Bears 5-on-3 power play.
The goal marked Frank’s 17th of the season. It was also his ninth on the power play, moving him into a tie with Ontario’s Samuel Fagemo for first in the AHL.
The full highlights of the game can be seen here:
Here were the Bears’ lines:
Tonight's projected lineup against the Penguins 📝
Tyson Empey is expected to make his Bears regular-season debut tonight!
Catch tonight's broadcast:
🖥️ https://t.co/HaxQBmLCRZ
📻@FroggyValley, @foxsports1460am pic.twitter.com/llGqrmU3gH— Hershey Bears (@TheHersheyBears) January 20, 2024
Alex Limoges (upper-body), Matt Strome (upper-body), Garrett Roe (upper-body) all missed the game due to injury.
Here’s the press release from the Hershey Bears:
BEARS, STEVENSON BLANK PENGUINS 1-0
Hershey netminder makes 28 saves for league-leading sixth shutout of the campaign; sets Hershey single-season rookie shutout record
(Hershey, PA – Jan. 20, 2024) – Clay Stevenson made 28 saves to earn his American Hockey League-leading sixth shutout of the season and set a club rookie record as the Hershey Bears (31-7-0-2) picked up a 1-0 victory over the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (20-14-5-0) in front of a crowd of 10,628 on Saturday night at GIANT Center.
Stevenson’s clean sheet moved him past Vitek Vanecek (2016-17) and Ron Hextall (1985-86) for sole possession of the franchise single-season record for shutouts by a rookie netminder.
The Bears improved to 6-2-0-0 against the Penguins and increased their current point streak to five games (3-0-0-2).
The Bears opened the scoring midway through the second period, when penalties to the Penguins at 11:27 and 12:16 put Hershey on a 5-on-3 man advantage. Ethen Frank received a pass from Mike Sgarbossa at the right side of the net and shoveled a backhand shot past Joel Blomqvist at 13:10 for his 17th of the season. The goal was also Frank’s ninth on the power play, moving him into a tie for first in the AHL with Ontario’s Samuel Fagemo.
Frank’s tally would be the only score, as Stevenson made eight saves in the final frame to preserve the one-goal lead and the shutout.
Shots finished 28-20 in favor of the Penguins. Stevenson’s 28-for-28 performance secured his 14th victory of the season for Hershey; Blomqvist took the loss for Wilkes-Barre/Scranton with a 19-for-20 effort. Hershey went 1-for-3 on the power play; the Penguins went 0-for-3 with the man advantage.
