The Hershey Bears’ road to repeating as Calder Cup champions is officially underway.
With the Springfield Thunderbirds’ regulation loss to the Providence Bruins on Sunday afternoon, the Bears have clinched their fourth-straight appearance in the AHL playoffs. Hershey clinches despite still having 15 games remaining on their schedule due to their dominant 42-11-4 record that sees them 10 points ahead of the next team in the league.
This is the earliest the Bears have clinched a playoff spot since they did so on March 6 during the 2009-10 campaign. They finished with a 60-17-3 record that year which today’s team will be unable to do as the AHL no longer has its teams play an 80-game schedule.
Thanks for the help, Bruins!
Bear Nation…get ready:
It's time to Repeat the Roar – the Bears have clinched a berth in the 2024 Calder Cup Playoffs!
📰https://t.co/GydycXmg1A https://t.co/9fDGP7eXpz pic.twitter.com/weFnzSfeQj
— Hershey Bears (@TheHersheyBears) March 10, 2024
The Bears will be looking to win their 13th championship in their 71st postseason appearance.
In addition to their position at the top of the league, the Bears also sit 13 points ahead of the next team in the Atlantic Division and 13 points ahead of the next team in the Eastern Conference. Hershey got back in the win column on Saturday night after they had lost three games in a row for the first time this season.
The Bears are led this season by a mix of both veteran and young players. Pierrick Dubé leads them in goals (24), Joe Snively leads them in total points (44), and Chase Priskie is pacing them in scoring from the backend (31).
Both Clay Stevenson (19-8-2) and Hunter Shepard (21-3-2) have also been tremendous in goal. Stevenson leads the AHL in goals-against average (1.90), save percentage (.930), and shutouts (7).
Hershey also expects to get both Hendrix Lapierre and Ivan Miroshnichenko back from the Washington Capitals at some point during their playoff run. Both prospects were sent back down on paper before the trade deadline so that they’d be eligible for the AHL postseason.
IT'S CLINCHING SEASON AND @TheHersheyBears ARE FIRST IN LINE FOR THE 2024 #CalderCup PLAYOFFS! pic.twitter.com/xhVvIJvWLb
— American Hockey League (@TheAHL) March 10, 2024
