HERSHEY, PA — Two days after scoring the most beautiful goal of the Washington Capitals’ postseason, Hendrix Lapierre is already on the board for the Hershey Bears. The Bears started their Calder Cup playoffs run with Game One of the Atlantic Division semifinals against the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, Wednesday night.
Set up in the slot, Lapierre redirected a Chase Priskie shot to the far side of the net past Phantoms goaltender Cal Petersen, who was sliding the opposite way. The goal, the Bears’ first of the new playoff year, sent Giant Center into raucous celebration.
Lapierre started the play with a clean faceoff win back to Priskie, who kept the zone as he was pressured by the Phantoms defense. After some passing along the side boards, Priskie got the puck back at the point as his teammates set up in front for the dirty goal.
The tally came 3:29 into the first period to give the Bears a 1-0 lead. Priskie and Ethen Frank were awarded the assists.
Hendrix Lapierre goes down the fist bump line after scoring his first playoff goal of the year for @TheHersheyBears pic.twitter.com/GVWPqhcxrd
— Ian Oland (@ianoland) May 1, 2024
Lapierre wasn’t done there though. Remaining on the ice after the tally, he nearly scored on a breakaway seconds later.
The 22-year-old forward is centering the Bears’ first line and is skating with wingers Alex Limoges and Ethen Frank. Frank led the Bears this season with 29 goals while Limoges, out of Penn State University, scored 24.
Lapierre is just days removed from seeing his breakout season in the NHL come to a close. He amassed 22 points (8g, 14a) in 51 games for the Capitals and centered Alex Ovechkin on the Caps’ first line for a spell. He scored a stunning rebound goal in Game Four of the Capitals’ first-round series against the New York Rangers, skating through four Rangers defenders and beating Igor Shesterkin.
Lapierre is an important part of the Capitals’ future. GM Brian MacLellan said that the team sent the 2020 first-round pick down for the Bears’ playoff run for “development” reasons.
The 2020 first-round draft pick centered Hershey’s third line during their successful Calder Cup championship run last season. He scored the game-tying goal in Game Seven of the Finals against the Coachella Valley Firebirds. Mike Vecchione then ultimately won the series in overtime.
