The Hershey Bears have lost several key players during the playoffs, but one star forward could be returning.
Pierrick Dubé took part in Hershey’s optional morning skate on Wednesday ahead of a must-win Game 7.
“Hockey guy,” the Bears posted on X with a photo of Dubé rocking a full bubble face shield.
Hockey guy. pic.twitter.com/Y2JTLa1ACA
— Hershey Bears (@TheHersheyBears) June 12, 2024
Dubé was injured during Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Finals after being struck in the face by a puck. Zack Fisch suggested during the Game 4 telecast that Dubé needed emergency dental work.
The 23-year-old right wing has missed the last three games of the Eastern Conference Finals — all of which were wins for the Cleveland Monsters.
Dubé finished the 2023-24 season as the Bears’ second-leading goal-scorer, posting 28 goals in 66 games. While he’s been quieter in the postseason, the Lyon, France native scored the overtime game-winning goal in Game 2 to give the Bears a 2-0 lead in the series. The tally was his second goal and third point in 10 postseason games.
While Dubé took the ice for the optional skate, Monumental Sports Network’s Tarik El-Bashir reported that injured veterans Ethen Frank, Lucas Johansen, and Aaron Ness did not. RMNB is told Hunter Shepard also took his option and did not take the ice.
Frank was injured late in Game 6 after a huge hit into the boards, grimacing in pain while favoring his left leg as he skated off the ice. The first-line right wing leads the Bears in playoff goals with nine and recently had a seven-game goal-scoring streak snapped.
Johansen was lost after a big hit in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals and is out “a while.” Ness was injured in Game 3.
While the Bears are staring in the face of a potential historic letdown, the team was in a good place according to head coach Todd Nelson.
“There’s a sense of calmness in the room right now, which is a bit of a different feeling than it was before Game 6,” Nelson said to El-Bashir. “It’s kind of bizarre. I can’t explain it.”
“It’s going to be a lot of fun,” Riley Sutter added in an interview with the Capitals. “If you told us at the start of the year that we were going to play Game 7 in the Conference Finals, I think everyone would be very excited… We’re going to do everything we can to get the job done and to move on.”
Puck drop will be a little after 7 pm.
Morning skate vibes 📈 pic.twitter.com/6WkswbDNZk
— Hershey Bears (@TheHersheyBears) June 12, 2024
