The Hershey Bears started the 2025 Calder Cup Playoffs with a dominant victory.
In front of 8,050 fans at Giant Center, the Bears shut out the Lehigh Valley Phantoms 3-0, taking a 1-0 lead in the Atlantic Division Semifinal. The Bears were given a bye in the first round after winning the Atlantic Division and have been off since April 19.
“I thought we played a pretty good game,” Bears head coach Todd Nelson said. “There were some times in the second period I didn’t like. You know, we have to improve on that. But all in all, it was a pretty good hockey game. You know, as a coaching staff, we’re happy that we came out like that. That means that we prepared in the right way.”
Bears defenseman Chase Priskie started the scoring 9:16 into the first period on a delayed penalty call. After working a give-and-go with Pierrick Dubé, Priskie fired a one-timer from the left circle past Parker Gahagen.
The Phantoms had a chance to tie early in the third period after Bodan Trineyev (roughing) and Matt Strome (delay of game – puck over the glass) took consecutive penalties, giving Lehigh Valley a long five-on-three power play. The Bears came up big on the PK, getting a loud roar from the crowd.
Spencer Smallman would add a much-needed insurance goal shortly after as the Phantoms’ defense sagged on a three-on-two Bears break. Hendrix Lapierre gained the offensive zone with speed, sending a short pass to Alex Limoges. The former Penn State forward then found Smallman wide open on the right wing, who skated up and fired to the left corner.
The tally was reviewed by AHL officials to make sure it fully crossed the goal line and was ultimately deemed a good goal.
Trineyev added an empty-netter with 1:11 remaining in the game to end the scoring.
Hunter Shepard made 26 saves for his fourth career playoff shutout and his first clean sheet since Game 5 of the 2023 Calder Cup Finals.
“Shep was great tonight,” Nelson said. “He made some huge saves in the second. I thought we protected him pretty good in the first. And then killing off that five-on-three. That was probably the turning point because we score after that to make it 2-0. But just a great effort from him. That’s what he does.”
Game 2 of the best-of-five series is on Friday at Giant Center. Puck drop is at 7 pm.
The Bears, the AHL’s back-to-back defending champions, are looking to become just the second team in AHL history to three-peat, joining the 1960-62 Springfield Indians.
