The Hershey Bears fell to the Charlotte Checkers 5-3 on the NHL’s trade deadline day, suffering their third-straight loss for the first time this season. The team got goals from Dylan McIlrath, Alex Limoges, and Chase Priskie in the defeat.
After consistently playing well and becoming the fastest team in Hershey history to 30 wins, the Bears have finally hit a wall and found adversity with 16 games remaining in the season.
Not only has the team’s roster has been in flux, but the Bears are also struggling through injury and callups to the NHL team.
Tonight's projected lineup against the Checkers📝
Pierrick Dubé leads the Bears with four goals against Charlotte!
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📻@FroggyValley, @foxsports1460am, @WOYK1350 (joined in-progress), @CapitalsRadio pic.twitter.com/uWD6PMglYX— Hershey Bears (@TheHersheyBears) March 8, 2024
The Bears officially lost two top-six centers for the year as their parent club traded Evgeny Kuznetsov away to the Carolina Hurricanes for a draft pick. First-line center Mike Sgarbossa also appears likely to finish the season in Washington and is not eligible to play for the Bears in 2024 Calder Cup playoffs due to not being on the team’s AHL roster on Friday.
Along with Sgarbossa, previous Hershey Bears’ regulars, Hendrix Lapierre (Hershey’s second-line center), Ivan Miroshnichenko, and Hunter Shepard, are currently up with the big club. Lapierre is currently centering Alex Ovechkin on the Capitals top line, posting seven points (4g, 3a) in his last six games, while Miroshnichenko scored his first NHL goal Thursday night against the Penguins.
Hunter Shepard, the Bears’ number one starter, is also currently with the Capitals due to Darcy Kuemper being ill.
In Friday’s game against the Checkers, the Bears did see their top goal-scorers on the season, Pierrick Dubé (24 goals) and Ethen Frank (21 goals), make their returns to the lineup. Both players notched an assist; Dubé had three shots while Frank had two. Frank returned after a 28-day absence due to a lower-body injury while Dubé enjoyed his first NHL call-up, spending 16 days with the Capitals and appearing in three NHL games. Fourth-line center Riley Sutter also played in his first game since February 17.
The Bears do have more help on the way. Matthew Phillips was recently optioned to Hershey while Lucas Johansen, who was a healthy scratch on Friday, appears to be healthy and nearing a return.
But on the horizon there could be more chaos. The Bears could be faced with more players leaving for Washington as Spencer Carbery and Brian MacLellan have both expressed their desire to give other prospects an opportunity to play in the NHL down the stretch.
Frank has had his name cited as a possible callup along with Limoges.
Hershey’s next game is a rematch with the Checkers on Saturday night.
Below is the full Bears’ press release:
BEARS DROP WEEKEND OPENER TO CHECKERS, 5-3
Hershey now winless in last three after loss to Charlotte
(Charlotte, NC – March 8, 2024) – The Hershey Bears (41-11-0-4) scored in each period but saw their four-game road point streak (2-0-0-2) come to an end in a 5-3 loss to the Charlotte Checkers (28-21-6-0) on Friday night at Bojangles’ Coliseum.
The defeat marked the first time this season that the Bears have gone without a win during a three-game stretch (0-2-0-1). Hershey’s record against Charlotte is now 3-2-0-0, with three games remaining in the season series.
Despite the loss, Hershey’s Magic Number has been reduced to four points as a result of Springfield’s 4-2 loss vs. Bridgeport tonight. Hershey can clinch a berth in the 2024 Calder Cup Playoffs on Saturday with a victory against Charlotte and a Springfield regulation loss against Toronto.
Hershey fell behind 1-0 in the first period after Zac Dalpe beat Clay Stevenson at 2:59.
The Bears equalized at 17:23 when a goal was credited to Dylan McIlrath for his fourth of the season, with Aaron Ness and Ethen Frank earning assists.
Will Lockwood put Charlotte up 2-1 with a late goal at 19:35.
Alex Limoges responded early in the second to draw Hershey level when he buried his 16th of the season past Evan Cormier just 1:37 into the frame; Bogdan Trineyev and Henrik Rybinski were credited with helpers.
Justin Sourdif put the hosts in front 3-2 at 4:31, then Lockwood netted his second of the evening at 5:57 of the third period.
Chase Priskie pulled the Bears back to within a goal at 15:26 when he knocked in a Joe Snively rebound past a sprawled Cormier; Pierrick Dubé earned a secondary assist.
Hershey pulled Stevenson late in an attempt to find the tying score, but Gerry Mayhew sealed the game in favor of the Checkers with an empty-net tally at 19:37.
Shots finished 36-22 in favor of the Checkers. Stevenson went 31-for-35 in the loss for Hershey; Cormier picked up the win for Charlotte with a 19-for-22 effort. The Bears went 0-for-1 on the power play; the Checkers went 0-for-2 with the man advantage.
