The Hershey Bears have been without several key players during spells of the 2024 Calder Cup Playoffs, but as they continue to put opponents away quickly, the extra rest is proving valuable.
Saturday, at their first full team practice since eliminating the Hartford Wolf Pack in the Atlantic Division Finals, the Bears saw forward Ethen Frank defenseman Logan Day return to the ice at Giant Center. Frank was a surprise scratch on Thursday while Day has missed the team’s last three games due to injury.
𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗻𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗽𝘀 💪
Game 1 🎟️ https://t.co/MTAmmcYFeK pic.twitter.com/lvSMxRX0OR
— Hershey Bears (@TheHersheyBears) May 25, 2024
Frank wore a white sweater signaling he is fully healthy while Day was the only player on the ice rocking a red non-contact jersey.
After scoring the game-winning goal in three consecutive games, Frank was a surprise scratch for Game 3 against the Wolf Pack and was announced out due to an undisclosed injury minutes before puck drop.
UPDATE: Ethen Frank has been added to tonight’s unavailable list (injury). Matthew Phillips will dress in his place. https://t.co/FA2z5Owo1V pic.twitter.com/BY1OeHPdv0
— Hershey Bears (@TheHersheyBears) May 22, 2024
Frank, the team’s co-leading goal-scorer with Ivan Miroshnichenko, was replaced in the lineup by Matthew Phillips who had been held out as a healthy scratch the previous three matchups. Phillips was awarded the team’s Bear Head as player of the game in the locker room after making a key block and battling through adversity.
Day was injured late in Game 4 of the Atlantic Division Semifinals against the Lehigh Valley Phantoms during a last minute brawl. Day put his arm on the glass and appeared in pain shortly after, skating down the tunnel immediately afterward.
Riley Sutter, the Bears’ only other injury concern, has been a full participant in practice for the last week-plus.
Hershey will open the Eastern Conference Finals against the Cleveland Monsters on Thursday. They have the next two days off before returning to the ice for practice on Tuesday.
