The 2023–24 Hershey Bears season was the franchise's 86th season in the American Hockey League (AHL), starting on October 14, 2023, and ending during the Calder Cup playoffs. They play their home games at Giant Center.
2023–24 Hershey Bears | |
---|---|
Calder Cup champions | |
Eastern Conference champions | |
Atlantic Division champions | |
League | 1st AHL |
Division | 1st Atlantic |
Conference | 1st Eastern |
2023–24 record | 53–14–0–5 (111 pts) |
Home record | 29–7–0-0 |
Road record | 24–7–0-5 |
Goals for | 229 |
Goals against | 151 |
Team information | |
General manager | Bryan Helmer (de facto - VP of Hockey Operations) |
Coach | Todd Nelson |
Assistant coach | Patrick Wellar Nick Bootland |
Captain | Dylan McIlrath |
Alternate captains | Aaron Ness Mike Vecchione |
Arena | Giant Center |
Average attendance | 9,439 |
Team leaders | |
Goals | Ethen Frank (29) |
Assists | Joe Snively (45) |
Points | Joe Snively (59) |
Penalty minutes | Dylan McIlrath (100) |
Wins | Hunter Shepard (27) |
Goals against average | Hunter Shepard (2.26) |
On April 2, 2024, the Bears clinched a playoff berth for the third consecutive season following a 1–0 win over the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.[1] In that same game, they clinched their division.
The Bears finished the season as Atlantic Division champions, their second in franchise history, and Macgregor Kilpatrick Trophy winners for the fourth time in franchise history, with a record-setting 111 points from 53 wins, 15 losses, and 5 shootout losses, their 53 wins also serving as a new AHL record under a 72 game season.[2]
The Bears would win the Calder Cup in back to back years, beating the Coachella Valley Firebirds in 6 games.[3]
Standings
edit y– indicates team has clinched division and a playoff spot
x– indicates team has clinched a playoff spot
e– indicates team has been eliminated from playoff contention
Division
editEastern Conference | GP | W | L | OTL | SOL | Pts | Pts% | GF | GA |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
y–Hershey Bears (WSH) | 72 | 53 | 14 | 0 | 5 | 111 | .771 | 229 | 151 |
x–Providence Bruins (BOS) | 72 | 42 | 21 | 6 | 3 | 93 | .646 | 239 | 208 |
x–Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (PIT) | 72 | 39 | 24 | 8 | 1 | 87 | .604 | 211 | 194 |
x–Charlotte Checkers (FLA) | 72 | 39 | 26 | 7 | 0 | 85 | .590 | 217 | 203 |
x–Hartford Wolf Pack (NYR) | 72 | 34 | 28 | 7 | 3 | 78 | .542 | 204 | 219 |
x–Lehigh Valley Phantoms (PHI) | 72 | 32 | 31 | 6 | 3 | 73 | .507 | 191 | 217 |
e–Springfield Thunderbirds (STL) | 72 | 30 | 37 | 3 | 2 | 65 | .451 | 226 | 244 |
e–Bridgeport Islanders (NYI) | 72 | 25 | 38 | 7 | 2 | 59 | .410 | 162 | 222 |
Conference
editAtlantic Division | GP | W | L | OTL | SOL | Pts | Pts% | GF | GA |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
y–Hershey Bears (WSH) | 72 | 53 | 14 | 0 | 5 | 111 | .771 | 229 | 151 |
x–Providence Bruins (BOS) | 72 | 42 | 21 | 6 | 3 | 93 | .646 | 239 | 208 |
y–Cleveland Monsters (CBJ) | 72 | 40 | 24 | 5 | 3 | 88 | .611 | 233 | 238 |
x–Rochester Americans (BUF) | 72 | 39 | 23 | 7 | 3 | 88 | .611 | 234 | 239 |
x–Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins (PIT) | 72 | 39 | 24 | 8 | 1 | 87 | .604 | 211 | 194 |
x–Syracuse Crunch (TBL) | 72 | 39 | 24 | 4 | 5 | 87 | .604 | 220 | 203 |
x–Charlotte Checkers (FLA) | 72 | 39 | 26 | 7 | 0 | 85 | .590 | 217 | 203 |
x–Belleville Senators (OTT) | 72 | 38 | 28 | 3 | 3 | 82 | .569 | 209 | 211 |
x–Toronto Marlies (TOR) | 72 | 34 | 26 | 10 | 2 | 80 | .556 | 249 | 220 |
x–Hartford Wolf Pack (NYR) | 72 | 34 | 28 | 7 | 3 | 78 | .542 | 204 | 219 |
e–Utica Comets (NJD) | 72 | 32 | 29 | 5 | 6 | 75 | .521 | 221 | 226 |
x–Lehigh Valley Phantoms (PHI) | 72 | 32 | 31 | 6 | 3 | 73 | .507 | 191 | 217 |
e–Laval Rocket (MTL) | 72 | 33 | 31 | 6 | 2 | 74 | .514 | 235 | 242 |
e–Springfield Thunderbirds (STL) | 72 | 30 | 37 | 3 | 2 | 65 | .451 | 226 | 244 |
e–Bridgeport Islanders (NYI) | 72 | 25 | 38 | 7 | 2 | 59 | .410 | 162 | 222 |
Roster
edit2024 roster
editPlayoffs
editGame log
edit2024 Game Log – Playoffs | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Eastern Conference First Round vs. (A6) Lehigh Valley Phantoms: Bears won 3–1
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Eastern Conference Second Round vs. (A5) Hartford Wolf Pack: Bears won 3–0 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Eastern Conference Finals vs. (N1) Cleveland Monsters: Bears won 4–3
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Calder Cup Finals vs. (P1) Coachella Valley Firebirds: Hershey won series 4–2
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Legend: = Win = Loss |
References
edit- ^ "Bears Clinch Atlantic Division in 1–0 Win Over Phantoms". Hershey Bears. Retrieved May 28, 2024.
- ^ "Bears fall short of record, turn attention to Cup repeat". April 21, 2024.
- ^ "New faces spark Bears to latest Calder Cup championship". American Hockey League. June 25, 2024. Retrieved June 25, 2024.
- ^ "Hershey Bears – Team roster". Hershey Bears. Retrieved April 29, 2024.
- ^ "Hershey Bears Elite Prospects". Elite Prospects. Retrieved April 29, 2024.