2023–24 Hershey Bears season
Hockey team season
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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
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
| Atlantic 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 |
| 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
| Eastern 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 |
| 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
2024 roster
Playoffs
Game log
| 2024 Game Log – Playoffs | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Eastern Conference First Round vs. (A6) Lehigh Valley Phantoms: Bears won 3–1 | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Eastern Conference Finals vs. (N1) Cleveland Monsters: Bears won 4–3
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Calder Cup Finals vs. (P1) Coachella Valley Firebirds: Hershey won series 4–2
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| Legend: = Win = Loss |