The Hershey Bears made more history on Saturday night against the Iowa Wild. Matt Strome tallied in the seventh round of a shootout to lift the Chocolate and White to a 3-2 win. The win is Hershey’s 50th of the regular season, making it one of four teams in Bears history to hit such a mark. Hershey’s magic number to clinch the American Hockey League’s regular season title reduces to just three points with the win. Clay Stevenson earned the win in goal in his second start in as many days with 24 saves and six shootout stops.
Bears’ Big 5-0
Hershey hits 50 wins with five games to spare in the regular season. The Chocolate and White have hit 50 wins in a season three times in their current affiliation with the Washington Capitals. This team joins the 1987-88, 2006-07, and 2009-10 squads to have achieved such a feat. All three of those teams went on to play in the Calder Cup Finals, capturing the championship in two of those runs. Hershey moves to 105 points and a record of 50-12-0-5 on the season with the win.
The win gives Hershey four in a row and a mark of 8-1-0-1 in their last ten games. It’s been a hot run for the Bears of late despite missing some key personnel on recall to the Capitals. Hershey has nine wins in their last 11 games and at least a point in ten of those tilts. They’ve kept their foot on the gas pedal despite missing the likes of Matthew Phillips, Hunter Shepard, and Vincent Iorio. Those are three elite players at the AHL level, not to mention the continued absence of Hendrix Lapierre, Ivan Miroshnichenko, and Mike Sgarbossa.
A Wild Night in Iowa
It was a different type of game between the Bears and the Wild compared to a day prior. Iowa entered play with revenge on their mind, opening the scoring just over four minutes into play. Vladislav Firstov, fresh off of scoring his first AHL goal a day prior, tallied his second of the weekend on the power play. The Wild made plenty of adjustments to negate what helped the Bears score seven goals. Iowa made plays off the boards, negating Hershey’s speed and forcing them to grind along the boards.
Neither team could stay out of the penalty box in this game. Both teams had five power play opportunities and cashed in once, with Hershey’s tally tying the game halfway through the first period. Lucas Johansen put the puck on a tee to Chase Priskie in the left face-off circle. The team’s leading scorer from the blue line ripped a shot past Zane McIntyre to even the count at one. Priskie tallied his eighth goal of the season.
Trading Tallies
Hershey took the lead for the first time late in the second period. Logan Day took a shot from the blue line that McIntyre stopped, but the puck sat perfectly for Alex Limoges in front. Limoges buried the rebound for his 23rd goal, matching his best goal output in a single season at the AHL level. He’s only six points away from matching his career-high in points at 54 with five games left in the regular season.
However, Iowa struck back late in regulation. Both of their goals were scored in similar fashion, crashing the net and overwhelming Stevenson in tight. Gavin Hain scored his fifth of the season similar to Firstov’s goal to even the count at two. Iowa missed out on a late power play and neither team could earn the extra point in overtime. The Wild mirrored their NHL affiliate in Minnesota by pulling their goaltender late in overtime to push for a win to no avail.
In the shootout, Sammy Walker and Ethen Frank traded goals in the opening round. The skills competition went seven rounds before Strome buried the game-winner. Strome has proven to be skilled in shootouts during practice, which has earned him a nod from head coach Todd Nelson in the past. He’d bury this opportunity to send the Bears home with two wins in their only Western Conference trip this season.
Home in Hershey
Saturday’s game marked the penultimate road game of the regular season for the Bears. They’ll be at home for four of their final five games of the regular season. The Bears will be playing exclusively Atlantic Division opponents until they wrap up their season on April 20. Hershey will wrap up their season series with the Lehigh Valley Phantoms on Friday followed by a home-and-home set against Wilkes-Barre. A pair of games at Giant Center against the Charlotte Checkers conclude a very successful 2023-24 season.
The loss continues to harm Iowa’s ailing playoff hopes. The Wild are at the limit, needing to win out while seeing the Manitoba Moose lose out in order to participate in the playoffs. A major positive to take from the game is demonstrating their ability to trade blows with the league’s top team. It’ll need to be enough heading into the week with a measuring-stick game against the Rockford IceHogs on Tuesday. Iowa’s season will be on the line next weekend with a pair of games in Manitoba, a do-or-die set of games.
