The Hershey Bears returned to Giant Center for the first of two games against the Hartford Wolf Pack. Saturday’s tilt was a playoff-style game with meaningful points on the line for both teams. Hartford tied the game late, but Alex Limoges scored in overtime to lift Hershey to the extra point. Garin Bjorklund earned the win in goal with 23 saves. The two teams rematch on Sunday evening.
Gucciardi’s Big Night
Most of the scoring took place within the first twenty minutes of action. Hartford got on the board first with Casey Fitzgerald beating Bjorklund on just their second shot on goal. Hershey did not despair despite a lot of pressure and no goals to show for it. The Bears responded with Luke Philp’s third goal in as many games on the rebound. Henrik Rybinski made a nice pass to Bogdan Trineyev in the neutral zone, with his shot bouncing out to Philp.
Philp is heating up at the right time for Hershey. The forward, who also opened the scoring on Friday, has battled injuries this season. He’s working his way back into a groove similar to the 2022-23 season where he tallied 29 goals. That success has made Hershey a much deeper and more dangerous team.
The biggest headline on Saturday saw the AHL debut for David Gucciardi. He slotted on a defensive pairing with Andrew Perrott after completing his fourth season with Michigan State University. His debut was a sweet one as he’d rip a shot past Dylan Garand to tally his first AHL goal in his first AHL period of play.
“(Gucciardi) goes out there in his first game, fits right in, and scores a big goal for us,” Bears head coach Todd Nelson said. “He’s strong on the corners, you can see how mobile he is and made some great outlet passes. Very good game for him.”
Youth Movement
“The young guys are coming,” Nelson said. “We have more of them coming in. We’re going to try and infuse them in our lineup on a game-by-game basis.”
Hershey has a lot of young players making their way into the professional ranks. Gucciardi is the first such player to make his AHL debut while Ryan Chesley will make his on Sunday. Ahead of the game, defender Leon Muggli was assigned to the Bears at the conclusion of his season. All three players are draft picks of the Washington Capitals with plenty more on the way soon.
It’s a good problem for Hershey to have, particularly on the blue line. These players are the future of the Bears and the organization as a whole. Hershey will likely see talent like Andrew Cristall and Patrick Thomas join the team once their junior seasons are over. It’ll be an early look at potential mainstay players for 2025-26.
Overtime Thriller
On the same day Hersheypark opened for the season across the street, it was fittingly a roller coaster of a finish at Giant Center. The two teams battled to a stalemate in the third period. Hartford pulled their goaltender and managed to tie the game with 1:26 left in regulation, sending the game to extra time. It’s a trend that dates back to last year’s Eastern Conference Finals for Hershey that has seen leads lost late.
“The guys are comfortable in these kinds of games,” Nelson said. “Jesse (Liebman, Bears media specialist) told me that we tied the record from last year with 24 one-goal wins. You can look at it two ways: too close for comfort, but mentally, it gets you ready for the pressure of playoffs.”
“Games will be tight in the playoffs. Look at last year’s run, we had to win three games in overtime against Cleveland. It goes back a couple of years. We have to play in those situations to feel comfortable. If you don’t, guys can get rattled and turnovers happen, that’s how it ends up in the back of your net.”
Hershey showed off the prowess that’s helped them win two Calder Cup games in overtime. Pierrick Dubé got knocked down but managed to free the puck to Alex Limoges. The Penn State product took advantage of the space and wired a shot past Garand to give the Bears the extra point.
Bjorklund’s Best for Bears
Garin Bjorklund turned in a solid performance in his first game at Giant Center. The netminder played soundly in a win for the Bears on the road recently. He was sent back to South Carolina this week, but the recall of Hunter Shepard forced Bjorklund to make a quick return trip. He’s filling in nicely in Shepard’s absence on a busy weekend.
“Garin played well in his first game on the road, and he followed it up with a nice effort tonight,” Nelson said. “He looks very confident in there, very composed.”
With Washington netminder Logan Thompson out injured and Shepard filling in, Bjorklund may remain in Hershey for a while. He’s got stellar numbers for Hershey’s ECHL affiliate in South Carolina with big strides this season. Bjorklund is part of the conversation for a regular spot in Hershey in the coming years.
Standings Race
The win gives Hershey some much needed breathing room in the standings. Hershey maintained a five-point lead over second place Charlotte while extending their lead to seven over Wilkes-Barre. The Bears are looking to lock in an Atlantic Division title with time winding down in the regular season.
Hartford is clinging to the last of their playoff hopes. Earning a point in this game is important, but a win for Springfield over Lehigh Valley in overtime hurt them. The Thunderbirds need to earn just one point to secure a playoff spot, with the Phantoms down to two. A regulation loss for Hartford in the rematch on Sunday would officially eliminate the Wolf Pack.
