Bring on the Monsters: Bears sweep past Hartford into Eastern Conference finals

David Bohr

For the second consecutive year, the Hershey Bears swept the Hartford Wolf Pack in the Atlantic Division finals of the Calder Cup playoffs, winning 4-1 in Hartford Wednesday night in Game 3.

The Bears, in search of their second-straight Calder Cup Championship, will play the Cleveland Monsters in the Eastern Conference Finals, starting Thursday, May 30. The conference championship is a best-of-7 series.

Garrett Roe put the Bears up for good Wednesday evening with his second goal of the game and third of the playoffs. He scored 7:29 into the second period for a 2-1 lead. Chase Priskie assisted on the go-ahead tally.

Bogdan Trineyev had a chance to give the Bears some breathing room with 3:11 left in the second when he was awarded a penalty shot after being tackled from behind on a breakaway, but Hartford goalie Dylan Garand made the save. Hershey has not had a successful penalty shot in the playoffs since 1972.

All in the family: Generations of loyal Hershey Bears' fans enjoying the 2024 playoff run

Going to the U.S. Women's Open? Here are the best spots to watch the action at Lancaster Country Club

Hershey's Garrett Roe (65) scored two goals Wednesday in the Bears' 4-1 victory vs. Hartford that wrapped up the best-of-five Atlantic Division finals series, 3-0. The Bears will face the Cleveland Monsters in the Eastern Conference finals.
Hershey's Garrett Roe (65) scored two goals Wednesday in the Bears' 4-1 victory vs. Hartford that wrapped up the best-of-five Atlantic Division finals series, 3-0. The Bears will face the Cleveland Monsters in the Eastern Conference finals.

Nevertheless, Hershey defended that one-goal advantage in the early portion of the third period, including killing off a Wolfpack power play. Then the Bears got their insurance goal with Matt Strome’s power-play tally for a 3-1 lead. Henrik Rybinski and Lucas Johansen assisted with 8:08 on the clock.

Mike Vecchione took all the drama out of the game and series with an empty net goal with 2:02 left in the game. Roe had an assist on the late score.

Hartford took its first lead of the series when Jaroslav Chmelar scored with 6:36 left in the first period. He had an assist from Mac Hollowell on the only goal in the opening stanza.

However, Hershey quickly responded in the second period, when Roe tipped in a Hardy Haman Aktell shot to level the score 1-1 just 1:56 into the stanza. Priskie also had an assist.

The Bears outshot the Wolfpack 32-18. Goalie Hunter Shepard made 17 saves for his sixth win of the postseason and now has a 1.58 goals against average in the playoffs. Hershey also stopped both Hartford power plays.

Garland finished with 28 stops.

Hershey is 6-1 in the Calder Cup playoffs, outscoring their opponents 26-11.

The Bears will host Games 1 and 2 at Giant Center on Thursday, May 30 and Saturday, June 1. If the series reaches Games 6 and 7, the Bears will be at home on Monday, June 10 and Wednesday, June 12. The middle games of the series will be hosted by Cleveland, with dates and times to be announced.

Last year, the Bears defeated the Rochester Americans, 4-2, in the Eastern Conference Finals before beating the Coachella Valley Firebirds, 4-3, in the Calder Cup Finals.

This article originally appeared on York Daily Record: Hershey Bears score sweep of Hartford Wolf Pack in AHL playoffs

Advertisement