2023–24 Hershey Bears season
Hockey team season / From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
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]