Garrett Roe led the way with a three-point night as the Hershey Bears (6-1) completed a three-game sweep of the Atlantic Division Finals with a 4-1 win over the Hartford Wolf Pack (5-5) on Wednesday night at XL Center.
With the victory, Hershey has advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals for the second consecutive season, where it will face the Cleveland Monsters, with Game 1 set for Thursday, May 30 at 7 p.m. at GIANT Center.
Roe led Hershey in points (3g, 2a) in the series, while goaltender Hunter Shepard went 3-0 with 1.33 goals-against average and a .929 save percentage. The Bears outscored Hartford 14-4; Hershey's 14 goals scored tied the team playoff record for goals scored in a series lasting three games, matching the 1998 series vs. Kentucky. Hershey's four goals allowed in the series represents the fewest allowed in a playoff series decided in three games in club history, shattering the previous franchise mark of five goals allowed (2023 vs. Hartford, 2001 vs. Kentucky, 1998 vs. Kentucky, 1942 vs. Cleveland).
Hartford took a 1-0 lead 13:24 into the first off a goal from Jaroslav Chmelar, who received a pass in front of the net, spun around to his forehand and put it past Shepard.
Roe redirected Hardy Haman Aktell's shot from the left point past Dylan Garand at 1:56 of the second period to draw Hershey level 1-1. Chase Priskie earned a secondary assist on the goal.
Roe then joined with Priskie on an offensive rush into the attacking zone minutes later, and while his initial pass struck Priskie's skate, Roe recovered the loose puck and backhanded it past Garand at 7:29 to give the Bears a 2-1 lead. Ivan Miroshnichenko collected a secondary helper.
Bogdan Trineyev was awarded a penalty shot after he was brought down on a breakaway at 16:49, but the forward lost control of the puck to preserve only a one-goal deficit for the hosts.
The Bears closed out the series with another pair of goals in the third, as Matt Strome made it 3-1 with a power-play marker from Henrik Rybinski and Lucas Johansen at 11:52, and Mike Vecchione sealed the game with an empty-net insurance marker from Roe and Aaron Ness at 17:58.
Shots finished 32-18 in favor of the Bears. Shepard went 17-for-18 for his sixth win of the postseason; Garand went 28-for-31 in the loss for Hartford. The Bears went 1-for-4 on the power play; the Wolf Pack went 0-for-2 with the man advantage.
The Bears continue the 2024 Calder Cup Playoffs when they host the Cleveland Monsters in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals on Thursday, May 30, at 7 p.m. at GIANT Center. Tickets for Bears home games in the Eastern Conference Finals go on sale on Thursday, May 23 at 10 a.m. via ticketmaster. CLICK HERE to purchase tickets for Game 1. Visit HersheyBears.com for the latest updates and ticket information.
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