Bears Fall to Checkers 5-2 in Home Opener

Newcomers Josh Dunne and Jacob MacDonald scored for the Hershey Bears (0-1-0-0), but Nate Smith of the Charlotte Checkers (1-0-0-0) scored three goals as Hershey opened the 2026-27 season with a 5-2 loss on Saturday night at GIANT Center.

BOX SCORE

NOTABLES:

• Dunne netted the first goal of the season for Hershey in his Bears debut at 3:08 of the first with assists from Jonny Brodzinski and Andrew Cristall.
• With Hershey trailing 2-1 late in the second, MacDonald scored his first of the season to tie the game at 19:10. The goal marked his first as a Bear and the 104th of his AHL career, moving him past former Checkers captain Trevor Carrick for sole possession of seventh place in league history for goals by a defenseman.
• Smith scored in each period for Charlotte, tying the score at 1-1 at 12:02 of the first period, giving the Checkers a 2-1 lead at 17:12 of the middle frame, and netting the eventual game-winner to complete the hat trick at 9:55 of the third, marking the first time an opposing player had a hat trick in Hershey’s first game of a season since Danick Martel on Oct. 7, 2017 at Lehigh Valley (7-2 Hershey loss).
• Washington Capitals draft pick Lynden Lakovic (2025, 1st, 27th overall) made his professional debut, while Petr Sikora (2024, 6th, 178th overall) and Theodor Niederbach (Detroit, 2020, 2nd, 51st overall) made their North American pro debuts. Lakovic earned an assist on MacDonald’s goal for his first pro point.
• Brothers Sam Bitten (Hershey) and Will Bitten (Charlotte) faced each other for the first time in their pro careers. The pair were previously teammates in the AHL with the Springfield Thunderbirds in 2023-24.
• Cal Petersen started in net for the Bears, marking the first right-catching goaltender to appear in a regular-season game for Hershey since Nolan Schaefer during the 2010-11 season. 

SHOTS ON GOAL: HER – 32; CLT – 29

GOALTENDING: HER – Cal Petersen, 24-for-28; CLT – Cooper Black, 30-for-32

POWER PLAY: HER – 0-for-2; CLT – 0-for-1

The Bears continue the 2026-27 regular season, presented by Penn State Health, when they host the Charlotte Checkers again on Sunday, Oct. 4 at 3 p.m. at GIANT Center for their Dark Nights Takeover, presented by Hersheypark. Select characters from Dark Nights at Hersheypark Halloween will leave the shadows of Hersheypark and prowl the concourse while the Bears take to the ice in glow-in-the-dark specialty jerseys. The day game will also feature the first Bears Brunch of the 2026-27 season. Hope you’re hungry! Specialty brunch offerings will be available at select locations on the concourse. CLICK HERE to purchase tickets for this game.