HERSHEY, Pa. — Editor's Note: The above video is from April 19.
The Hershey Bears regular season came to an end with a loss in game 72, 4-1, to the Charlotte Checkers.
The Checkers scored two goals with in the first six minutes of the game.
They held onto that 2-0 lead until 1:19 left in the game.
Joe Snively got the Bears on the board, with goaltender Hunter Shepard pulled.
Logan Day and Alex Limoges assisted.
With Shepard pulled again, Charlotte added another empty net goal.
Hershey tried once more with the net empty and Charlotte cashed in again for the 4-1 final score.
Even with the loss, Bears goaltenders Shepard and Clay Stevenson won the Harry "Hap" Holmes Memorial Award for allowing the fewest goals per game in the regular season.
Shepard and Stevenson are the fifth pair of teammates to finish a season 1-2 in the league in goals-against average and the first since Hartford’s Steve Valiquette and Jason LaBarbera in 2003-04.
After the game, Bears Head Coach Todd Nelson said this game was a wakeup call for his team.
Left wing Mike Vecchione said, "this adds fuel to the fire and we will remember what [Charlotte] did to us."
Hershey now faces a week to 10 day layoff, with their first round bye in the Calder Cup Playoffs.
"There's a good plan in place and we know how to take care of our bodies and rest," Vecchione said.
Defenseman Aaron Ness skated in his 800th professional game tonight.
He said it takes a whole family, coaches, and staff to make it this far.
As far as the playoffs go, Ness said the team needs to use the down time to be ready.
"Video has become a big part of hockey and making adjustments," Ness said.
"We'll learn from watching this game and we learn a lot from [playing the division opponents] so many times throughout the season," added Ness.
Before the game, nine Hershey players were given year end awards.
Here's the list of winners:
• OA / American Specialty AHL Man of the Year Award: Jake Massie
• Dan Sernoffsky Memorial Coaches Award: Henrik Rybinski
• John Travers / Steve Summers Award - Highest Plus/Minus Rating: Vincent Iorio
• Kenny Smith Memorial Player of the Game Award: Pierrick Dube
• Arlene Tighe Award - Bears Unsung Hero: Jimmy Huntington
• Milton Garland Memorial Award for Best Defenseman: Chase Priskie
• Jack Gingrich Award for Rookie of the Year: Clay Stevenson
• Mountz Team Most Valuable Player Award: Hunter Shepard
• AHL First All-Star Team Award: Hunter Shepard
Hershey has a first round bye in the 2024 Calder Cup Playoffs. They could face Charlotte, Hartford, or Lehigh Valley in the division semi-finals. Game dates and start times are TBD.
Wilkes-Barre/Scranton and Lehigh Valley will open the first round Wednesday.
Charlotte will host Hartford for the first of three games Thursday.