The Hershey Bears are a resilient bunch. They’re a team that hates to lose, part of the reason the team didn’t lose back-to-back games in regulation during 2023-24. Many ruled the Bears out before the start of Game Seven against the Cleveland Monsters. More likely, they counted the Chocolate and White out before the puck even dropped in meaningful hockey.
Hershey proved the doubters wrong when Garrett Roe scored in overtime to lift Hershey to the Calder Cup Finals. Now, after a narrow loss in Game One, the team’s resilient attitude has been on display despite plenty of opportunities to make excuses. Hershey came up just short in Game One just two days after their big win in Game Seven. It’d be easy to use the short turnaround as an excuse, as the lack of rest was evident at times on Friday. The attitude after the game was an important steppingstone to the new series.
“When you look at the four goals, they’re all preventable,” Bears head coach Todd Nelson said. “A team like Coachella (Valley), you have to make them earn their goals. They’re highly talented and can finish, just like we saw last year. We have to make it tougher on them. We had our chances tonight, but we can produce more on the power play.”
“I’m not making any excuses, but let’s face it, it was an emotional series against Cleveland. We looked mentally tired at times, making mistakes. We need to recharge the batteries here because it’s every other day. Going through this game tonight will help us move forward.”
Hershey’s leading scorer Hendrix Lapierre echoed his coach’s comments. Lapierre has been electric in the playoffs for the Bears, leading the team in scoring with 17 points (five goals, 12 assists). His point count is the highest among all players in the Calder Cup Playoffs. He’s tallied points in three straight games and has become a leader on this team. He’s no stranger to big goals, having tallied the tying goal in Game Seven of last year’s finals to help the Bears to the Calder Cup.
“As players, we’ve played this game our entire lives,” Lapierre said. “It’s pretty easy to adjust. It’s played a little differently, but we’ll be just fine.”
“The adrenaline kicks in, it’s whoever wants it most. It’s whoever has the most willpower, and that’s how it goes. If you don’t want it at this time of year, you’re just not built for this.”
Although the task gets tougher for the Bears as a result of the loss, Hershey still has leeway in the series to get their game going in the right direction. The Bears fell just short in Game One, but as Nelson mentioned, there’s plenty the team can do to eliminate chances that became goals. The winning formula for the Bears has been a steady diet of good defense with offense flowing from that. It’s a game plan Nelson’s bunch needs to get back to in order to find success.
“Two good teams going at it right now. That’s the way I look at it. It’s a bit of a different team that we’re playing against. Other teams play heavy, this team’s got a lot of skill and they’re good off the rush. It’s a different kind of series for us.”
Hershey’s had to deal with their fair share of injuries recently. The question on everyone’s mind is who the team might have returning to the lineup. Dmitry Osipov dressed for the first time in the playoffs with both Vincent Iorio and Lucas Johansen out for the series. Aaron Ness is listed as day-to-day but could not play in Friday’s game. Ethen Frank made his return to the lineup after appearing to suffer an injury in Game Six of the Cleveland series. Adding to the list, Garrett Roe suffered an injury that took him out of Game One. Nelson didn’t have an immediate update on any players in the lineup but liked what he saw despite the odds.
“(The defensive group) may change, but I didn’t mind the D core today. I thought Osipov came in and did a fine job. I will have to check with the medical staff to see where we’re at. Some things could change, but I’m not ruling anything out.”
It sets the stage for an important Game Two for the Bears. Hershey was always going to need to take a win in California in a 2-3-2 series format just for the sake of momentum. Now, the Bears will need to take a split and build their own momentum in this series. Although the Chocolate and White lost the opening game, they did get enough offense to take a win in this series. It’ll take contributions up and down the lineup to make it happen as it has all year. If they can impose their will and what works for them, this series will shift even if it means seeing less goals. It’s up to the Bears to make that happen on Sunday evening.
Hershey Bears Hockey Nation 