Photo via The Hershey Bears
The Hershey Bears clinched the AHL’s North Division with a 3-2 win over the Binghamton Devils on Saturday. It is the Bears’ 20th division title and first since 2016.
The AHL will not be awarding a Calder Cup this season, and left the playoffs up to each division. The North will not be doing playoffs and the Bears will be awarded the Oke Trophy.
“It’s not the Calder Cup, but it’s something,” Bears coach Spencer Carberry said.
In an atypical year, especially without playoffs, the team needed something to play. The division was that something.
“You find something to play for and take pride in,” Bears captain Matt Moulson said. “We wanted it [badly].”
Hershey was down 1-0 after the opening period, but scored three quick goals from Paul LaDue, Aliaksei Protas and Connor McMichael to take a 3-1 lead with 20 minutes to go. The Devils would score early in the third, but the Bears held on to claim the title.
“There were a few key moments in the second period where there were a couple of fights, it got chippy,” Bears goalie Zach Fucale said. “Everybody got dialed in and it was a good time. It was a great game I thought.”
The Bears can also finish with the best record, based on points percentage, in the league with a win on Sunday against the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins.
“I would be lying if I said no,” Carberry said when asked if the team wants to finish with the best record. “We’ve talked about it. … You’re searching as coaches, and the players too. You want to find things that you are playing for at this time of year.”
