Charlotte Checkers Sweep Hershey Bears to End Bears’ Calder Cup Streak

The Bears drew first blood early in the opening period when Bogdan Trineyev found the back of the net off a quick transition, odd-man three-on-one rush, energizing the home crowd at GIANT Center. This ended up being the only goal of the first period, a quiet start to what would end up being a not-so-quiet night of scoring.

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The momentum began to quickly shift throughout the second period. Hershey came out with a commanding 2-0 lead after an upper-corner shelf goal by Mike Vecchione early in the second period. Charlotte exploded with three goals in the remainder of the second, starting with a cross-crease pass from Will Lockwood to rookie Brett Chorske, who blasted a shot into the back of the net. A few minutes after, on an offsetting 4-on-4, Michael Benning carried the puck from the Checkers’ zone, found a lane, and ripped a shot into the net to tie the game at 2 apiece. Moments later, John Leonard dangled his way around the defense to find a shooting angle and scored to give Charlotte their first lead of the night with 3 unanswered goals. The Bears, overwhelmed by Charlotte’s relentless forecheck, struggled to generate clean breakouts and paid the price with a 3-2 Checkers lead by the end of the second period.

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Charlotte continued their onslaught early in the third period with an early goal by Will Lockwood hitting off the Hershey defense and flopping over the Bears’ goalie Hunter Shepard’s head into the net. A fifth unanswered goal was scored by Justin Sourdif, who banked a shot in off the right post as Charlotte took a dominating 5-2 lead. Hershey attempted to mount a comeback, scoring a quick goal by Ivan Miroshnichenko to try and stop the bleeding, closing the gap to 5-3. The Bears gained some momentum midway through the period, but Kaapo Kähkönen was sharp in net for Charlotte, making several critical saves. In the final minutes, Charlotte sealed the win with an empty-netter from Rasmus Asplund, ending any hopes of a late Hershey rally, securing a final score of 6-3.

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Team Background:

The Hershey Bears entered the playoffs as the top seed in the Atlantic Division after a strong 96-point regular season. As the AHL affiliate of the Washington Capitals, Hershey was chasing its 14th Calder Cup and a rare three-peat, having won back-to-back titles in 2023 and 2024. Their roster featured a mix of experienced veterans and young talent, including standout performances all season from goaltender Hunter Shepard and forward Ethen Frank. However, the Bears struggled to match Charlotte’s pace and depth over the series.

Charlotte, the AHL affiliate of the Florida Panthers, came into the postseason with 94 points and a well-rounded roster that emphasized speed, structure, and opportunistic offense. Their playoff path was built on strong special teams and solid goaltending — both of which were on full display throughout the series. Wednesday’s win marked a major statement for a franchise still riding the legacy of its 2019 Calder Cup title.

Looking Ahead:

With the sweep complete, the Charlotte Checkers now advance to the Eastern Conference Finals where they will face the Laval Rocket, champions of the North Division and winners of the Macgregor Kilpatrick Trophy for the AHL’s best regular-season record (101 points). Laval brings a skilled, physical team backed by strong goaltending and a top power-play unit, setting the stage for a hard-fought series.

For Hershey, the season ends sooner than expected. Despite falling short of their ultimate goal, the Bears remain a model franchise in the AHL, and many of their top performers are likely to factor into Washington’s NHL plans moving forward. Their back-to-back championships remain a significant accomplishment in the league’s modern era.