Patrick Williamstheahl.com writer
After a long winter – especially a long parade – Hershey Kuma draws some quick hibernation this week.
The bears are on vacation on Mondays and Tuesdays. On Sunday, they returned to the Giants Center for the first time after extending 10 games in 10 games, the longest in the series’ 87-year history.
However, they should be awakened this weekend. Tonight is a quick visit to rival Lehigh Valley Phantoms, who are trying to secure a playoff spot and consolidate their place in the Atlantic Division standings. Then there is Saturday to Sunday game, along with the visiting Hartford Wolf Pack, a desperate team that will try to play the final game in the playoffs.
The Bears entered four of their last five games, including being swept by the Utica Comet at home last weekend.
“This is a matter,” the head coach Todd Nelson He said in his first home game in nearly a month after losing 7-4 to them on Sunday. “We made the work. I can’t explain it. Overall, it was disappointing. [playing] They were in the third game of three nights. ”
The truth is, the Giants Center has provided various questions for the Bears this season. Hershey is ranked 17th in Home Ice’s AHL and ranked with a record of 17-13-1-0 (.565). In addition to Sunday’s Utica win, Bridgeport (November 15), Toronto (December 21 7-3), Syracuse (5-0 on Feb 8) and Belleville (6-2 on March 5) all entered Hershey and beat the home team.
So even Nelson admitted to the confusion that acknowledged from hershey’s bench since Springfield Indians tried to be the first team to be three consecutive Calder Cup champions this spring since 1960-62. Of course, there are some disappointing weekends with some plausible theories. schedule. Injuried. It looks too far in the playoffs.
But again, these family ice problems have put the Bears in a difficult position by at least their recent standards. Charlotte and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton climbed within thirds of the bear on the top of the Atlantic Division. Last season, Hershey won the Atlantic with 18 points.
The first two teams in the department will avoid three best first-round series. In danger, it’s a chance to end the regular season, take a break, reorganize, and then start the playoff journey that could extend nearly two months – just like the past two spring bears. But, in such a short series, falling to third or lower, a season can quickly spread out. Last spring, Seed won two first-round series in the Atlantic.
Nelson doesn’t want this part of the situation. His entire roster should be very clear about the playoffs they face this month. The large ranking board inside Hershey locker room saw this. They have the opportunity to accomplish something the AHL team hasn’t done in 63 years.
“You play the first round and you’ll probably finish it in five days,” Nelson said. “That’s not our standard in Hershey. We want to give us every chance to follow the third cup.”
Without demands on the team, this pursuit will not appear. Since the 2022-23 season began, the Bears have participated in 248 regular season and Calder Cup playoffs. Especially for those who have been around for even most of the time, those who have shortened their wear-out summers can result in a violent beating team. Three players – Forward Hendrix Lapierre,,,,, Luke Philp and Garrett Roe – Missed last Sunday’s game after being injured the night before. team leader Aaron Ness and move forward Mike Sgarbossa Haven’t played since March 1. Jake Massie The Hershey Blue series has been missing since January 22.
Nelson repeatedly stressed his philosophy that he was not determined for the success of the regular season. The regular season is to build the level of playoffs where his players can play.
“These guys are excited,” Nelson said. “The weather is getting better and better. We’re getting closer to the playoffs. It’s not a bad thing and it’s putting some pressure on us now. I’m a little worried, but I’ve experienced it before.”
During the fifty years in the American Hockey League, Theahl.com writer Patrick Williams currently covers the NHL.com and Flosports leagues and is a regular contributor to Siriusxm NHL New Network Radio. He won the AHL’s James H. Ellery Memorial Award for his outstanding league coverage in 2016.
