In their 2024-25 season opener on October 12, 2024, the Hershey Bears defeated the Cleveland Monsters 7-3 in a dominant performance at GIANT Center. The game began with a celebratory atmosphere as Hershey raised their 2024 Calder Cup championship banner. Hershey’s Vincent Iorio opened the scoring in the first period, but Cleveland responded with two goals early in the second to take a 2-1 lead.
The Bears quickly took control, scoring five unanswered goals. Ethen Frank had an outstanding night, recording a hat trick, with two of his goals coming on the power play. Mike Vecchione and Hardy Häman Aktell also contributed with assists during this surge. Cleveland’s Denton Mateychuk managed to cut the lead to 6-3, but Hershey sealed the game when Luke Philp scored his first goal as a Bear in the final minute, securing the 7-3 win.
Key stats from the game include:
- Ethen Frank: 3 goals, 1 assist (hat trick)
- Vincent Iorio: 1 goal, 1 assist
- Luke Philp: 1 goal, 1 assist
- Mike Vecchione: 1 assist
- Hardy Häman Aktell: 2 assists
On October 13, 2024, the Hershey Bears faced off against the Cleveland Monsters, concluding their opening weekend with a 6-3 loss. Despite a standout performance from Ivan Miroshnichenko, who scored a hat trick, Hershey was unable to keep pace with Cleveland’s high-powered offense. The Bears put in a solid effort, but Cleveland capitalized on defensive lapses and found the back of the net six times.
Miroshnichenko’s three goals were a highlight for Hershey, as he continues to show his potential early in the season. However, Cleveland spread their scoring out across multiple players, which overwhelmed Hershey’s defense. Hershey goalie Clay Stevenson faced an onslaught of shots throughout the game and did his best to keep the Bears within striking distance, but the defensive breakdowns proved too costly.
Cleveland dominated both ends of the ice, with strong goaltending and balanced scoring from their forward lines. The Bears tried to mount a comeback in the third period, but their effort fell short, leaving the game out of reach. This loss dropped Hershey to a 1-1-0 record on the season.
Key Stats from the game:
- Cleveland Monsters:
- Luca Del Bel Belluz: 3 goals, 1 assist (hat trick)
- Trey Fix-Wolansky: 1 goal, 3 assists
- Hershey Bears:
- Ivan Miroshnichenko: 3 goals (hat trick)
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