Sweet As Honey: Washington Capitals Prospect Bear Hughes Nets First Professional Goals With Hat Trick Against the Orlando Solar Bears

Posted on November 6, 2022 by Diane Doyle

Joe Noyes Photography

The South Carolina Stingrays, ECHL affiliate of the Washington Capitals, secured a 9-7 victory over the Orlando Solar Bears on Sunday afternoon, a matinee that featured a promotional “Paws and Pucks” donation drive, and a hat trick from forward and Capitals prospect (although signed to a contract with the Hershey Bears) Cassius “Bear” Hughes.

Hughes, who notched his first three professional goals with the hat trick, provided the heroics during a messy defensive and goaltending matchup. Drafted in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft by the Caps (148th overall), Hughes was assigned to the ECHL by the American Hockey League’s Hershey Bears on October 13, with whom he inked a one-year deal after failing to come to terms with the Capitals.

Hughes scored his first goal of the game at the 17:31 mark of the first period, on assists from Matt Anderson and Alexandre Fortin. The marker put the Stingrays up 3-1/

Hughes’ second goal of the game came at 9:04 of the second frame, assisted by Carter Turnbull and Fortin with the power play; the ‘Rays found themselves with a commanding 5-1 lead following the second goal from Hughes.

Hughes lit the lamp for a third time to complete the hat trick just over four minutes later in the second; the assists were credited to Connor Moore and Fortin.

Despite four unanswered goals during the third period, South Carolina held on for a 9-7 victory over the Solar Bears. Hughes finished the night with three goals, a plus-1 rating, and five shots on net. He now has five points (3G, 2A) in five games this season.

The game recap can be found here. The box score of the game can be found here. To follow Hughes’ progress and read past coverage of him and other Capitals prospects, visit our Prospects Page. 

Related Reading
Hershey Bears Assign Benton Maass And Bear Hughes To South Carolina In ECHL
Hershey Bears Sign Capitals Prospects Benton Maass And Bear Hughes To AHL Contracts
Hershey Bears Sign Capitals Prospects Bear Hughes And Bogdan Trineyev To Amateur Tryout Agrements

By Diane Doyle

About Diane Doyle

Been a Caps fan since November 1975 when attending a game with my then boyfriend and now husband.
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4 Responses to Sweet As Honey: Washington Capitals Prospect Bear Hughes Nets First Professional Goals With Hat Trick Against the Orlando Solar Bears

  1. Anonymous says:
    November 6, 2022 at 9:16 pm

    Go get em Bear!

    Reply
  2. Anonymous says:
    November 6, 2022 at 9:22 pm

    Hopefully he can get quite few games in Hershey this season.

    Reply
  3. novafyre says:
    November 7, 2022 at 9:37 am

    Rays lead the ECHL South with a 5-1-0 record. But those 4 unanswered in the third!! Caps teams need to remember that games are 60 minutes long.

    Reply

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