The Washington Capitals have recalled goaltender Hunter Shepard from the Hershey Bears of the American Hockey League (AHL) and have loaned goaltender Clay Stevenson to Hershey, president and general manager Brian MacLellan announced today.
Charlie Lindgren, who was injured last week, was on the ice early on Sunday for some individual skills work, but did not take part in the full practice.
Shepard had been out due to illness for Hershey, but returned to games this past weekend. He will get the nod against the New Jersey Devils on Wednesday.
Shepard gets the nod at NJD w/ Lindgren out. “Chuckie’s misfortune is Shep’s opportunity to step in and play in the NHL. He’s earned every inch of what he’s gotten in his career and he’s continued to prove people wrong at every single level. You pull for people like that.” #Caps https://t.co/WSnoSZq9J4
— Tarik El-Bashir (@Tarik_ElBashir) October 24, 2023
FROM THE CAPITALS
Shepard, 27, has posted a record of 2-0-0 with a 2.88 goals-against average and a .885 save percentage in two games with Hershey this season. The 6’0”, 219-pound goaltender made his season debut on Oct. 20 at Providence and backed the Bears to a 5-4 shootout win on Oct. 21.
Shepard appeared in 33 games with Hershey last season, posting a record of 20-8-5 with a 2.18 goals-against average, a .916 save percentage and one shutout. The Cohasset, Minnesota native ranked second among AHL goaltenders in goals-against average and tied for sixth in save percentage. Shepard was named the AHL Goaltender of the Month in Nov. 2022 after registering a 6-0-0 record with a 1.63 goals-against average and a .936 save percentage. Shepard, who started all 20 Calder Cup Playoff games for the Bears, posted a 14-6 record with a 2.27 goals-against average, a .914 save percentage and three shutouts. The 6’0″, 222-pound goaltender won the Jack A. Butterfield Trophy, awarded to the MVP of the Calder Cup Playoffs. In 47 career AHL games with Hershey, Shepard has a record of 30-11-5-3 with a 2.11 goals-against average, a .920 save percentage and three shutouts.
Stevenson, 24, has started two games with Hershey this season, posting a record of 1-1-0 with a 2.01 goals-against average and a .900 save percentage.
The 6’4”, 185-pound goaltender appeared in 36 games for the South Carolina Stingrays (ECHL) last season, posting a record of 19-12-3-1 with a 2.54 goals-against average, a .916 save percentage and three shutouts. Stevenson ranked second among ECHL goaltenders in goals-against average, tied for fifth in shutouts and seventh in save percentage. In addition, Stevenson posted a 2-1-2 record with a 2.11 goals-against average and a .926 save percentage in five Kelly Cup Playoff games.
The Drayton Valley, Alberta native also posted a 3-0-0 record with a 1.96 goals-against average and a .924 save percentage in three games with Hershey in 2022-23. Stevenson made his AHL debut on Dec. 10, 2022, against the Cleveland Monsters, stopping 25 of 27 shots.