Photo: Eric Lord

After not having to deal with much adversity for a majority of this season, the Hershey Bears faced a lineup  upheaval in February due to injuries and recalls. The chocolate and white persevered and posted a 6-2-0-1 record for the month, with only three home games, to maintain the position at the top of the American Hockey League (AHL). The Bears have amassed 85 points and hold a 41-9-0-3 record. Both the 85 points and 41 wins are the most in the AHL.

Hershey tallied 25 goals in February while surrendering 21. The power play struggled at times due to the absences of Mike Sgarbossa, Ethen Frank, Pierrick Dube and Hendrix Lapierre. However, the unit adjusted as the month went along to finish with a 24.1 conversion percentage for February. The Bears are third in the AHL on the power play for the season with 21.7 conversion percentage, which is tops in the Eastern Conference.

The penalty kill continues to be a major strength for the chocolate and white. Despite injuries and callups to key penalty killers, the unit staved off 30 of the 34 power plays that they faced. Hershey remains the league’s top penalty kill unit with a 87.6 kill percentage.

Offensively, the Bears were led by Alex Limoges and Joe Snively. Limoges netted a team high five goals and added four assists for nine points in eight games played. Snively in played in all nine games and also compiled nine points. He dished out a team best eight assists in February. Hendrix Lapierre ended the month with eight points and defenseman Chase Priskie chipped in with six points.

Strong goaltending remains the backbone of Hershey’s success. Hunter Shepard delivered four wins in the month and moved up to second in the league in goals-against average. Clay Stevenson struggled in his first two starts of February but finished the month with two quality starts.

Forwards

Pierrick Dube (RW) – 23 – Undrafted

February was a quiet month offensively for the French winger. Dube tallied once in the month and added a single helper. He did earn his first ever recall to the National Hockey League (NHL) late in the month. The speedy winger made his NHL debut in Florida on February 24 and skated in three contests for the Capitals. Dube was held without a point in those three matchups. He registered three shots and was a plus one. The Lyon, France native still leads the Bears in goals with 24 and is tied for fourth in the AHL in the category. Dube has amassed 34 points in 50 games for the chocolate and white this season.

Monthly Score: 3.3

Ethen Frank (RW) – 26 – Undrafted

Frank’s February was limited to just three games after he suffered a lower body injury in Providence on February 9. The injury occurred when he hit the goal post after being knocked down. The Western Michigan product tallied a power play goal in Lehigh Valley on February 2, the lone point of the month for the winger. The highlight of the month for Frank came at the AHL All-Star Classic in San Jose when he successfully defended his Fastest Skater Crown in a time of 13.032 seconds.

Monthly Score: Incomplete

Ryan Hofer (C/LW) – 21 – Drafted 2022 (Sixth Round, 181^st overall)

After playing just one of Hershey’s first five games of the month, Hofer skated in the final four games of February for the chocolate and white after injuries and callups depleted the team’s depth. The rookie slotted into the lineup as the fourth line center. Hofer recorded his lone goal/point of the month versus Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on February 23. He snapped a shot from the left faceoff dot past the glove of Joel Blomqvist to tie the game at one in the first period. The pivot has played a smart game and has been reliable in his own zone. Hofer now has three goals and one assist on the season.

Monthly Score: 3.0

Jimmy Huntington (C) – 25 – Undrafted

With all the players the Bears were missing during the month, Huntington provided a steady presence in the lineup. The center played in all nine games in February and wore an A at the end of the month. His role on the penalty kill increased after Riley Sutter went down. The Laval, Quebec native is strong on faceoffs and is positionally sound in his own end. He does a good job of breaking up passes and this shows up on the penalty kill. Huntington registered three assists in February, including a two-helper game in Springfield on February 10. He leads Hershey forwards in plus/minus with a plus 17 rating. Huntington has 11 goals and 13 points on the season.

Monthly Score: 3.5

Hendrix Lapierre (C) – 22 – Drafted 2020 (First Round, 22^nd overall)

Lapierre had a bit of an up and down month that saw him begin and finish strong with a little struggle in between. Following a pointless first game of February, the second-year center recorded consecutive two-assist games on the 3^rd and 9th. Lapierre then had a two-game stretch where he was on the ice for five goals against and was not playing responsibly, defensively. At this point, Washington called in need of a player for a recall. To his credit, Lapierre took the decision to heart and picked up his play. In the very next game in Belleville, the Gatineau, Quebec native came out flying. He opened the scoring in the first period when his centering pass hit a Belleville defenseman and went in. Later in the period, the pivot wristed a shot past Mads Sogard for a shorthanded tally. Lapierre completed the natural hat trick early in the second frame when he redirected a Pierrick Dube shot by Sogard for a power play marker. His next chance in the NHL came shortly thereafter. Lapierre played in the last two February games for Washington and scored two goals against Ottawa on February 26 and added another a night later in Detroit.

Monthly Score: 4.3

Alex Limoges (LW/RW/C) – 26 – Undrafted

The Penn State product returned from injury on February 3 and picked up right where he left off before being sidelined. He finished off a tic-tac-toe passing sequence for Hershey’s final goal in a 4-0 victory over Bridgeport on February 3 in his first game back. In his next game on February 9, Limoges netted the game-winner in Providence when he deposited his own rebound through Brandon Bussi’s five-hole with 5:48 remaining in the third to put the Bears ahead for good. Limoges potted a goal the next night in Springfield to run his goal streak to four games. Limoges extended his goal-scoring stretch to five games in Toronto with a power play marker on February 17. The Northern Virginian then set up Garrett Roe’s winner in overtime. Limoges’ goal run ended in the next contest, but he extended his point-streak to eight games with a pair of assists. The former junior Capital saw his point streak conclude on February 21 and also failed to record a point on February 23. In the month’s final contest, Limoges struck again to tie a franchise mark. He put home the rebound of a Chase Priskie shot as he was being knocked down to give the chocolate and white a 2-1 overtime win over Rochester on February 24. The overtime tally was Limoges’ third of the season which tied the franchise record set by Dunc Fisher during the 1953-54 season. It was also his sixth game-winning goal of the season. He collected nine points in February, tied for the most on the team and his production has helped keep the team succeeding despite the loss of several key pieces.

Monthly Score: 4.5

Ivan Miroshnichenko (LW) – 19 – Drafted 2022 (First Round, 20^th overall)

Like most of his teammates, Miroshnichenko’s offensive numbers dropped off a little in February. After posting seven assists, the rookie winger totaled three points in 2024’s second month. The good news for the Russian is he snapped his 18-game goalless drought in Laval on February 21. The goal came on the power play when he rifled a shot from the left circle past Jakub Dobes in the second period. Prior to the marker, Miroshnichenko’s previous nine points came on assists. He has nine goals and 16 assists thus far in his rookie campaign and is a plus 15, the second best plus/minus among Hershey forwards. The winger was recalled to Washington at the end of the month, but has not seen any action since being called up.

Monthly Score: 3.3

Henrik Rybinski (C/RW) – 22 – Drafted 2019 (Fifth Round, 136^th overall – Florida)

Injuries and callups have afforded Rybinski the opportunity to play his natural position of center. After playing only 15 games through the first three months of the season, the Vancouver, British Columbia native has skated in 19 of the last 20 games for the Bears. Rybinski was held without a point through the first four games of the month, but then recorded an assist in back-to-back contests. He had the lone assist on Matt Strome’s opening goal in Toronto on February 17. The pivot set up Hendrix Lapierre’s shorthanded tally two days later in Belleville. Rybinski also picked up an apple on Strome’s shorthanded, empty net goal against Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on February 23. The Vancouverite’s biggest contribution to the team is on the penalty kill and his role has increased on that unit with the absence of Riley Sutter. He has helped keep Hershey atop the AHL in penalty killing despite the turnover of players on the unit.

Monthly Score: 3.2

Mike Sgarbossa (C) – 31 – Undrafted

Sgarbossa played in the first two games of February for the Bears, registering an assist in each contest to increase his season point total to 43 points, which is tied for the most on the squad. He still leads Hershey in assists with 36 and in power play assists with 19. The Campbellville, Ontario native was then recalled to Washington when Evgeny Kuznetsov entered the NHL/NHLPA’s Player Assistance Program. Sgarbossa has made the most of his chance with the Capitals. The veteran center played 11 games in February for Washington and contributed two goals and two assists. He has played up and down the lineup and has seen a regular shift.

Monthly Score: 3.6

Joe Snively (LW) – 27 – Undrafted

The Yale University product stepped up to, along with Alex Limoges, lead the way offensively for Hershey during the roster turnover in February. Snively averaged a point per game during the month, amassing nine points in nine games. He began February by recording a point in five straight games. The streak included two multi-point games. The first of these was a two assist night versus Bridgeport on February 3. The second came in the next game in Providence on February 9. Snively netted the matchup’s first goal by firing a one-timer from the slot over the glove of Brandon Bussi. The tally gave the Bears a 1-0 advantage in the third period. After Providence tied it, the Herndon, Virginia native found Limoges for the game-winner. Snively dished out a team high eight assists in the month to increase his already set new career high to 33. That total is second on the Bears. His nine points tied Limoges for the most on the team in February. The winger is tied for the Hershey scoring lead with 43 points. Snively has surpassed his previous high for points in a season.

Monthly Score: 4.5

Riley Sutter (C) – 24 – Drafted 2018 (Third Round, 93^rd overall)

After playing in the month’s first five games, Sutter was sidelined with an upper body injury for the remainder of February. He was scoreless for the month.

Monthly Score: 2.5

Bogdan Trineyev (LW) – 21 – Drafted 2020 (Fourth Round, 117^th overall)

The rookie went scoreless in the first five games of February to extend his scoreless streak to 12 games, but broke out of the drought in the third period in Laval on February 21. With the Bears trailing by a goal in the third period, the Russian stole the puck along the boards at center ice, accelerated into the offensive zone and executed a toe drag that caused Oliver Galipeau to lose his balance. The winger then backhanded his shot by Jakub Dobes to even the score. The tally sparked a three-game goal streak for Trineyev. He potted an empty net goal against Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on February 23. The next night versus Rochester, the Voronezh, Russia native brought Hershey even in the second period when he rifled a shot over the right shoulder from just below the left circle. The three tallies were the extent of Trineyev’s offensive contributions for the month. The winger has developed into a strong penalty killer and has earned the trust of the coaching staff in that area.

Monthly Score: 3.4

Defensemen

Hardy Haman Aktell (LD) – 25 – Drafted 2016 (Fourth Round, 108^th overall – Nashville)

Offensively, the Swedish blue liner had a relatively quiet February. His lone point came when he earned the secondary assist on Hendrix Lapierre’s shorthanded tally in Belleville on February 19. Defensively, Haman Aktell has mostly been steady and does a good job of getting his stick in the passing lane. This trait aids him on the penalty kill where he is usually in the second defensive pairing on the team’s high unit. The Swede is not flashy, but is a good skater.

Monthly Score: 3.0

Vincent Iorio (RD) – 21 – Drafted 2021 (Second Round, 55^th overall)

In October and the first half of November, Iorio was a liability defensively and made poor decisions with the puck. Now, the second year defenseman is a reliable and steady presence on the back end. He has shown great growth in his game. Iorio rarely forces passes like he did at the beginning of the season. Instead, he takes what is available and makes the easy play. The Coquitlam, British Columbia native is positionally sound and gets in passing lanes. He has turned himself into a quality penalty killer that has become an asset on the team’s top ranked unit. Iorio has not registered a point since December 30, but he is still a major contributor to Hershey’s success. Iorio has formed a solid pairing with Chase Priskie. He leads the team in plus/minus with a plus 20 rating and has only been a minus player twice since November 26.

Monthly Score: 4.0

Lucas Johansen (LD) – 26 – Drafted 2016 (First Round, 28^th overall)

Johansen missed the entire month with an injury and has not played since January 24.

Monthly Score: Incomplete

Dylan McIlrath (RD) – 31 – Drafted 2010 (First Round, 10^th overall – New York Rangers)

The Hershey captain continues to do what he always does. He plays a shutdown role, paired with fellow veteran Aaron Ness, and plays against the other team’s top players. McIlrath is an anchor on the penalty kill, a unit that ranks as the best in the AHL. He and Ness are consistently the first defensemen over the boards on the penalty kill. Another thing that McIlrath does, even if it costs him, is come to the aid of his teammates. This happened in Belleville on February 19. Joe Snively was hit along the boards late by Brendan Saulnier. McIlrath immediately went after Saulnier and it looked as if the two would engage in a fight, but the Winnipeg, Manitoba native kayoed Saulnier in a single punch. The rugged defenseman was given a game misconduct and would be suspended for two games. Earlier in the month, McIlrath captained the Atlantic Division at the AHL All-Star Classic in San Jose. The team lost in the finals. During the Skills Competition, he finished second in the Hardest Shot Competition with a shot of 100.8. The winner was Riley Tufte of the Colorado Eagles, who recorded a shot of 100.9.

Monthly Score: 3.7

Chase Priskie (RD) – 27 – Drafted 2016 (Sixth Round, 177^th overall)

The Floridian remains the most productive blue liner for the chocolate and white. He racked up six points in February, the most of any Hershey defenseman. Priskie tallied the game-winning goal late in the third period against Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on February 23. He took a feed from Mike Vecchione and elevated a shot over the glove Joel Blomqvist for power play marker to put the Bears ahead for good. It was Priskie’s second game-winner of the season. One night later, the Pembroke Pines, Florida native registered the primary assist on both goals in a 2-1 overtime victory over Rochester. He is the top scoring defenseman on Hershey with 29 points. Priskie’s 23 assists are the third most of the team. Defensively, he sometimes makes the mistakes that any puck-moving defenseman makes. However, those mistakes are less frequent and his overall defensive game has improved since being paired with Vincent Iorio.

Monthly Score: 4.0

Goalies

Hunter Shepard (G) – 28 – Undrafted

The reigning Calder Cup playoff Most Valuable Player was in his playoff form in February. In five starts, Shepard did not surrender more than two goals in any appearance. He kicked the month off by making 25 saves in a 4-0 blanking of the Bridgeport Islanders on February 3. It was the netminder’s second shutout of the season. The two-time national champion at Minnesota Duluth was victorious in his next two starts on the road in Providence and Toronto to run his winning streak to six. Shepard dropped his next start in a shootout in Laval on February 23. In that game, he made 10 saves in the first period. The Coleraine, Minnesota native rebounded to win his final start of the month on February 24. He turned aside 24 of 25 shots in a 2-1 victory over Rochester. He was especially busy in the first period as the Bears were thoroughly outplayed, being outshot 11 to 3. Shepard kept his team in the game by only giving up one goal. The netminder has 21 wins on the season and became the first Bear goalie to win 20 games in consecutive seasons since Frederic Cassivi accomplished the feat during the 2006-07 and 2008-08 seasons. The 21 wins are a new career high for Shepard and ranks him third in the league. The Minnesotan ranks second in the AHL with a 2.00 goals against average. His save percentage has improved to .919 and that is seventh in the league.

Monthly Score: 4.5

Clay Stevenson (G) – 25 – Undrafted

The month could not have gotten to a worse start for Stevenson. He gave up three goals in a span of two minutes and 53 seconds in the third period in a 4-1 loss in Lehigh Valley on February 2. In his next start in Springfield on February 10, the Dartmouth College product surrendered five goals on 23 shots in a 6-3 loss to the Thunderbirds. It marked the first time Stevenson had lost back-to-back starts in regulation this season and was just the second time he was winless in two starts. He bounced back to earn the victory in his start, making 19 saves in a 4-2 Hershey triumph in Belleville on February 19. The Drayton Valley, Alberta native delivered his best start of the month in his last outing of the month. He stopped 24 of the 25 shots he saw in a 2-1 overtime win over the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins. The only goal against him was netted on a shorthanded breakaway. The rookie netminder continues to lead the AHL with a 1.84 goals against average. Stevenson’s .932 save percentage is also first in the league. Through February, Stevenson has a league best six shutouts and ranks sixth in the AHL in wins with 18.

Monthly Score: 4.0

By Eric Lord