HERSHEY, Pa. — The Hershey Bears picked up where they left off last season, dominating the Cleveland Monsters in a 7-3 win.
Before the game started, the 2024 Calder Cup Champions banner was raised to the rafters at Giant Center.
"It's fun for us to enjoy the moment and deservedly so," said Hershey Bears head coach Todd Nelson. "These games always worry a coach just because it's very emotional, just trying to get through that moment and enjoy it but also getting serious with the drop of the puck."
"I don't want to say bitter sweet but [the ceremony] kind of was because it's time to turn the page," said Hershey Bears forward Ethen Frank. "It's a new year [and] we got a new target on our back. We got a new group, a hungry group and an excited group. So we are excited to see where we can go this year."
Hershey got on the board first with a goal from Vincent Iorio in the first period. Cleveland got the next two goals to start the second period and take a 2-1 lead. The Bears then went on a run, scoring 5 unanswered goals, including a hat trick from Frank.
"Franky scores goals and he did a good job tonight," said Nelson. "He got a couple on the powerplay which sparked us. They had us going there for a bit in the second period when they went up on us. Franky is picking up where he left off last year and I liked the way he played tonight."
The Monsters' Denton Mateychuk made it 6-3.
With under a minute to go in the game, Luke Philp scored his first as a Bear to make it a 7-3 final. The Bears face the Monsters again on Sunday at 5pm.
