The Hershey Bears (0-1-0-0) opened their 2023-24 season with a 3-0 loss to the Belleville Senators (1-0-0-0) on Saturday night at GIANT Center, as Belleville goaltender Maads Sogaard pitched a 30-save shutout.
Prior to the game, the team commemorated their 2023 Calder Cup championship with a ring presentation ceremony and by raising their 12th Calder Cup banner to the GIANT Center rafters.
Saturday's announced attendance of 10,570 was the largest for Hershey in a home opener since the 2006-07 campaign, which saw a crowd of 10,630 on hand on Oct. 21 to witness the Bears raise their 2006 championship banner before playing Bridgeport (3-2 SOL). It was the first time Hershey had been shutout in a home opener since 2004-05 (Oct. 16, 2004 vs. Norfolk), and the first time the Bears had been blanked in a season-opener since 1997-98 (Oct. 4, 1997 vs. Hamilton).
The Senators scored the first goal of the season midway through the opening frame when Cole Reinhardt slipped through the defense and backhanded a shot past Clay Stevenson at 11:59 to put the visitors ahead 1-0.
Belleville extended its lead at 9:24 of the second period with a power-play goal when Nikolas Matinpalo one-timed a shot that beat Stevenson from the left circle.
Angus Crookshank sealed the game with an empty-net tally for the Senators at 16:39.
Shots finished 30-20 in favor of the Bears. Stevenson took the loss with a 17-for-19 effort; Sogaard stopped all 30 shots he faced in the win for Belleville. Hershey was 0-for-3 on the power play; the Senators went 1-for-4 with the man advantage.
The Bears continue the 2023-24 season when they host the Cleveland Monsters on Sunday, Oct. 15 at GIANT Center. Sunday's game is the first of three Hersheypark Pass Nights this season; all fans in attendance will receive a free 2024 Hersheypark ticket, good for use through June 30, 2024. Purchase tickets for the game by CLICKING HERE.
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