The Washington Capitals, the National Hockey League affiliate of the Hershey Bears, announced today that goaltender Hunter Shepard has been recalled from Hershey. Additionally, the Capitals announced that goaltender Garin Bjorklund has been re-assigned to Hershey from the ECHL's South Carolina Stingrays. The announcements were made by Washington senior vice president and general manager Chris Patrick.
Shepard, 29, has posted a 15-7-1 record this season in 23 games for Hershey with a 2.68 goals-against average, a.898 save percentage, and one shutout. He leads the Eastern Conference in wins, and he ranks second in the league in minutes played (1363:35).
Shepard went 27-4-3 in 34 appearances for Hershey in an exceptional 2023-24 campaign that saw him lead the league with a 1.76 goals-against average - the lowest in club history and fifth-lowest mark in AHL history - and a .929 save percentage while recording five shutouts. He won the Aldege "Baz" Bastien Memorial Award as the AHL's outstanding goaltender for the 2023-24 season and helped Hershey capture the Macgregor Kilpatrick Trophy as the AHL's regular season champions. He was named to the 2023-24 AHL First All-Star Team and won the Harry "Hap" Holmes Memorial Award along with teammate Clay Stevenson as Hershey surrendered a league-low 2.10 goals per game.
In the playoffs, Shepard guided Hershey to a second straight Calder Cup, going 14-6 in the playoffs with a 2.49 goals-against average and a .910 save percentage. In the 2023 postseason, Shepard had an identical record with a 2.27 goals-against average and a .914 save percentage to go along with three shutouts, earning him the Jack A. Butterfield Trophy as most valuable player in the Calder Cup Playoffs.
In his AHL career, Shepard is 70-22-9 in 102 games for Hershey with a 2.10 goals-against average, a .919 save percentage, and nine shutouts.
In four career NHL games with the Capitals, Shepard has a record of 2-1-1 with a 3.19 goals-against average and a .894 save percentage.
Bjorklund, 22, has gone 6-3-1 in 11 games with the Stingrays this season, and his goals-against average of 2.07 ranks second in the ECHL while his .926 save percentage ranks sixth. As a rookie in 2023-24, Bjorklund went 14-11-1 in 27 games for the Stingrays with a 3.33 goals-against average and an .882 save percentage with one shutout.
Bjorklund was selected by the Capitals in the sixth round, 179th overall, of the 2020 NHL Draft.
The Bears continue the 2024-25 regular season, presented by Penn State Health, when they visit the Charlotte Checkers tonight at 6 p.m. at the Bojangles Coliseum. Hershey returns home to host the Belleville Senators on Friday, Jan. 17 at 7 p.m. at GIANT Center. Purchase tickets for the game by CLICKING HERE.
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