The Washington Capitals, the National Hockey League affiliate of the Hershey Bears, announced today that goaltender Hunter Shepard has been loaned to Hershey.
Shepard, 28, 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 allowed one goal or fewer in 17 of his 34 starts, and 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. Shepard's .838 win percentage in the regular season established a new single-season record in Bears history, and that mark is the second-highest winning percentage in league history.
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 55-15-8 in 79 games for Hershey with a 1.94 goals-against average, a .925 save percentage, and eight 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.
Hershey opens the 2024-25 regular season, presented by Penn State Health, when they host the Cleveland Monsters on Saturday, Oct. 12 at 7 p.m. at GIANT Center. Purchase tickets for the game by CLICKING HERE.
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