Ethen Frank is one of the Bears’ top assets. He ranks second in the AHL in goals scored with 20, and his 28 points rank 18th in the AHL. Frank scored ten goals and added seven assists on the playoff path for Hershey’s run to a 13th Calder Cup title.

Now, Frank is getting his chance in Washington, as he made his NHL debut on Friday night in a 3-2 overtime loss for the Capitals against the Canadiens.

“I feel like all the work I’ve done finally kind of paid off, so that was a good feeling,” said Frank postgame.

Frank had an assist that turned heads with 18:06 remaining in the third period. The goal tied the game at 2-2, an equalizer that allowed the game to ultimately reach overtime. Frank used his iconic speed to chase down the puck and provide the backhanded assist to Lars Eller for the goal.

MIRO BACK IN HERSHEY

Frank wasn’t the only transaction announced between Hershey and Washington on Friday morning, as Ivan Miroshnichenko was loaned back to the Bears.

Miro scored one goal and added three assists in his 18-game stint in Washington. He was recalled from the Bears on November 20. He’s spent 16 games thus far in Hershey, where he scored seven goals and seven assists.

Last year, he led Hershey rookies in scoring with nine goals and 16 assists in 47 games.

It’s not Miroshnichenko’s first stint in Washington, as he spent 21 games there last season, scoring two goals and four assists. He debuted in the Stanley Cup Playoffs on April 26, and the Capitals are hopeful for his progression this season after using their first round, 20th overall pick on him in 2022.

It’s certainly of note that Ivan Miroshnichenko is 20 years old, so he can afford to spend more time fluctuating between Hershey and Washington given how young he is. He will turn 21 on February 4th.

It’ll allow him to celebrate more properly after a Bears or Capital playoff series win this spring.

WHAT A WIN

The Bears won the first of a back-to-back in Charlotte on Friday night, 4-3 in overtime.

Hershey trailed 3-0 all the way into the third period. Aaron Ness scored with 12:36 remaining, just to put the Bears on the board and avoid the shutout. Pierrick Dube scored a minute and six seconds later, and all of a sudden it was a one-score game.

Brennan Saulnier found the equalizer with 4:34 remaining, allowing Hershey to climb all the way back and force overtime.

2:21 into overtime, Alex Limoges scored a fourth straight goal for the Bears, and the sudden death winner for one of the Bears’ best wins this season.

Clay Stevenson went 19-for-22 in the net for Hershey. Stevenson also had the assist to Limoges on the game-winner, Stevenson’s first point of his AHL career.

“I just think we finally just started playing the right way and got back to what we do [successfully] and winning battles. I think that was the biggest part of turning it around, and it was a good third period that we can hopefully can build on when we play them again tomorrow.” – Aaron Ness

The second game against Charlotte is Saturday at 6 PM, another huge game to try and get back on track in 2025.

Hershey will then take a break from Saturday until Friday, when they face Belleville.