SPRINGFIELD, Mass. … The American Hockey League has named the Hershey Bears franchise as the recipient of the CCM/AHL Milestone of the Month award for December.
On Dec. 20 in Albany, the Bears took the ice for the 5,000th regular-season AHL game in club history.
The oldest franchise in the AHL, Hershey joined the league in 1938 and debuted with a 2-1 win over the Providence Reds on Nov. 5 of that year. Since then, the Bears have racked up more than 2,300 victories, 14 division titles and a record-tying nine Calder Cup championships.
The Bears wore jerseys with special patches and used commemorative game pucks to observe the milestone. A sweater and a game-used puck are on their way to the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto in acknowledgment of the franchise’s accomplishment.
In recognition of earning the CCM/AHL Milestone of the Month, the Bears will be presented with an etched crystal award prior to an upcoming home game.
