Bears Improvement Is Minimal, But Notable

The Hershey Bears, for the first time in a while, aren’t the team to beat in the American Hockey League (AHL). The four-game winning streak was a step in the right direction and showed the progress that this team is making. Yet, they are still a tier below the top teams in the AHL.

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The Nov. 7 loss to the Toronto Marlies was a humbling experience and a case in point for where they stand. The Bears kept the game close but were outplayed and fell apart in the end, resulting in a 5-2 loss. Losses like these make it seem like the Bears are far from contention.

That said, the Bears are making progress. They were 1-3-1 after their 5-4 loss on Oct. 24 to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms and are now 5-4-1 and in the middle of the Atlantic Division. The Bears are starting to buy into Derek King’s system, and it’s allowing them to find their footing just as the season picks up.

Bears Can Play Fast & Win a Track Meet

When the Bears beat the Phantoms on Oct. 25 to turn a corner, they picked up the pace. They move the puck up the ice and make quick passes in the offensive zone to create effective shots on the net. “We’re trying to play fast, and when you play fast, you keep the game simple,” King noted after the recent 5-2 loss.

The speed and simplicity of their game allowed them to win three games in a row on the road and find the back of the net twice against the Marlies. It’s when they complicate things or play outside of their system that they start to fall behind, which also happened against the Marlies. “They played within the structure that we need to play as a team. We don’t have a run-and-gun kind of team. We have to play a certain way, and when we don’t, this is the result,” King added after the game as well.

The Bears can become a winning team if they stick to King’s system. However, with a young group, this is clearly a rebuilding year for the Bears. The great teams will adjust to their style and find ways to beat them. It’s what the Phantoms did two weeks back and how the Marlies dominated play in the latest game. It’s why this season is an adjustment for a team known for being at the top of the AHL.

Bitten & Strome Are The Veterans Doing it All

The Bears have one line that can forecheck and defend. It’s led by the Matt Strome and Sam Bitten duo. They are the bigger forwards who can play the heavy game, yet ironically, also play a significant role offensively. The duo scored the only two goals in the 5-2 loss against the Marlies and displayed effective puck movement while doing so. “It’s a good first game as a line,” Bitten noted after the defeat.

Bitten was brought in to provide that extra layer of physicality. The Bears traded defenseman Calle Rosen to the Springfield Thunderbirds to acquire him, and the move is already paying off. “He flies and he hits guys and creates space for me,” Strome mentioned. He’s a power forward but can also skate, which helps considering the system the Bears play. “Skating has always been a part of my game,” Bitten added.

Along with being an effective duo on the ice, they are the mentors the Bears need. This is a younger team that is still learning how to win at the AHL level. There are a lot of rookies in the lineup, and they are coming over from college or junior hockey. They still struggle to play with structure, and the Bitten-Strome duo will teach them how.

The Marlies Loss Was a Humbling Experience

The winning streak provided the blueprint for the Bears to win. The loss against the Marlies showed they are making progress, yet still have work to do, and aren’t a contender yet. Without question, the Bears are finding their identity. Now, it’s about getting the players to buy into that.

The irony is that the Marlies are also figuring out what works for them and searching for their identity. “We still haven’t quite found our true identity yet,” Marlies head coach John Gruden noted after a Nov. 5 comeback win over the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins. That was a game where they trailed 3-0 entering the third period but four unanswered goals allowed them to win in overtime. They are a team that’s starting to lean into a North-South brand of hockey and push the pace when needed. The Bears are looking to do the same.

It’s early in the season, and this is the time when teams want to experience the growing pains that come with a long season (compared to later months). The Bears are learning how to work with the roster they have. They aren’t the forechecking team that Todd Nelson coached, and it’s led to a learning curve. “Guys are kinda figuring out what kind of roles they are in now,” Strome mentioned after the recent game. When asked if his role has changed, he added, “My role is a little different, being one of the older guys, being a little more vocal in the room.”

The Bears have a quick turnaround as they host the Rochester Americans, another North Division team they don’t see often but one that can also score in bunches. The good thing for this team is that they can quickly adjust. The bad news is that it won’t be an easy game, and more losses are coming. The Bears won’t look good to start the season. However, if they keep playing this way, they’ll be a contender by the end of the season.