Hershey Bears Hoist Calder Cup Banner to Open 2024-25 Season

Hershey Bears Hoist Calder Cup Banner to Open 2024-25 Season

Defending champs raise 13th championship banner, defeat visiting Cleveland Monsters 7-3

The defending Calder Cup champion Hershey Bearsopened the 2024-25 season - their 87th season in the American Hockey League - on Saturday, Oct. 12 against the Cleveland Monsters.

Before the puck dropped on the campaign, the team celebrated the start of a new season with the return of the popular Red Carpet Arrival event, with players and coaches making their entrance through the front of GIANT Centerto the delight of Bear Nation. Once inside the rink and the house lights went dark, players and staff for the 2024-25 season were introduced before the returning members of the Chocolate and White raised their 2024 Calder Cup championship banner to the rafters of GIANT Center in a special pre-game ceremony.

• GIANT Center awaits Red Carpet
• Coco the Bear

  Coco the Bear makes his entrance at the Red Carpet Arrival event
• Patrick Wellar signing autographs

  Bears assistant coach Patrick Wellar signs autographs
• Pierrick Dube

  Pierrick Dube signs autographs on the Red Carpet
• Ivan Miroshnichenko signs autographs
• Players make their way into GIANT Center
• Ethen Frank

  Ethen Frank signs autographs on the Red Carpet
• Aaron Ness

  Aaron Ness signs autographs on the red carpet
• Hershey Bears ROAR display

  ROAR display on GIANT Center concourse
• Hershey Bears fans with mini Calder Cup banner

  Hershey Bears fans with 2024 mini banners
• Young Hershey Bears fan

  Young Hershey Bears fan
• Young Hershey Bears fan

  Young Hershey Bears fan
• Hershey Bears head coach Todd Nelson

  Hershey Bears head coach Todd Nelson salutes the crowd
• Mike Vecchione

  Hershey Bears forward Mike Vecchione waves to the crowd
• Aaron Ness

  Hershey Bears defenseman Aaron Ness salutes the crowd
• Matt Strome with Calder Cup

  Matt Strome hoists Calder Cup as he enters ice
• 2024 Calder Cup Banner

  The 2024 Calder Cup banner makes its ascent
• Hershey Bears players salute banner

  Hershey Bears players clap as the 2024 Calder Cup banner is raised
• Calder Cup banner raise

  Hershey Bears players watch the 2024 Calder Cup banner make its way to the rafters
• Calder Cup banner raise

  The 2024 Calder Cup banner begins to rise
• Wide shot of GIANT Center on Hershey Bears Opening Night

  Wide shot of a darkened GIANT Center
• Hunter Shepard save

  Hunter Shepard makes a save
• Ethen Frank celebration

  Ethen Frank points to a teammate after scoring one of his three goals
• Mike Vecchione celebration

  Mike Vecchione celebrates a goal by a teammate
• Ivan Miroshnichenko shoots

  Ivan Miroshnichenko shoots on the rush
• Ethen Frank

  Ethen Frank scores one of his three goals
• Chase Priskie

  Chase Priskie fires a shot
• Mike Vecchione shot

  Mike Vecchione steps into a shot on Opening Night
• Hershey Bears goal celebration

  The Hershey Bears celebrate a goal

Once the puck hit the ice, it was an all-out battle against the Monsters in a rematch of last spring's thrilling best-of-seven Eastern Conference Finals won in overtime by Garrett Roe's sudden-death goal that sent Hershey to its league-leading 25th appearance in the Calder Cup Finals, where the Bears ultimately defeated the Coachella Valley Firebirds in six games to hoist their league-record 13th postseason title.

Third-year forward Ethen Frank led the way, recording a hat trick - Hershey's first in an Opening Night game since Andrew Gordon on Oct. 3, 2009 vs. Norfolk - to earn his 100th career point in a Bears sweater, as a full-throated sellout crowd of 10,588 cheered the Bears on to a 7-3 victory over Cleveland.

Fourth career hatty for Franky!

Vecchione
Häman Aktell https://t.co/xlaScWzsO6pic.twitter.com/Hguat2SJNh

- Hershey Bears (@TheHersheyBears) October 13, 2024

The Bears commemorated their status as reigning back-to-back champions by wearing specialty jerseys for the weekend that were auctioned off following Sunday's game against the Monsters, in support of the Hershey Bears Cares charitable initiative.

Catch all of the action this season at GIANT Center as the Bears look to defend their title and become just the second team in league history to win three straight Calder Cups. The Bears are back on home ice on Saturday, Oct. 19 when they face the Chicago Wolves for the first time since the 2005-06 season for Pink the Rink Night, presented by Penn State Health.