Stevenson returns, Hershey tops Charlotte 2-1 to near playoff berth

Clay Stevenson’s return did more than steady Hershey for one afternoon in Charlotte. It pushed the Bears one step closer to the 2026 Calder Cup Playoffs and reopened the question of how the crease will look when the games get tighter.

After a 10-game absence with a lower-body injury, Stevenson stopped 21 of 22 shots at Bojangles Coliseum on Saturday and backstopped Hershey to a 2-1 win over the Charlotte Checkers. The Bears improved to 30-29-6-3, lowered their magic number to clinch a playoff berth to four and moved within striking distance of the postseason with five games left. Charlotte, which entered the day near the top of the Atlantic Division, fell to 42-22-5-0 and saw its five-game winning streak end.

Hershey got the jump it needed when Bogdan Trineyev scored at 7:13 of the first period for his 16th goal of the season. The Bears then cashed in again in the final seconds of the second period, when Louie Belpedio wired the eventual winner with 1.7 seconds left before intermission. Matt Strome and Brett Leason earned the assists on the goal that held up the rest of the way. Charlotte answered at 4:11 of the third period on Mikulas Hovorka’s goal, but the Checkers could not force overtime despite outshooting Hershey 22-19.

For Hershey, the significance went beyond a single road result. The Bears improved to 4-2-0-1 against Charlotte this season, with five of the seven meetings decided by one goal and three going beyond regulation. Their four wins against the Checkers are tied with their totals against Lehigh Valley and Rockford for the most against any opponent this season, a striking sign of how often these clubs have been forced into playoff-style hockey before April has even ended.

The game also sharpened the goaltending conversation inside the Bears’ room. Derek King said Stevenson was ready to return and credited Mitch Gibson for keeping the net stable during the absence. “That’s the nice thing about Gibby playing as well as he did... Clay knew he was 100% and he told me he was ready.” Stevenson’s win was his 16th of the season and 61st with Hershey, moving him past Dave Parro into sole possession of 15th place in franchise history. He also improved to 8-1-0-0 at Bojangles Coliseum, a mark that adds weight to the Bears’ playoff crease hierarchy as the stretch run tightens.