HERSHEY, Pa. (WHTM) – The Hershey Bears clinched first-place in the American Hockey League (AHL), securing the Kilpatrick Trophy as the AHL Regular-Season Champions for 2023-24, on Saturday.

The last time the Bears won the Kilpatrick Trophy was the shortened 2020-21 season. This marks the ninth time Hershey has been the overall regular-season champions and the fourth time the Bears have won the trophy since its inception in 1997.

The Bears were one point away from the trophy after their 4-1 victory over the Lehigh Valley Phantoms on Friday. Coachella Valley’s 3-2 overtime loss to Bakersfield secured first place for the Bears and secured home ice for Hershey throughout the entire 2024 Calder Cup Playoffs.

Hershey has won the Calder Cup championship four of the eight times they finished as the regular season champs (1946-47, 1957-58, 1987-88, 2009-10).

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The Bears are 52-12-0-5 with two games left in the season. With the Bears 4-1 victory on Sunday over the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins Hershey broke the AHL record for the most wins in a 72-game season, which was set by the 2022-23 Calgary Wranglers.

The Bears will finish the regular season with two home games against the Charlotte Checkers on Wednesday and Saturday.

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