Washington Hockey Insider has no direct affiliation to the Washington Capitals, NHL or NHLPA
Hershey Bears make AHL playoff history
Photo credit: RMNB
The Hershey Bears made history on Sunday by defeating the Lehigh Valley Phantoms in Game 5 of the Atlantic Division Semifinals, securing a record-breaking ninth consecutive playoff series win.
This victory extends their remarkable streak, which began at the start of the 2023 Calder Cup Playoffs.
Hershey Bears make AHL history with nine straight playoff series wins.
The Bears' consistent success in the postseason highlights their dominance in the AHL, solidifying their reputation as a top contender year after year.
Ian Oland from RMNB writes that The American Hockey League, established in 1936, is now in its 89th year, and few coaches have made an impact like Todd Nelson .
Since taking over as head coach of the Hershey Bears, Nelson has led the team to back-to-back Calder Cup championships and boasts a flawless 9-0 playoff series record. This unprecedented run not only strengthens his legacy but also makes him a strong candidate for future induction into the AHL Hall of Fame.
After their 4-2 win at Giant Center, head coach Todd Nelson spoke to his team in the locker room about the historic nature of their achievement.
Todd Nelson: Hell of a job, boys. I'm proud of ya. Broke a league record tonight. Nine straight (playoff) series won.
Bears locker room: OHHHH
Mike Vecchione: How YA doin?? HA HA HA.
Todd Nelson: Hell of a job, I'm proud of ya. The way you just battled. Played against a really heavy team. They gave us everything they had. You know, but we got the job done, so, just congrats.
Bears locker room: OHHHH
Mike Vecchione: How YA doin?? HA HA HA.
Todd Nelson: Hell of a job, I'm proud of ya. The way you just battled. Played against a really heavy team. They gave us everything they had. You know, but we got the job done, so, just congrats.
Starting with a 3-1 series win over the Charlotte Checkers in the 2023 Atlantic Division Semifinals, the Bears, who earned a first-round bye in each of their last three playoff runs, have gone on to win four series in 2023, another four in 2024, and one so far in 2025.
"During this stretch, where the roster had a lot of turnover, the Bears won 31 of 45 games (31-14 record) and posted a plus-27 goal differential (139-112). They've won 13 different one-goal games (6 in 2023 and 7 in 2024). Hershey has faced elimination only four times: twice in the 2025 Atlantic Division Semifinals, once in the 2024 Eastern Conference Finals, and once in the 2023 Calder Cup Finals." -Oland
Oland also writes that the Bears, surprisingly, also surpassed their own AHL record, originally set during their dominant 2009 and 2010 playoff runs, when teams featuring Keith Aucoin, Bryan Helmer, Chris Bourque, and Andrew Gordon won eight straight series across those two postseasons.
The Bears will now battle the Charlotte Checkers in the Atlantic Division Finals. Game 1 will go on Friday night in Charlotte.
| POLL | ||
MAI 12 | 25 ANSWERS Hershey Bears make AHL playoff history Will the Hershey Bears extend their streak to 10 consecutive playoff round victories against the Charlotte Checkers? | ||
| yes | 24 | 96 % |
| no | 1 | 4 % |
| List of polls | ||
