Overview
- The Bears, which added Ilya Protas, Ivan Miroshnichenko, and Clay Stevenson Wednesday after Washington loaned them back, clinched a Calder Cup playoff berth with a 5-1 win over Wilkes-Barre/Scranton after Lehigh Valley lost.
- Miroshnichenko scored a first-period power-play goal off a Protas feed and reached 100 career AHL points.
- Stevenson stopped 32 of 33 shots for Hershey one day after a 27-save win for the Capitals in their NHL finale.
- Protas continued a standout first pro season that leads all AHL rookies in points and followed an NHL debut week with four points in four games.
- Washington’s summer decisions now loom larger, as Miroshnichenko will lose his waiver exemption and Protas has a strong case in training camp.