HERSHEY, Pa. (WHTM) – The 2023 Calder Cup Most Valuable Player and Hershey Bears goaltender Hunter Shepard was recalled by the Bears’ National Hockey League affiliate the Washington Capitals on Tuesday.

Shepard opened his season last weekend after missing opening weekend because of an illness. Last season Shepard was second in the American Hockey League with a 2.18 goals-against average and had a 20-8-5 record across 33 games with Hershey. Shepard boasted a .916 save percentage that was good for seventh in the AHL.

This season, Shepard has a 2-0-0 record with a 2.88 goals-against average and a .885 save percentage.

The Capitals have loaned goalie Clay Stevenson to the Bears. Stevenson played in Hershey’s first two opening games and has a 1-1-0 record with a 2.01 goals-against average, a .920 save percentage and three shutouts.