Ethen Frank scores third career hat trick in Hershey Bears’ 7-2 victory over Iowa Wild – RMNB

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Ethen Frank completed his third career hat trick — his second this season — as the Hershey Bears beat the Iowa Wild 7-2 on Saturday.
The goals were Frank’s 26th, 27th, and 28th of the season, passing Pierrick Dube (27) for the Bears’ team lead in tallies. Frank is also tied for fifth in the AHL for goals, and is now a mere two away from tying his career high of 30 goals set during the 2022-23 season.
Frank, a Papillion, Nebraska native, returned to the Midwest for the matchup against the Iowa Wild. Per the Bears, Frank reportedly had over 30 family members in attendance for the game who got to witness his hat trick glory.
Frank’s first goal came on the first shot of the game. Frank took off on a 3-on-2 with linemates Pierrick Dube and Mike Vecchione. Dube on the left wing fired towards the net, and Frank buried the loose rebound in on the right side.
Frank found the net next 4:08 into the second period. Frank skated up the right side alone past Iowa defenseman Ryan O’Rourke and cut to the net, where he buried the puck past goaltender Jesper Wallstedt with a backhanded shot.
Frank wouldn’t wait till the the next period to finish the hat trick, scoring his third of the night 14:06 into the second period. Frank passed to Vecchione on the right side, who sent it back to Frank in the slot. Frank rocketed the puck past Wallstedt to complete his hat trick.
Along with the goals Frank also notched an assist on a goal from Vecchione, totaling a four point night.
Frank was named the First Star of the Game for his performance and of course had to celebrate by being crowned with Hershey’s signature postgame award, the Bear Head.
Outside of Frank’s hat trick, Vecchione, Dube, and Joe Snively all had standout nights of their own. Each guy registered three points on the scoresheet. Clay Stevenson started in net for the Bears, where he made 22 saves in the victory.
The Bears will face off again with the Wild Sunday night at 7pm where they look to sweep the series 4-0. The Bears have outscored Iowa 11-4 throughout their matchups this season.
Here were the lines in the victory:
Tonight's projected lineup against the Wild 📝
Alex Limoges has eight points (4g, 4a) in 13 career games against Iowa.
Catch tonight's broadcast:
🖥️ https://t.co/HaxQBmLCRZ
📻@FroggyValley, @foxsports1460am, @WOYK1350 (joined in-progress) pic.twitter.com/Nt3zOou011
— Hershey Bears (@TheHersheyBears) April 5, 2024

Below is the Bears’ postgame press release:
Frank leads the way for Hershey with hat trick as part of four-point night
(Des Moines, IA – April 5, 2024) – Ethen Frank led the way with his third career hat trick and fourth career four-point night as the Hershey Bears (49-12-0-5) exploded for a 7-2 victory over the Iowa Wild (24-35-4-2) on Friday night at Wells Fargo Arena.
Hershey’s seven goals matched a season-high for goals in a game. With the win, the Bears have reduced their Magic Number for the American Hockey League’s Macgregor Kilpatrick Trophy for first place in the league to five points.
BOX SCORE
Frank opened the scoring early into the contest when he buried a Pierrick Dubé rebound past Jesper Wallstedt at 4:20 of the first period for his 26th of the season. Mike Vecchione earned a secondary assist.
Logan Day blasted his fourth of the season past Wallstedt with a shot from the blue line from Joe Snively and Alex Limoges at 11:23.
The Wild got on the board late in the frame when Michael Milne beat Clay Stevenson with a power-play strike at 18:21.
Hershey opened up its lead in the second period, as Frank tallied his second of the evening at 4:08 as he took a pass from Lucas Johansen and raced up the right wing before driving the net and tucking a backhand shot through the legs of Wallstedt. Aaron Ness contributed an additional helper on the goal.
Limoges converted on the power play with a deflection goal on a shot from Joe Snively at 12:18 to collect his 22nd of the season. Day also earned an assist.
Frank completed his hat trick – his second three-goal game of the season – at 14:16 as he regrouped in the offensive zone and executed a give-and-go with Vecchione before snapping it past Wallstedt. Dubé also picked up a helper.
Vecchione struck 36 seconds into the third to widen the lead to five goals, as Frank sent a pass across the neutral zone to Dubé, who cruised up the left side and put a shot off the pads of Wallstedt that Vecchione stuffed home for his 16th of the season.
Iowa’s Vladislav Firstov tallied his first North American pro goal at 4:09 for the hosts to chip away at Hershey’s lead, but Henrik Rybinski capped the scoring with his fifth of the season on a breakaway at 14:10 from Ryan Hofer and Snively.
Shots finished 26-22 in favor of Hershey. Stevenson went 20-for-22 to earn his 22nd win of the season for Hershey; Wallstedt took the loss for Iowa with a 19-for-26 effort. The Bears went 1-for-3 on the power play; the Wild went 1-for-4 with the man advantage.
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