“I’ve put myself in the position to be in that role and the confidence in myself,” Clay Stevenson
For the past three years, the Calder Cup Playoffs have been Hunter Shepard's time. He was the starting goaltender for the Hershey Bears, starting every game in the back-to-back title-winning seasons and seven of the eight games in the 2025 playoffs. Shepard wasn’t great in the regular season and never established himself as an NHL-caliber goaltender but in a big game and on a big stage, he would deliver for the Bears.
Clay Stevenson is following in his footsteps. He’s now the starter for the Bears and the goaltender they will lean on in hopes of a deep playoff run. The Bridgeport Islanders entered Game One with a great offense and one that could generate quality scoring chances. They averaged 3.04 goals per game during the 2025-26 season and 3.62 goals per game in their final eight games.
Yet, Stevenson shut the door. “It felt great. I was able to make some clean good saves and not leave too much junk around,” the Bears goaltender noted after an 18-save shutout performance. He looked like the goaltender who can carry the torch that Shepard held in Hershey and lead the Bears on a playoff run.
Stevenson was Unfazed by The Pressure
Stevenson was the best player in Game One and didn’t let the intensity of the game or the Islanders' offense faze him. The Islanders didn’t overwhelm him with shots but they got plenty of good looks that nearly found the back of the net. “When the shots are as low as they were, it’s not an easy game for goaltenders, you’re not feeling the puck maybe as much as you’d like to,” Stevenson mentioned in a conversation with The Hockey News. Yet, he stood tall in the net, which speaks to his mindset.
He treats every game the same and every type of game the same way as well. The Bears allowed over 40 shots in the 5-4 overtime win on Sunday over the Rochester Americans. “Sometimes goalies play better when they get 40, 50 shots but we don’t want that.” Bears head coach Derek King noted after Game One. Instead, the Bears played a high-pressure game, and Stevenson delivered as well, with the help of the defense in front of him stepping up. “The thing is, they made them work from side to side, they were changing sides behind, low to high, putting pucks behind the end wall,” King added.
Stevenson saw the puck well against the Islanders and was able to make the big saves. On top of that, he covered up pucks to limit second chances, which explains in part how the Islanders kept the puck in the offensive zone early in the game but couldn’t generate many shots.
The Bears Successor to Shepard
Shepard was always the goaltender the Bears would lean on. He would deliver in the big games, winning 30 of his 47 starts, including two Calder Cup titles. Now, Stevenson is the one the Bears are relying on. “I’ve put myself in the position to be in that role and the confidence in myself,” Stevenson stated after the recent game. Sure, Mitch Gibson was a reliable veteran all season but it’s the playoffs, and it’s a different animal (or a different bear, one might say).
It requires teams to turn to a goaltender to lead them. “We have to. That’s the playoffs, right? Whether you’re in the NHL, the (ECHL), your hot goalies are going to play every night unless something’s wrong,” King mentioned after the 2-0 victory.
Stevenson has big shoes to fill as the follow-up act for Shepard. That said, he’s learned a lot from the veteran over the years. “It was such a blessing to be able to watch Shep over the past few years and how he handles situations,” Stevenson noted. The two formed a great duo in previous seasons and helped the Bears remain a top team in the American Hockey League in the regular season and the playoffs.
Now, Stevenson is making the most of his lessons from Shepard and using them when the Bears need them most. The Bears are a flawed team with struggles on offense outside of the top six, a blue line that has battled injuries, and a team that is younger and less experienced for the playoffs. They entered the series against the Islanders as the lower seed and a less talented team. Yet, they had the edge in the net, and it showed in Game One.
Stevenson as a Capitals Prospect
The question anyone has when watching Stevenson at the AHL level is what he’ll look like in the NHL. The Washington Capitals called him up a few times but never made him a full-time goaltender despite having questions with their backup. At 27 years old, he’s no longer a prospect but like many goaltenders, he took time to develop, and the 6-foot-4 goalie is rounding out his game this season.
One scout at Game One noted that because he’s a bigger goaltender, it gives him a better chance to join an NHL team. Another talked about Charlie Lindgren and how Stevenson would be an upgrade over him, giving the Capitals a Stevenson-Logan Thompson duo for next season.
Stevenson looked like an NHL goaltender against the Islanders. “He’s phenomenal. He’s an NHL goalie in my eyes, and when you have a guy like that in the net, he bails you out,” Henrik Rybinski, who assisted the game-winning goal, noted after the 2-0 win.
But for now, the focus is on him leading the Bears and being the workhorse. It’s giving them an early edge against the Islanders and could be what separates them from the other teams in a Calder Cup Playoff run.