The Capitals' AHL-affiliate capped off the holiday weekend with a couple of losses.

The Washington Capitals' AHL affiliate Hershey Bears capped off another week of their season and the month of November with a win against Laval, followed by back-to-back losses against Lehigh and Wilkes-Barre/Scranton. 

It's not all bad news for the wrap this week. So let's dive in.

Nov. 27: Hershey vs. Laval

Hershey went into the holiday weekend with the most points in the AHL and kicked things off with a convincing 5-3 victory over the Laval Rocket. Hunter Shepard came up big in the win, stopping 22 of 25 shots.

Spencer Smallman got the scoring started early for Hershey, and Shepard's ky stops kept Hershey on top.

Alex Limoges added a powerplay goal on a 5-on-3 later in the first for the Bears. In the second, Laval tied the game at 2 before Chase Priskie got his fourth of the year on the powerplay.

Laval tied it back up in the third period before Vincent Iorio scored the game-winner and Ethen Frank buried his 13th of the season on an empty netter to seal the deal.

Nov. 29: Hershey vs. Lehigh Valley

After Turkey Day, Hershey visited Lehigh Valley and dropped an ovetime decision, 2-1 to the Phantoms. Frank scored his 14th of the season, but Olle Lycksell proved to be a thorn in the Bears' side all night, scoring the first goal of the game and the eventual OT winner 27 seconds into the extra frame. Clay Stevenson stopped 24 of 26 goals in the loss.

Nov. 30: Hershey vs. Wilkes-Barre/Scranton

The next night, Hershey returned home to take on the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on Hockey Fights Cancer Night. (Editor's Note: This was a game that I was fortunate enough to attend with my son, who has yet to see the Bears win in person.)

Hershey ultimately dropped a back-and-forth affair 5-4 to the Penguins. Hunter Shepard stopped 18 of 23 in the loss.

This game was a literal roller coaster.

After a wonderful tribute to cancer survivors and a ceremonial puck drop by a local cancer survivor, the Penguins started the game off with an early tally, but Bogdan Trineyev scored to tie things up a short time later.

In the second, the Penguins jumped back out to a 2-1 lead, but Iorio stayed hot and responded with a quick snipe soon after. He has goals in back-to-back games.

Not long after, the Penguins took the lead back, before the Bears tied it back up 39 seconds into the third on Chase Priskie's fifth of the season.

Shortly thereafter, the Penguins went up on a power-play goal, but Frank struck back nine seconds later to make it a 4-4 game.

It marked Frank's four games and his league-leading 15th of the season, and it looked like it would turn the tide for the Bears.

Though Hershey controlled play through most of this period (and large portions of the game really), a late goal for the Penguins with 1:15 left in regulation resulted in a 5-4 loss.

The Bears still maintain their first-place standing over the league, albeit in a tie with Calgary. They are off until Dec. 4, when they travel to Wilkes-Barre to take on the Penguins in a grudge match. They then follow that up with another home-and-home against the Lehigh Valley Phantoms.

Safe to say, these teams will get to know each other very well.

Notable notes:

- Capitals prospect Alexander Suzdalev was named the ECHL's player of the week this past week, scoring two goals and six assists for eight points in three games. He now has 16 points in 15 games since joining the South Carolina Stingrays.

This kid has potential, so hopefully, he can continue to improve and work his way back up to the AHL.

- Hardy Häman Aktell dealing with a "significant" injury but remains day-to-day. Jon McDonald is up to help fill his void. He has 9 points on the season down with the Stingrays and is a plus-10.

-The Bears made a trade as well, dealing Calder Cup champion Dmitri Osipov to the Utica Comets for forward Jace Isley. Isley has spent the season with the ECHL Adirondack Thunder, where he has a goal and three assists in nine games so far. He looks more like a depth pickup and could spend more time in the ECHL.

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