ARLINGTON, Va. – The Washington Capitals have recalled goaltender Hunter Shepard from the Hershey Bears of the American Hockey League (AHL) and have loaned Forward Ivan Miroshnichenko to Hershey, president and general manager Brian MacLellan announced today.
Shepard, 28, has a record of 2-0-0 with a 2.50 goals-against average and a .915 save percentage in two games with the Capitals this season. Shepard made his NHL debut and earned his first career win on Oct. 25 at New Jersey. On Nov. 11 against the New York Islanders, Shepard stopped 36 of 37 shots and was named the game’s First Star in a 4-1 Washington win. In 16 games with Hershey this season, Shepard has posted a record of 14-2-0 with a 2.28 goals-against average and a .908 save percentage. Shepard ranks tied for second in the AHL in wins and fifth in goals-against average.
Shepard appeared in 33 games with Hershey last season, posting a record of 20-8-5 with a 2.18 goals-against average, a .916 save percentage and one shutout. The 6'0", 219-pound goaltender ranked second among AHL goaltenders in goals-against average and tied for sixth in save percentage. Shepard, who was awarded the Jack A. Butterfield Trophy as the MVP of the Calder Cup Playoffs, started all 20 playoff games for the Bears,posting a 14-6 record with a 2.27 goals-against average, a .914 save percentage and three shutouts en route to the franchise’s league-record 12th championship. In 61 career AHL games with Hershey, Shepard has a record of 42-13-5 with a 2.13 goals-against average, a .918 save percentage and four shutouts.
A native of Cohasset, Minnesota, Shepard won back-to-back NCAA Championships with Minnesota-Duluth in 2018 and 2019. In addition, he was twice named the National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) Goaltender of the Year (2019 and 2020) and earned First-Team All-American honors in 2019 and Second-Team All-American honors in 2020. With Minnesota-Duluth, Shepard started an NCAA-record 115 straight games from Oct. 21, 2017 to March 7, 2020. Shepard finished his NCAA career as a three-time Mike Richter Award Finalist – given to the NCAA's top goaltender – and a three-time All-NCHC selection.
Miroshnichenko, the Capitals’ first-round pick (20th overall) in the 2022 NHL Draft, made his NHL debut on Dec. 20 vs. the New York Islanders, logging 10:14 of ice time. Miroshnichenko has appeared in four games with Washington this season and has registered six shots on goal.
The 6’0”, 192-pound forward has recorded 15 points (8g, 7a) in 27 games in his first season with Hershey. Miroshnichenko leads Bears rookies in goals, assists and points and ranked tied for seventh among AHL rookies in goals at the time of his first recall on Dec. 19. Miroshnichenko ranks tied for fourth among all Hershey skaters in goals, but his seven even-strength goals are tied for the second most on the team.
