Washington Capitals: Devante Smith-Pelly has Thrived with the Hershey Bears

It was just a normal practice for Washington Capitals forward Devante Smith-Pelly. Then he left the ice and was informed he was placed on waivers. This began a scary 24-hours of the unknown but the verdict was he cleared and was sent to the Hershey Bears. Bears fans have loved having him up there.

A tough moment for him and a high risk for the Capitals, Devante Smith-Pelly cleared waivers and was assigned to the Washington Capitals AHL affiliate: the Hershey Bears. A playoff hero a year ago, the fan favorite needed some time in the AHL to get his game back up to that clutch level come playoff time. So far, he’s tore it up with the Bears.

DSP had a hat trick in the Bears 5-3 win over the Hartford Wolfpack. He didn’t stop there. In Wednesday night’s 5-3 victory over the Springfield Thunderbirds, Smith-Pelly scored the second goal of the game and his first goal at Giant Center. Ironically in that Bears game, they were losing 2-0 before earning that 5-3 win. In Tuesday night’s Capitals game against the Penguins, the Caps went up 2-0 before falling 5-3.

For DSP it wasn’t quite a seamless transition. Flashback to that practice in Toronto: The Capitals initially were going to waive Dmitrij Jaskin before changing their minds. Capitals head coach Todd Reirden told the media that it was an “organizational decision”.

“There is lots going on right now” – Reirden.

This week, in the Bears last two games, Smith-Pelly has scored four goals. When was the last time he had such a tear? Yup, the Stanley Cup Finals.

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Smith-Pelly has lined up on Hershey’s second line alongside Nathan Walker and Jayson Megna the last two games. With the Bears down 2-0, they scored four unanswered goals to take command of the game. The tying goal came from Smith-Pelly on the power play, who was doing what he did when he was at his best in D.C., grinding it out in front of the net. Looking for that rebound or any chance to put the puck in the net.

In this sequence, he was crashing the net and found a perfect pass from Mike Sgarbossa. DSP banged it in directly in front of the net.

After Hartford struck first, the Bears tied it late in the first period with DSP’s first goal as a Hershey Bear. It came on a deflection in front of the net. The Wolfpack retook the lead early int he second before the Bears tied it nearly six minutes later on a Garrett Pilon power play goal. The score would be even at two at the second intermission.

Early in the third, Smith-Pelly got his second goal of the game to put the Bears up 3-2. The Bears got an insurance goal from Megna to go up 4-2 before the Wolfpack pulled within one late in the third on a power play goal. Smith-Pelly sealed the game with a breakaway goal to complete the hat trick.

It’s good to see Smith-Pelly on this recent tear. It should get his confidence up and if he keeps grinding it out in Hershey I don’t see any reason why he wouldn’t be called up for the playoffs. This situation will be perfect for him to rekindle his magic as the Capitals chase their goal of defending their Cup.