Ethen Frank and Logan Day practice with Hershey Bears after missing time with injury

The Hershey Bears have been without several key players during stretches of the 2024 Calder Cup playoffs, but as they continue to put away opponents quickly, the extra rest is proving valuable.

On Saturday, in their first full-squad practice since eliminating the Hartford Wolf Pack in the Atlantic Division final, the Bears looked ahead Ethen Frank defender Logan's Day return to the ice at the Giant Center. Frank was ruled out Thursday, while Day missed the team's last three games due to injury.

𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗴𝗿𝗶𝗻𝗱 𝗻𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝘀𝘁𝗼𝗽𝘀

Game 1 pic.twitter.com/lvSMxRX0OR

– Hershey Bear (@TheHersheyBears) May 25, 2024

Frank wore a white sweater indicating he is fully healthy while Day was the only player on the ice wearing a red non-contact jersey.

After scoring the game-winning goal in three straight games, Frank was surprisingly scratched for Game 3 against the Wolf Pack and was announced out with an undisclosed injury minutes before faceoff.

UPDATE: Ethen Frank has been added to tonight's unavailable list (injury). Matthew Phillips will dress in his place. pic.twitter.com/BY1OeHPdv0

– Hershey Bear (@TheHersheyBears) May 22, 2024

Frank, the team's co-leading scorer with Ivan Miroshnichenko, was replaced in the lineup by Matthew Phillips who had been left out of the previous three meetings. Phillips was awarded the team's Bear Head as Player of the Game in the locker room after making a key block and battling through adversity.

Day was injured late in Game 4 of the Atlantic Division Semifinal against the Lehigh Valley Phantoms in a last-minute scuffle. Day put his arm on the window and appeared to be in pain shortly afterward, skating into the tunnel immediately afterward.

Riley Sutterthe Bears' only other injury issue, has been a full participant in practice over the past week-plus.

Hershey opens the Eastern Conference finals against the Cleveland Monsters on Thursday. They have the next two days off before returning to the ice to practice on Tuesday.