Connor McMichael and Beck Malenstyn, members of the 2023 Calder Cup championship team, made the trek to Giant Center to show support for their former teammates. Meanwhile, Dylan was there for a different reason.

Dylan’s younger brother, 25-year-old Matt Strome, is in his second full season with the Bears, and making his AHL Calder Cup playoffs debut. Matt, a 2017 fourth-round pick of the Philadelphia Flyers, notched his first career playoff point, an assist, in Game 1 and in Game 2 in front of his family, he did it again.

Bowling over a Phantoms defender, Matt set up shop in front of the net where Henrik Rybinski deflected a Bodgan Trineyev shot past goaltender Cal Petersen. Matt was credited with a secondary assist.

“It’s lots of fun,” Matt said. “Those first two games, high intensity, lots of hitting. I’ve played in the coast for a pro playoff game but in the AHL the energy is really high up. It’s fun, it’s nice to get the two wins on home ice, and to contribute a little there is always nice.”

When asked about Dylan coming up to watch him play, the youngest Strome was clearly appreciative.

“I think that was his first time watching me play in nine years so it was pretty exciting knowing he was here,” Matt said to RMNB. “I was down there for Game Three (of the Capitals-Rangers’ first-round playoff series) for them. The support I have from my whole family is just unbelievable and that really drives me. It was just great to see him and hopefully he’s back for the next series.”

If that estimate is true, Matt would have been captaining the Toronto Marlboros U16 AAA team while Dylan was a member of the OHL’s Erie Otters.

Dylan, 27, and Matt are two of three Strome brothers who play hockey professionally. The eldest, Ryan Strome, is 30 and a center with the Anaheim Ducks.

Dylan, along with McMichael and Malenstyn, were part of the biggest home crowd in Hershey Bears’ history for a first or second-round game.

“It’s huge,” Matt said. “If you watch some of the NHL games, the fans are cheering for everything, and that’s what our fans did tonight and on Wednesday. Everybody gets a boost of energy when we hear the crowd cheering. It was so loud in there I couldn’t even hear myself think. It was awesome.”