The Hershey Bears downed the Coachella Valley Firebirds, 5-4 (OT) in Game 6 of the 2024 Calder Cup Finals Monday night at Giant Center in Hershey, PA. The win gave the Bears a 4-2 series victory, their 13th Calder Cup in franchise history and back-to-back AHL championships. Hendrix Lapierre was named MVP.
Coachella Valley wasted little time in striking the game’s first tally when Ryan Winterton dented the twine just 1:37 into the game. But the Bears quickly answered with a power play goal from Pierrick Dube just under six minutes into the contest. Hendrix Lapierre added a late goal to give the Bears a 2-1 lead at the first intermission.
The Firebirds tied the game 2-2 early in the middle frame on a 4-on-4 goal from Marian Studenic and took their first lead of the night on Ryan Winterton’ssecond goal of the game at 7:59 of the second period. But the Bears answered again. Pierrick Dube scored his second goal of the night at 13:52 of the second period to make it 3-3 at the second break.
Pierrick Dube completed the hat trick midway through the final frame to give the Bears a 4-3 lead. The Firebirds tied the game late with a goal from Cale Fleury to make it 4-4, and that’s how regulation would end.
The Bears won it in overtime. Matt Strome scored the series clincher 1:06 into the extra farm.
LINEUP
Hunter Shepard (13-6, 2.41 GAA, .914 sv%) got the start between the pipes for the Bears. Chris Driedger (12-5, 2.53 GAA, .912 sv%) started in goal for the visiting Firebirds. The forward lines and defensive pairs for the Bears:
Joe Snively – Hendrix Lapierre – Ethen Frank
Alex Limoges – Pierrick Dube – Jimmy Huntington
Ivan Miroshnichenko – Henrik Rybinski – Mike Vecchione
Matthew Strome – Riley Sutter – Bogdan Trineyev
Nick Leivermann – Dylan McIlrath
Hardy Haman Aktell – Logan Day
Jake Massie – Chase Priskie
Hunter Shepard
Clay Stevenson
Scratches: Vincent Iorio (Injury), Aaron Ness (Injury), Lucas Johansen (injury), John McDonald (Injury), Garrett Roe (Injury).
1ST PERIOD
The Firebirds opened the scoring just 1:37 into the contest with close-range blast from Ryan Winterton (6). Cameron Hughes (14) and Shane Wright (7) had the assists on the goal.
let’s go winny!!! pic.twitter.com/edvbVF0AFK
See Also35 Casas rurales adaptadas a personas con discapacidad en Vilanova de la Barca‘Jinx’ lanza epílogo antes del estreno de la temporada 2: ¿qué dijo Mingwa sobre el manhwa BL?293 Casas rurales en Tuixent para Reyes Magos399 Casas rurales en Renau con bicicletas— y – Coachella Valley Firebirds (@Firebirds) June 24, 2024
But the Bears wasted little time in answering the Firebirds initial salvo. Pierrick Dube (5) converted on the Bears first power play at 5:51. Hendrix Lapierre (15) andJoe Snively (14) had the helpers. Hershey led in shots, 8-3, midway through the first frame.
Perfectly-placed shot from Dubes!
🍎Lapierre
🍏Snively https://t.co/aLaNNFbAfL pic.twitter.com/iqY89BeFF1— Hershey Bears (@TheHersheyBears) June 24, 2024
The Bears made it 2-1 late in the first frame on a goal from Hendrix Lapierre (7) at 19:24. Chase Priskie had the lone assist.
The hand is quicker than the eye on Lappy’s redirect for his seventh of the playoffs! 🪄
🍎Priskie https://t.co/7OUMs6jlrF pic.twitter.com/8z3uM1mLMV
— Hershey Bears (@TheHersheyBears) June 24, 2024
The Bears held the 2-1 lead at the first intermission and led in shots, 10-7 for the period. Coachella Valley was 0 for 1 and Hershey 1 for 1 on the power play in the first period.
2ND PERIOD
Coachella Valley tied the game early in the second period on a 4-on-4 goal from Marian Studenic (4) at 1:51 of the frame. Devin Shore (8) andJimmy Schuldt (3) assisted.
TIED GAME 2-2 pic.twitter.com/Ltx36hg044
— y – Coachella Valley Firebirds (@Firebirds) June 25, 2024
The Firebirds took their first lead of the night on Ryan Winterton’ssecond goal of the game at 7:59. Shane Wright (8) andCameron Hughes (15) had the assists.
keep it going wints 🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/4EgwCLWTO9
— y – Coachella Valley Firebirds (@Firebirds) June 25, 2024
But the Bears answered again. Pierrick Dube scored his second goal of the night at 13:52 of the second period to make it 3-3. Alex Limoges (8) and Jimmy Huntington (9) had the helpers.
Make that two for Dubes!
🍎Limoges
🍏Huntington pic.twitter.com/Vjv9Z7oYkc— Hershey Bears (@TheHersheyBears) June 25, 2024
The scored remained 3-3 at the second intermission. Hershey led in shots 16-12 after two periods of play. There were no power plays in the middle stanza.
3RD PERIOD
The Bears regained the lead on Pierrick Dube’s third goal of the game at 8:56 of the final frame.
What a sight, Dubes 🎩🎩🎩
🍎Limoges https://t.co/WB1oCuLkMW pic.twitter.com/uSoUdgRF5d
— Hershey Bears (@TheHersheyBears) June 25, 2024
The Firebirds tied the game late with a goal from Cale Fleury (5) at 17:05. Shane Wright (9) ndCameron Hughes (16) had the assists.
4-4!! pic.twitter.com/8S5Zo05Jul
— y – Coachella Valley Firebirds (@Firebirds) June 25, 2024
Regulation ended tied 4-4. Hershey led in shots 21-20 after three periods of play.
OVERTIME
The Bears won it in overtime.Matt Strome scored the series clincher 1:06 into the extra frame.
BACK-TO-BACK @CALDERCUP CHAMPS 🏆@TheHersheyBears | #RepeatTheRoar pic.twitter.com/UQqe5ItOYb
— Monumental Sports Network (@MonSportsNet) June 25, 2024
SHAVINGS
- NHL box score
- Attendance: 11,013 (franchise record)
- 100th playoff game in Giant Center history
- Hendrix Lapierre was named MVP. (Jack A. Butterfield Trophy). He recoded22 points (7g, 15a) in 20 games.
- It marks Hershey’s fifth Calder Cup since the current affiliation began in 2005-06 (also 2006, 2009, 2010, 2023). No NHL-AHL pairing has won more Calder Cups in that span.
About Jon Sorensen
Jon has been a Caps fan since day one, attending his first game at the Capital Centre in 1974. His interest in the Caps has grown over the decades and included time as a season ticket holder. He has been a journalist covering the team for 10+ years, primarily focusing on analysis, analytics and prospect development.
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