Bears Fall 5-2 to Firebirds, Calder Cup to be Decided in Game 7 on Wednesday
Published on June 20, 2023 under American Hockey League (AHL)
Hershey Bears News Release
(Palm Desert, CA) - The Hershey Bears (14-6) will go the distance in the championship series of the American Hockey League after falling to the Coachella Valley Firebirds (15-10) by a 5-2 score in Game 6 of the 2023 Calder Cup Finals on Monday night at Acrisure Arena. The best-of-seven series is now tied at three games apiece. It will be the 12th time the Calder Cup Finals will be decided in a Game 7, the first since 2018 (Toronto defeated Texas), the fourth involving the Bears, and the first for Hershey since 1963.
Hershey opened the scoring early in the first period, as Joe Snively sent a pass from the right side into the slot for Connor McMichael who jammed the redirect past Joey Daccord at 1:33 for his fifth of the postseason, and gave the Chocolate and White their first road goal of the Finals. The tally was also Hershey's earliest goal scored from the outset of a game during the 2023 postseason. Lucas Johansen added a secondary assist.
Coachella Valley captain Max McCormick equalized for the hosts with a power-play goal at 10:10 when he shoveled the puck over the shoulder of Hunter Shepard at the front of the net. The goal ended a stretch of 93:10 that Shepard had not surrendered a goal, dating back to Game 4.
The Firebirds then took a 2-1 lead at 12:01 when John Hayden knocked in the rebound of a shot from Ryker Evans.
Coachella Valley took a two-goal edge at 16:52 when Cameron Hughes won a footrace and shelved it past Shepard.
Beck Malenstyn pulled Hershey back to within a goal early in the second period when he made his way up the left side and drove the net before stuffing his fourth of the playoffs past Daccord at 3:28, with Riley Sutter and Logan Day assisting.
The Firebirds restored the two-goal advantage at 11:50 of the frame with a power-play score when Kole Lind snapped a shot from the left circle on the rush past the glove of Shepard to make it 4-2.
Lind scored again at 3:57 of the third period when he banged home a pass from Alexander True. That spelled the end of the night for Shepard, as he would be replaced by Zach Fucale in net.
The Bears pulled Fucale for an extra attacker with just over five minutes left in regulation, but Hershey was unable to narrow the deficit.
Shots finished 28-22 in favor of Coachella Valley. Shepard went 17-for-22 for the Bears in the loss, while Fucale stopped all six shots he faced in relief; Daccord went 20-for-22 in the victory for the Firebirds. Hershey was 0-for-2 on the power play, while Coachella Valley went 2-for-4.
The Bears' 2023 playoffs, presented by Penn State Health, continues when the Chocolate and White take the ice for a winner-take-all Game 7 of the 2023 Calder Cup Finals against the Firebirds on Wednesday, June 21 at 10 p.m. ET at Acrisure Arena. Bear Nation is invited to come cheer the Bears to a Calder Cup Championship! The Hershey Bears will host a Watch Party at GIANT Center as Hershey battles the Coachella Valley Firebirds on the road in Game 7 of the Calder Cup Finals. Doors at GIANT Center open at 9 p.m. with puck drop at 10 p.m. from Palm Desert, California. Continue to check HersheyBears.com for the latest updates on the 2023 Calder Cup Playoffs, including games, dates, times, and broadcast coverage.
American Hockey League Stories from June 20, 2023
- 2022-23 Hockey Season to Conclude with Calder Cup Finals Game 7 - AHL
- Coyotes Return to Tucson Arena for October 7 Preseason Action - Tucson Roadrunners
- Roadrunners to Host NHL Draft Party at Tucson Arena - Tucson Roadrunners
- Firebirds Force Game 7 - Coachella Valley Firebirds
- Iowa Wild Signs Landon Kosior to One-Year, Two-Way AHL Contract - Iowa Wild
- New York Islanders Sign Bolduc - Bridgeport Islanders
- Admirals Sign Felhaber to AHL Deal - Milwaukee Admirals
- Bears Fall 5-2 to Firebirds, Calder Cup to be Decided in Game 7 on Wednesday - Hershey Bears
- Firebirds Force Game Seven with 5-2 Win over Bears - Coachella Valley Firebirds
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